My Clio 172 Ph2 52reg

[JonWxmClio172]

Just wanted to introduce myself and my car.


Im Jon from Wrexham in north wales UK.

I have owned my Clio ph2 172 since Feb 2009.

I drove the car for almost 2 years before our first child was born, it developed a missfire and during those first 2 years i had already done the Cambelt dephaser water pump work along with a Dealership service etc cost around £1000. So when this missfire happened instead of repairing a possible pricey fault i garaged the car.

thats where it stood until august this year.

I was a very lazy owner and didnt return to the garage to start it etc in that time or anything.

This year i decided i was going to revive her.

Now me being an IT geek for my work (im no mechanic) decided i needed the expertise of my brother in law and without him the car would still be in the garage.

With plenty of 6 hour saturdays spent working on the car this is the result.


She has been back on the road since Sept 21st 2019 and been running flawlessly.

52 reg register in the dec 2002

Mileage when i picked up the car in 2009 - 12881 miles

Current mileage 28500.

during the course of the restoration of the car i have replaced the following

MTEC front and rear Drilled and grooved Discs
EBC ultimax front pads
Brembo rear pads
OBD2 reader
New alternator and alternator bolt
new battery
New Coil pack
new ht leads
New towing eye
new alloy key and nuts
2 new Nankang NS2 tyres to match rears
new bonnet seal (front)
new lambda sensors post and pre cat
rear shocks as one developed a leak
Brake pedal sensor
New Windscreen washer res and pumps
new valve caps for wheels


the engine we split and removed the plugs so that we could rock the car back and forth with no compression to get oil back to the top of the engine.

Turns out the missfire was caused by a CRIMPED HT lead that was done by the mechanic who fitted a coil pack at the time in 2009.


alternator was a pain as the bolt had snapped on the bottom and was partially still inside the alternater housing bracket.


anyway here are some pictures.

Shes got a PIPERCROSS VIPER INDUCTION kit and a magnex cat back exhaust sytem.

No further mods at present.

 

[White16valver]

Welcome to the forum!

That must be one of the mintest, lowest mileage examples around - good to see the garage was dry and it's been kept in good condition.

Personally speaking, I would swap the rear lights back to originals (because Lexus lights were always a bit chavvy and now they are old and chavvy lol) but apart from that, looking good!

Did you refresh the rear tyres as well as the front? Tyres do go hard with age so running decade-old rears with new fronts could be likely to lead to some unintentional 'interesting' oversteer-y moments...

If they've not yet started salting the roads where you are, get some waxoyl or Bilt Hamber or similar and get the inside of the sills coated ASAP, as well as behind the rear wheel arch mud guards and around the filler cap - all are prime rust places so you should treat them now while they are in good condition.

 

[JonWxmClio172]

Welcome to the forum!

That must be one of the mintest, lowest mileage examples around - good to see the garage was dry and it's been kept in good condition.

Personally speaking, I would swap the rear lights back to originals (because Lexus lights were always a bit chavvy and now they are old and chavvy lol) but apart from that, looking good!

Did you refresh the rear tyres as well as the front? Tyres do go hard with age so running decade-old rears with new fronts could be likely to lead to some unintentional 'interesting' oversteer-y moments...

If they've not yet started salting the roads where you are, get some waxoyl or Bilt Hamber or similar and get the inside of the sills coated ASAP, as well as behind the rear wheel arch mud guards and around the filler cap - all are prime rust places so you should treat them now while they are in good condition.

thanks for the praise about its condition, it was clean when i purchased it, just a little dusty when i took it out of the garage lol.

Thanks for the info about the WAXOYL Ill get that asap and get them coated.

As the car is now was how i purchased it in 2009 (besides the replacements i made this year).


No i did not refresh the rear tyres and do plan on buying new just after Xmas as Demon Tweeks is only 10mins from my house. (however i will point out that i dont hammer this car as its just a daily driver) very rarely goes beyond 60mph (im 39 with 2 small children and a wife) unless im sitting at 70mph on a motorway going to my next Darts tournament lol.

ill keep an eye out for OE rear lights, i need to wet sand the front lights a little as they have some yellowing (only a tad) and some small surface cracking. My delivery of 3" sanding/polishing discs has arrived this week now i just need some time to get the little jobs done lol.

Ill try and get some good shots of her using my DSLR soon to really show her off.

Took an absolute eternity to get rid of the stickiness from the plastic/rubber interior parts but finally ive managed to remove almost all of it lol.

Ill keep this updated as i do any more work etc to her or replace anything more.

The original plan was to fix her up, run her for 3 months to make sure any problems were rectified and then sell her, since shes been on the road and both myself and the mrs have driven her we dont want to part with her now lol.

I do want to remove the "chavvy" magnex exhaust system though (it was great when i was 29, now im 39 its not so nice lol) was hoping to go for something more stealth like OEM but without the restrictions of the OE but there are very few places selling Stealth systems for this car anymore other than having a POWERFLOW custom from Demon Tweeks. Was Hoping KTEC still produced their Stealth System but last time i checked they didnt.

Will have to keep my eye out or just go back to OEM.


Thanks again for the kind words much appreciated.

 

[BaileyWolves]

Lovely example mate once the lights and exhaust are sorted , ktec do the stealth systems not long had one on my 172 cup and it’s been great 👍 good to see a nice 172

 

[JonWxmClio172]

Lovely example mate once the lights and exhaust are sorted , ktec do the stealth systems not long had one on my 172 cup and it’s been great 👍 good to see a nice 172

Thanks Bailey for the kind words.


thanks for the info about KTEC maybe they were just out of stock etc when i last checked.

 

[yeecup]

stealth silenced exhaust (looks like its in stock)

http://www.k-tecracing.com/show_product.asp?id=1088

 

[JonWxmClio172]

stealth silenced exhaust (looks like its in stock)

http://www.k-tecracing.com/show_product.asp?id=1088

Cheers buddy Yes it appears to be back in stock. Phew £405 inc vat hmmm. Maybe just an OEM back box for me lol

 

[JonWxmClio172]

Just thought I would post a clock shot for you all as I’m just out in the Clio now.

I was 100 miles out lol.
28600

 

[Cookson]

Have you replaced the cambelt since it was last done in 2009?

 

[JonWxmClio172]

Have you replaced the cambelt since it was last done in 2009?

No. I do know it needs doing though.

it will be another job for the list.

 

[DomP182]

Tidy but am I right in saying your rear tyres are 8 years old?

 

[JonWxmClio172]

Tidy but am I right in saying your rear tyres are 8 years old?

around that yes.

i understand tyres degrade over time.

Also please understand I don’t race this car, I drive it as a main vehicle but the differences are that I am fortunate to be able to walk to work.

i barely add any mileage to cars over the space of a year. I’m 39 years old and don’t do fast driving at all really.

They are something I am planning on replacing in the new year, they were only around 3months old when I garaged the car.

 

[Martin_172]

I love iceberg silver, reminds me of my first car!

ive got a pair of factory rear lights in good condition with all the bulbs and bulb holders etc, yours for £20 posted!

 

[JonWxmClio172]

I love iceberg silver, reminds me of my first car!

ive got a pair of factory rear lights in good condition with all the bulbs and bulb holders etc, yours for £20 posted!

Could you hold them for me until a week today?

 

[DomP182]

around that yes.

i understand tyres degrade over time.

Also please understand I don’t race this car, I drive it as a main vehicle but the differences are that I am fortunate to be able to walk to work.

i barely add any mileage to cars over the space of a year. I’m 39 years old and don’t do fast driving at all really.

They are something I am planning on replacing in the new year, they were only around 3months old when I garaged the car.

Fair enough, have they cracked or developed flat spots from standing so long? Big 4 0 next year then, I often wonder how many on here are my age or older

 

[JonWxmClio172]

Fair enough, have they cracked or developed flat spots from standing so long? Big 4 0 next year then, I often wonder how many on here are my age or older

No cracking or flat spots, had them checked over by my guys who done mY MOT to make sure.
The tyres I changed on the front toyo proxie4’s had ripped side wall etc. But not down to wire on the wall. When I had them changed the guys at the garage said they would have passed an MOT but I didn’t like the look of them.

 

[JonWxmClio172]

Fair enough, have they cracked or developed flat spots from standing so long? Big 4 0 next year then, I often wonder how many on here are my age or older

And unfortunately it’s January for the big 40 lol.

 

[Cookson]

Fair enough, have they cracked or developed flat spots from standing so long? Big 4 0 next year then, I often wonder how many on here are my age or older

Just turned 40 in October

 

[DomP182]

Just turned 40 in October

I dont like saying it when people ask how old I am, it sounds wrong

 

[JonWxmClio172]

Just turned 40 in October

I dont like saying it when people ask how old I am, it sounds wrong

Maybe we should do an old codgers Clio meet lol.

 

[yeecup]

I am 46...........

 

[Martin_172]

Could you hold them for me until a week today?

Yeah no problem

 

[BaileyWolves]

I am 44 and sometimes question myself what on earth am I doing lol altho my mrs pressuring me to sell the cup to fund a trip to Florida 🙈

 

[JonWxmClio172]

I am 44 and sometimes question myself what on earth am I doing lol altho my mrs pressuring me to sell the cup to fund a trip to Florida 🙈

Lol. Thankfully my mrs loves the 172 more than I do. Lol.

 

[BaileyWolves]

Mine won’t even drive mine prob cause she has a new quashqai and feels like she’s in a go cart in the Clio , I think when you get over 40 u appreciate the cars in a different way I did intend keeping mine totally standard which went downhill as soon as I got the car 😂

 

[Mbeau]

I am 44 and sometimes question myself what on earth am I doing lol altho my mrs pressuring me to sell the cup to fund a trip to Florida 🙈

Don't do it!

 

[eon172]

I am 46...........

I'm not far off you pal (45), but my brain still thinks I'm in my early 30's.... Anyway the way I see it it's just a number [emoji6][emoji41]

 

[eon172]

Yep, lose the exhaust and rear light clusters and you have a great standard example there. Keep an eye out on here in the parts section as well as on ebay, or post a wanted ad on the forum, those stealth systems do pop up now and again.

 

[JonWxmClio172]

Yep, lose the exhaust and rear light clusters and you have a great standard example there. Keep an eye out on here in the parts section as well as on ebay, or post a wanted ad on the forum, those stealth systems do pop up now and again.

OEM rear clusters will be purchased on Friday. From @Martin_172 thanks again buddy.

In case any of you see them on eBay I bought 2 products from this company MLM

their tar and glue remover OMG!

within seconds it’s breaking down the road tar rand their SPRAY WAX carnuaba with Si02 is fantastic. I did it a panel at a time etc.

one problem though. I used my uncles industrial pressure washer and blew off some paint on my rear bumper lol.

I’ll repair this during some nicer weather.

 

[yeecup]

I'm not far off you pal (45), but my brain still thinks I'm in my early 30's.... Anyway the way I see it it's just a number [emoji6][emoji41]

I still think I'm in my 20s 😂

 

[eon172]

I still think I'm in my 20s 😂

Lol, the body tells me no, 20s is pushing it 🤣

 

[JonWxmClio172]

I still think I'm in my 20s 😂

Lol, the body tells me no, 20s is pushing it 🤣

Same here. I feel like im still young until i catch my greys in the mirror lol.


Dont get me started on the body lol.. getting out of bed in the mornings to head to work is hard going (my back is in pieces every day lol)

Where did all these ailments come from lol.

 

[finch wxm]

must be a Wrexham thing leaving clios abandoned for years 😂😂

 

[JonWxmClio172]

must be a Wrexham thing leaving clios abandoned for years 😂😂

lol most probably.

 

[JonWxmClio172]

just some extra pictures i didnt post the first time

 

[JonWxmClio172]

Little follow up of some pics of my Clio after cleaning.

 

[BaileyWolves]

It’s so nice to see the interior of a low
Mileage car looks so fresh, this is one area that I am concentrating on now with my car hope your enjoying it mate. When weather gets better we will have to organise a meet somewhere if people are keen

 

[JonWxmClio172]

It’s so nice to see the interior of a low
Mileage car looks so fresh, this is one area that I am concentrating on now with my car hope your enjoying it mate. When weather gets better we will have to organise a meet somewhere if people are keen

Definately.

hopefully by then the big gaping exhaust will be gone too lol.

thanks for the kind words.

I just missed the rain yesterday here but due to the weather over the last few weeks I haven’t been able to clean her.

so yesterday it was a maguires back to black day on the interior and a wash and carnauba/Si02 detail spray day.

 

[JonWxmClio172]

Spent some time polishing the car and sorting out the haze on the headlights etc.

also changed the rear clusters now to OEM.

sorted out the crazing on the front bumper with heavy and light cut compound from MLM on eBay.

also had a new front windscreen after a chip turned into a crack which then lead to a 6” crack lol.

 

[tomsteer]

Those rear lights look so much better! Great work, will look lovely once the exhaust is away!