Newbie, 182 advise

[Jme_28]

Hello all!

Ive recently been looking in to purchasing a 182 Clio around 53-55 reg, but I've always been put off by the "french" reliability I hear so much about. My car history isn't that great, I've had a 1.2 corsa c which I had for 5 years and it didn't miss a beat apart from a maf sensor, coil pack and a o2 sensor, I'm currently driving a astra mk4 1.6 8v, not the fastest but it's a fairly bulletproof motor.

So what's to look for when purchasing one and how reliable are they? I have a fairly good mechanical background so I know basic stuff, any advice would be much appreciated

 

[Bear Head]

Hello all!

Ive recently been looking in to purchasing a 182 Clio around 53-55 reg, but I've always been put off by the "french" reliability I hear so much about. My car history isn't that great, I've had a 1.2 corsa c which I had for 5 years and it didn't miss a beat apart from a maf sensor, coil pack and a o2 sensor, I'm currently driving a astra mk4 1.6 8v, not the fastest but it's a fairly bulletproof motor.

So what's to look for when purchasing one and how reliable are they? I have a fairly good mechanical background so I know basic stuff, any advice would be much appreciated

To be fair they're highly reliable. Mines a 55 plate and hasn't put a single foot wrong whatsoever. It's an engine and you must look after it and give it what it needs but other than that it's the same as most other cars really.

Cambelt and dephaser are to be watched for. They're s**t dear and must be done by a specialist really to ensure reliable results so buy a car that's been done by a specialist or knock the price down to accommodate for this, you're talking over 600 quid.

Ensure obvious signs of damage aren't present I.e panel gaps and check the door stick on the drivers side to ensure it hadn't been removed for a respray etc. You also wanna be looking at a huge service history because it's important on these cars especially with their ages and the nature for them to have been ragged about a bit.

lastly buy one on here in the for sale section. Buy one from a forum member where you can check the cars authenticity and get the piece of mind it's been cherished by a member who more likely cares about their car and knows how to look after it properly. If you're still unsure ask someone In your area to have a look at a good example (that's what I did) so you know exactly what to look out for and what a good base looks like.

Good luck!