New member looking considering a 1*2 as a daily

[bigfootisblurry]

Hi all,

I've just signed up as I'm thinking of going for a 172 or 182 as a daily next year. I do about 30 miles a day and can either choose the motorway or b roads.

I've had all sorts of cars over the years, from modified jap stuff (S14, turbo mx5s) to euro barges (BMW e34, SAAB Aero) and was going to go for a Z4 or slk next year but the urge to have a proper hot hatch before they're all gone or stupid prices won't go away. I still regret not getting a 205 gti when I had the chance!

I've got a Clio 1.2 that I bought as a beater years ago and I've become quite fond of the thing, I've even driven it to Barcelona and back. Reliability wise is been ok, other than regular electrical gremlins, bad earths etc but I've always managed to fix them.

I'll refrain from questions until I've searched the site properly but anyone who thinks I'm mad to daily one shout up!

 

[Clio_fool]

Welcome. Besides some parts becoming difficult to get hold of the are perfectly capable of being a daily. They handle big mileage with correct maintenance and won't break the bank on fuel either. Just buy the best condition one you can find, not the lowest mileage one.

 

[Mr Underhill]

 

[bigfootisblurry]

Thank you both, mixed opinions it seems!

Part scarcity is a worry, the difficulty getting a subframe for my MGTF was a big reason I got rid of that. What bits are we struggling for?

 

[KitsonRis]

I used to daily my old Ph1 172 and that was in track spec (no interior, bucket seats, coil overs...) and it was perfectly fine. Despite being a little loud that got a bit tiresome on long journeys (long I mean >3hrs) but I just wore ear plugs. Mine got to 170k miles and apart from the power steering hose failing and the crank sensor playing up sometimes it was pretty good on reliability.

I would consider another for a daily yes, they are a nice (in relative terms) place to be and from memory the standard suspension set up isn't too bad either. I used to get 35-40mpg on the trip computer, not sure how accurate the higher end of those readings were and sure I saw a 48mpg once. As said maintenance is key, I am sure they are now getting to an age where they are starting to show their age if not looked after. My current Ph1 I have replaced a load of parts on it to help prevent any such issues, many are documented on here so it is easy to work out what you would want to look at replacing for piece of mind.

But would I actually go and do it....probably not! I love these little cars, but I would want to do a load of upgrades on it, turn it into a project car (currently have three on the go) and end up in a never ending circle of hoarding projects that end up being all the same!! What I should have done is when I bought my current Ph1 is keep it standard to enjoy it more and not go on a mad one with ITBs.

 

[KitsonRis]

Thank you both, mixed opinions it seems!

Part scarcity is a worry, the difficulty getting a subframe for my MGTF was a big reason I got rid of that. What bits are we struggling for?

Arch liners are the ones at the moment! I too am after some but refuse to pay the silly hundreds of pounds for what Renault used to sell for about £50 (although rumours is that the Polish place that used to make them for £150 a pair have been told to stop by Renault and they are going to do them again?? Not sure how true any of that is)

Ph1's are throttle cables and Renault have stopped making them which is a shame as the pattern parts are not as good as originals!

It is going to get to a point where people stop scrapping them and stripping for parts as their values increase which is when all of us will be in trouble!

 

[bigfootisblurry]

Standard ish is the plan, I've had my fill of crawling under cars fitting things then fixing them again week later!

I'm half decent with a spanner though so anything I buy will be maintained in my ownership at least.

 

[gez 172]

Absolutely fine as a daily car.

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

The engines/boxes can be a bit leaky (Sump pan, rocker cover gasket and gear selector). The engines can do good mileages, but the gearboxes are weaker, so watch out for any crunches, particularly 3rd or 4th. Rust is becoming more of an issue, but looking at your car history you've probably got some experience of that. They're all getting on a bit now. Mine is 20 years old, so I've had to replace a lot of rubbery bits (bushes, hoses etc). But they're a lot of fun. I use mine whenever I don't have a long motorway trip or need to take passengers. The only time it's let me down in 4+ years of ownership was a dead battery. They're fundamentally simple cars, so there isn't that much to go wrong...

 

[Anakin]

great cars as said above, mines a trakday toy and rarely lets me down. I'd probably get a 197/200 if I had to daily it though.

 

[bigfootisblurry]

great cars as said above, mines a trakday toy and rarely lets me down. I'd probably get a 197/200 if I had to daily it though.

197/200 isn't out of the question but the smaller size of the Clio 2 is appealing, especially for my other half. Are the later cars similarly reliable? I've known a lot of people with electrical issues with similar vintage Renaults.

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

197/200 isn't out of the question but the smaller size of the Clio 2 is appealing, especially for my other half. Are the later cars similarly reliable? I've known a lot of people with electrical issues with similar vintage Renaults.

There are some famous issues with the 197/200. Radiator support rusts, exhaust flexis leak, swivel hubs don't last as long as you'd like and as with all RS cars the gearbox is still an issue.

 

[Anakin]

I've not owned one, but I can't see it being any worse. My 182 likes to see if the bulbs on the dash still work from time to time, clip diagnostic tool was a good investment. I know they handle better out of the box and have a more confortable seating position.
Parts for the 182 are cheaper though, I guess there are pros and cons for both.

 

[T3gav]

My 182 is my daily since 2011! No major issues, Mrs wont like the clutch in traffic though...

 

[hopgop1]

I’m sure a mk3 is a comfier place to be, but running costs seem to be so much higher vs a mk2 sport.
My 182 is my only car, I don’t do that many miles now, but it’s never left me stranded or anything, needed a bit of work to get it to where I’m totally confident in it, but nothing major.
I’d definitely go after a regular 172 or 182 with cup packs to daily though, climate control and xenon headlights are big positives for me as a daily.
It’ll be the same in your 1.2, but for a taller driver some seats on lower subframes really made the car a better place for me. Standard seats are decent, just not quite low enough.

 

[bigfootisblurry]

Yeah, I have no intention of going anywhere near a track to as many creatures comforts as possible.

My current, vague, shortlist is:

RS Clio
6 cylinder Z4/SLK
FN2 Type R
Honda CRZ (random but I'm intrigued by them)

So lots of narrowing down to do!

 

[Mcaff]

Yeah, I have no intention of going anywhere near a track to as many creatures comforts as possible.

My current, vague, shortlist is:

RS Clio
6 cylinder Z4/SLK
FN2 Type R
Honda CRZ (random but I'm intrigued by them)

So lots of narrowing down to do!

As much as I loved my 172 I wouldn’t have daily driven it. But mine was a little more on the way to being a track car with interior. Working on old Renaults on a daily basis has put me off using a sport as a daily though.

Out of that list would be the fn2 or z4 for me. I have a 3.0L e85 z4 and it’s leaps and bounds better for daily duties than any clio I’ve driven. Used it every day in the summer, bit more thirsty on the fuel but a way nicer place to be. The CRZ and the 1*2 will be far better on fuel than the other 2 though so just depends what you’re after.

 

[ClioSaint]

I don't see them being THAT much of a problem to daily, providing maintenance and upkeep is taken. Much like any other car really. My 182 I've found to be quite comfortable for long treks, which is OE +, not too hardcore track but can put a lick of speed on when I want to. Just buy the best one as per condition, service history, belts and what colour you like most. Can't go too far wrong looking at it that way IMO.
As said previously the xenon headlights and cruise control are nice touches (especially on the motorway) and if I was looking for a daily would be the options I would want most.

 

[Mr Underhill]

If the Clio 182 maintains its factory components, it's remarkably quiet and somewhat mundane to drive.

Achieving a near-original car is rare nowadays, and those that do often command a premium when for sale.

Modifications drastically alter the driving experience, and rust is now a significant concern. However, you seem to know what you're looking for, so finding a standard-ish model is feasible.

Despite being nearly two decades old, they remain suitable for daily road use as that's what they were intended for, although maintenance costs will vary depending on who's owned it.

I ran one for five years without issues, other than an electrical fault which took me longer to diagnose than I would have liked. Decent fuel efficiency (average 35mpg), reasonable insurance, and ULEZ compliance.

Best of luck in your search!

 

[Daz...]

All 182’s have cruise control if that’s a big factor in it, and decent bulbs in the halogen lamps work as good as the xenon’s.

 

[Clio_fool]

My 182 only let me down 3 times in 3 years and 40 odd thousand miles as my daily. Having swapped it for a mk3 200 last year I can say that apart from a few nla parts the mk2 is cheaper to run and as long as you don't put hard springs on it it's more comfortable than a cup pack mk3. Honing around Wales the 182 did 40mpg, the 200 only managed 31!

 

[bigfootisblurry]

Thank you all for your welcome and comments.

The dreaded rust has come up a few times, where do they suffer? Like I said, I've had an 02 1.2 for 5 years now, on 127k (we've done 70k of that) and there's no rust to speak of at all. The paint work is a shambles but it isn't rusty!

Given past experience of chasing tin work around Japanese cars, this is probably the biggest worry from what's been said so far.

My Clio in the Douro valley after a coming together with a local. Drove home though.

 

[Touring_Rob]

182 FF with the cup packs is where it's at for a daily. They are brilliant for this tbh, not sure why anyone above things they're not.

40mpg, comfortable with standard suspension, climate, auto lights/wipers, cruise, xenon headlights.

Odd seating position which you soon adjust to and bags and character.

I did 40 miles a day in one for 2 years and miss it.

 

[PP200t]

I used a 182 and two 172’s as dailies for a good while, I even had kids in them. There was just enough room for a small buggy in the boot and wasn’t a massive struggle to get the kids into the child seats in the back.
Getting parts wasn’t an issue back then though.
I also note you say will be standard(ish), they won’t last long. 🤣 awesome little cars, they really are. Good on fuel too surprisingly. Oh and the spec of a 172 or 182 is great, as said above, half leather, xenon’s, auto lights and wipers and so on. I’d have another in a heart beat!

 

[hopgop1]

Thank you all for your welcome and comments.

The dreaded rust has come up a few times, where do they suffer? Like I said, I've had an 02 1.2 for 5 years now, on 127k (we've done 70k of that) and there's no rust to speak of at all. The paint work is a shambles but it isn't rusty!

Given past experience of chasing tin work around Japanese cars, this is probably the biggest worry from what's been said so far.

My Clio in the Douro valley after a coming together with a local. Drove home though.

View attachment 1663929

The rust problem is generally worse with the sports because of the body kit; the side skirts, if they've never been removed, will be full of dirt which makes the sills more likely to rust. Crushed sills from improper jacking, not helped by them being heavy at the front, also creates a great point for rust to start. I'm sure most will still be salvageable though.
Fuel filler is another common area for them to start to go. Obviously have a careful look around one, some small bubbling by the filler hinge is basically standard, but any bubbles around the rear arches I'd run personally.
Worth noting though, compared to a lot of cars of the same age (EP3 for example), they've really stood the test of time well. Obviously capable of rusting, but anything is fixable.

Have a read for the common faults, but if you buy something with FSH, belts done at a specialist and a car that looks like it's been well loved and you won't go far wrong with a FF 182 as a daily IMO.

 

[Mr Underhill]

The dreaded rust has come up a few times, where do they suffer?

• Inside petrol flap
• Rear wings along the bumper line and down towards the lower sill
• Front lower sills around jacking points where water and dirt gets trapped behind the skirts
• Chassis legs above the rear spring bumper stops and along the A frame
• Under the rear exhaust heat shield where the rear pipe bends over the rear subframe and around the petrol tank in that area
• Front bumper brackets
• Along the front inner arches
• Behind the rear bumper where the lower valance meets the upper chassis.

I don’t have all my pics on this phone but I’ve highlighted in Red squiggle for you the typical places to look. Not all places are accessible but somebody who’s looked after their car shouldn’t have an issue with letting you get in and around it.

 

[bigfootisblurry]

Thank you!

 

[Mr Underhill]

Front and rear subframes, more so the rear as the front is galvanised. It’s not structural though and many owners whip these off and have them powder coated.

 

[Clio_fool]

Really the only one's with serious rust issues are the phase one's. The 182's are starting to go but a well looked after one shouldn't give you too much to worry about. Crushed jacking points are probably the thing to look carefully at as it'll let moisture in to the sills.
Compared to the mk3 notorious rusty rad support the mk2 looks like a Delorian 😂.

Not sure that's supporting my radiator all that much.

 

[Mr Underhill]

Really the only one's with serious rust issues are the phase one's. The 182's are starting to go but a well looked after one shouldn't give you too much to worry about. Crushed jacking points are probably the thing to look carefully at as it'll let moisture in to the sills.

Yeah, they’re pretty bad now.

I’ve been watching the Yorkshire Car Restoration projects on YouTube and we’ve seen nothing compared to what they restore. It‘s reassuring to know these lads aren’t that far away should my cars fall into the sea.

 

[Touring_Rob]

• Inside petrol flap
• Rear wings along the bumper line and down towards the lower sill
• Front lower sills around jacking points where water and dirt gets trapped behind the skirts
• Chassis legs above the rear spring bumper stops and along the A frame
• Under the rear exhaust heat shield where the rear pipe bends over the rear subframe and around the petrol tank in that area
• Front bumper brackets
• Along the front inner arches
• Behind the rear bumper where the lower valance meets the upper chassis.

I don’t have all my pics on this phone but I’ve highlighted in Red squiggle for you the typical places to look. Not all places are accessible but somebody who’s looked after their car shouldn’t have an issue with letting you get in and around it.

View attachment 1663935View attachment 1663936View attachment 1663937View attachment 1663938View attachment 1663940View attachment 1663941View attachment 1663942View attachment 1663943

What a comprehensive list , brake servo and behind the ABS valve block were areas I found grot too. Rear exhaust mounting brackets and the bracket that has the headlight level sensor attached to it.

Most will have the front bumper mounts rusting and that wouldn't worry me, but if you see any rust bubbles on the in front of the rear arches I would personally stop and have a good think as that means the rear inner sill is probably good and crusty and thats relatively involved to repair.

Parts availability isn't terrible but its not like BMW where you can go into a dealership and have E36 parts within a few days.

 

[Clio_fool]

Where the carbon cannister mounts rusts too.

 

[Yarp]

I got mine back in 2012 and dailied it for a couple of years and was spot on to be honest. Mpg was decent and was entertaining on the quieter bits of my drive.

I then dailied it again in early 2022 after I’d turbo’d it to properly shake it down and look for issues. Despite no PAS that was still ok.

They’ve aged well and I still think they look great

 

[MarkCup]

This thread should be pinned! Awesome and comprehensive advice for anyone new to the fold

I've nothing to add on corrosion or longevity since I sold my 172 Cup in 2011, but what I can say is that from delivery with zero miles, all the way up to 125,000 I loved every single minute of driving it...the first four years and 100,000 miles of which were on my daily commute with the remainder of its life spent as a second car.

So long as it goes and stops and doesn't crumble away, they're suitable for whatever you want them to do, great cars. I still miss mine. Sniff.

 

[davo172]

Bought My 172 new in 2002 till it got stolen in 2015 had zero rust anywhere and 89k trouble free miles if looked after well they are very reliable tbh.

 

[bigfootisblurry]

There's been some really helpful comments so far, thank you for that.

Can we talk about price? I appreciate that the days of decent car for £2000 are behind us but what am I looking at for a fairly standard, clean car? 4k? 5k? Condition over mileage is heard loud and clear, but if I can avoid moon miles I will.

Prices seem to vary quite a bit but the ones that interest me seem to be at the higher end of my prices above, which is fine, but just wanted a steer from those who know better than me.

 

[Clio_fool]

£5k should get you into a well looked after one. Racing blue, Petrol blue and even more so liquid yellow command a premium. Finding a PB or LY is a task in itself though. You may have to settle for some aftermarket springs as oe ones snap and I believe are no longer available and even when they were aftermarket sets were half the price. Thers plenty of threads on here about all the available options.

 

[IW365]

Yeah, I have no intention of going anywhere near a track to as many creatures comforts as possible.

My current, vague, shortlist is:

RS Clio
6 cylinder Z4/SLK
FN2 Type R
Honda CRZ (random but I'm intrigued by them)

So lots of narrowing down to do!

If it's any help, I have an FN2 daily and 172 cup in the garage for summer fun. I dailied the 172 for 150k miles with very few problems but I have to say the FN2 is an improvement on it in terms of driver comfort (although it's a very stiff ride) That said I far prefer the driving experience from the clio.

If you do go down the Civic route, check the rear beam very carefully of any you go to look at... these seem to be snapping with alarming regularity according to the forums and they're not cheap to replace if you want a type r specific one.

Good luck with the search.

 

[Darren S]

I can only reiterate what other have said on here.

Mine is my daily. Had it since new with circa 174k on it now (difficult to remember exactly as I had the instrument binnacle replaced by Renault with two days left on the warranty and it zeroized the odometer!) - but it's still a great car to drive.

As for rust, the filler cap and rear arch areas tend to go, but given their age now, it's hardly surprising. I had mine replaced on the offside around this time last year. Going to get the nearside addressed at some point too. Cills are are typical area for tin-worm too.

182 rear quarter panel replacement - Part 1

So, after a while of procrastination, I bit the bullet and decided to get the offside rear panel sorted. As most will be aware, the crap design of the fuel filler area and the lottery of the cill protection means that rust can be on a sliding scale of pretty much zero to a clump of brown metal...

cliosport.net

For the kind of car it is, the fun versus cost factor is pretty damn high. It's not like it's something that you can buy new any more and barely being north of a ton in weight is unheard of in cars these days.

The yearly VED bumming isn't nice at £330 (?) per year and some of the parts are now getting nigh-on impossible to locate. Driveshafts are rapidly becoming like hen's teeth, but for all the mileage in my car, only the driver's side has let go once.

 

[Darren S]

@Mr Underhill - it annoys the crap out out of me as to why Renault didn't offer an OEM fit mudflap for the 1*2.

Wouldn't have taken much effort at all.