The Inferno story...

[fUbAr]

Here's a story/review type thing for anyone who's interested...

Its been 6 months since I traded my mint ph 172 in for the 182 with cup packs... and up until recently I have regretted signing the 172 over to the dealer. The 182 felt slow in comparison, only having 22k under its cambelt. I really wasn't happy with the 182, to a point where I took it back to Renault asking to try another to see if mine was just a bad one... the other one I tested felt exactly the same.

So anyway, an opportunity came up to upgrade the standard exhaust to a new prototype one that K-Tec Racing wanted to develop. This was fitted along with an ITG panel filter. Other than that the car is standard. These mods still didnt win me over and I still preferred my older 172.

Up until last weekend....

A long awaited trip to the Nurburgring came, and the 182 was loaded up ready for the long weekend. 3 other clio's were in the convoy (172 cup, 182 and trophy)... After the rocky start with the 182 I was expecting to be left behind by the others. But I was pleasently suprised. As it turns out my car isn't a 'slow one' like i first thought. I was able to keep up easily with the other modified RS clios. My time on the track was so much more enjoyable than I ever remember my 172 being on the UK race tracks. The car handled better, pulled harder and felt more planted than the 172 used to be.

The point of this thread isnt a 'Ph1 172 vs 182 thread' because both cars have different characters and their advantages. The point of me writing this is to simply conclude that my previous experience with my 182 was simply due to the fact that the car feels different, and needed getting used to. The 182 is now on 27k and feels soooo much better for being driven 'properly' for the last 5k miles. I am now 100% happy with my upgrade in car, and look forward to many more track days in the Inferno 182!

For those of you who are still reading, thanks and I hope you understand where I'm coming from and my reasons. For those of you who dont read things like this, here's a picture for you to look at:

thanks,

Dan (a very happy 182 owner)

 

[Ady182]

Been tellin u for ages
ITS ALL IN YOUR HEAD lol

 

[mini-valver]

Sounds about right mate. I drove a FF182 abit back and was'nt 'overwhelmed' like I thought I would be. Driving it since then though around different roads and being more comfortably with the car it felt brilliant!

Glad you're coming round to it, good looking car!

 

[tommyboy]

Good write up, glad your enjoying it

 

[Ollie82.]

Good stuff! I have the same feeling after some hard miles in mine. I don't drive it at ten tenths often and thats when i get irritated by the niggly things.

Then i drive it hard for a longer peroid of time and it shows its true colours.
These cars are happiest driven hard.

 

[Marky_]

Great to hear you're finally satisfied with your little bean

 

[Tay]

Good on you Mr Fu!
I have a similar thing where some days I'm so not impressed with the car but another day it all clicks in place & is fantastic reminding me exactly why I brought it.

Glad you gave it a chance and all is well in the end !

 

[Lee-mc]

I have a 172 ph1 and thinking of gonig for a 182 with cup packs, i will miss it al lot. but it will be worth it in the end. looks good dan.

 

[davebem]

Glad your starting to like it, have you took your foglights out?

 

[Day]

It still looks red in my mirrors

 

[Rich]

Finally an end to all that Ph_Quick mumbo jumbo ....

 

[kully]

It still looks red in my mirrors

lol , most things will :quiet:

 

[Day]

they usually look small

 

[fUbAr]

Glad your starting to like it, have you took your foglights out?

they're just covered up mate.

 

[kully]

with covers ? looks good imo

 

[fUbAr]

with covers ? looks good imo

yep, vinyl covers.

it really is amazing how different the car feels now, its like a completely different machine. Was suprised how well it kept up with the other clios on the route through Belgium... all the way up to the limiter in 5th

 

[Grandpa Munster]

I think this is the problem my brother and myself experience not realising the full potential of our 182s.

Up until recently, my brother wanted a turbo car of some sort, due to the fact his 182 felt slow to him, but when you only cover (sub) 4500 miles a year on 2 year old cars like ours are, then there is so much more room for improvement with engine that are somewhat looser.

We have noticed recently our cars have got significantly quicker at the 10k miles mark. So (if we still have the cars) time, and increased mileage should see even better performance, we hope. It's just a long process with the sort of miles (lack of) we cover.

 

[Martin_172]

im in a similar boat as you mate, i replaced my 1.2 16v dynamique which was modified to make the most of every single one of the 75bhp it had! and the 172 just didnt impress me at all.

but 3 months later im starting to settle in to it and starting to get some fun out it, and after being out having a blast with my mates in their vtec hondas etc im starting to enjoy it for the first time!

 

[Graham Gooch]

Great cars over 5k revs

 

[Anni182]

i know what u mean fubar, after having driven craig172 and garf's mk1 172's last yr, my 182 seems disappointing. glad u like it now though, it's still not impressive enough for my liking but then again i bought it with 19,000 on the clock and it's now on close to 22,000 after me having it for just over 2 months! hopefully it will get better...

 

[MarkCup]

Great stuff Dan.

 

[DebV6]

Glad to hear you're enjoying it now. They do get better the more miles go on, mine didn't feel particuly fast when I first got it, but now it's got 20k on it it's starting to loosen up, especially once it's been on long proper drives! That really makes a difference.

 

[ja.jack]

Glad you're happy,fUbAr. You'd be even more so with a 182 Cup.

 

[Christopher]

good news Dan

as you know, i felt exactly the same... did a few mods and caned it... problem solved!

 

[fUbAr]

good news Dan

as you know, i felt exactly the same... did a few mods and caned it... problem solved!

thats what mine needed i reckon... being taught how to be driven properly! It was owned by a lady before me, so christ knows how it was driven back then.

Problem solved now though... so i can start enjoying it now! :approve:

 

[Lee-mc]

Someone told me that the ecu learns how you drive when new for a set amount of miles then set's itself to that, but if you disconect the battery it will reset and you can drive how you like and it will learn your way of driving. maybe if an old girls had it, this might be good. does anyone know if this is true???????

 

[matt182]

Here's a story/review type thing for anyone who's interested...

Its been 6 months since I traded my mint ph 172 in for the 182 with cup packs... and up until recently I have regretted signing the 172 over to the dealer. The 182 felt slow in comparison, only having 22k under its cambelt. I really wasn't happy with the 182, to a point where I took it back to Renault asking to try another to see if mine was just a bad one... the other one I tested felt exactly the same.

So anyway, an opportunity came up to upgrade the standard exhaust to a new prototype one that K-Tec Racing wanted to develop. This was fitted along with an ITG panel filter. Other than that the car is standard. These mods still didnt win me over and I still preferred my older 172.

Up until last weekend....

A long awaited trip to the Nurburgring came, and the 182 was loaded up ready for the long weekend. 3 other clio's were in the convoy (172 cup, 182 and trophy)... After the rocky start with the 182 I was expecting to be left behind by the others. But I was pleasently suprised. As it turns out my car isn't a 'slow one' like i first thought. I was able to keep up easily with the other modified RS clios. My time on the track was so much more enjoyable than I ever remember my 172 being on the UK race tracks. The car handled better, pulled harder and felt more planted than the 172 used to be.

The point of this thread isnt a 'Ph1 172 vs 182 thread' because both cars have different characters and their advantages. The point of me writing this is to simply conclude that my previous experience with my 182 was simply due to the fact that the car feels different, and needed getting used to. The 182 is now on 27k and feels soooo much better for being driven 'properly' for the last 5k miles. I am now 100% happy with my upgrade in car, and look forward to many more track days in the Inferno 182!

For those of you who are still reading, thanks and I hope you understand where I'm coming from and my reasons. For those of you who dont read things like this, here's a picture for you to look at:

thanks,

Dan (a very happy 182 owner)

I know how you are feeling i am having that problem with the change from my 182 inferno with cup packs and going to my Ly r27 still not sure if it was a good move like you said with your two they are different cars just like mine think i need to get used to it

 

[Ali]

Lol! Dan if only you'd listened to be 6 months ago!

 

[Ian_182]

Good post dan,glad your finally happy

 

[Ad]

Think your right they have quite difference characteristics.

Having had a Mk1 172, a Mk2 and 182 I do prefer the rawness of the ph quick, but the 182 is much more stable. I also think the 15s make the ph quick feel better.

You still have the best colour 182 and it does take time to get used to a new car, even if it feels like it should be a natural transition.

 

[Gaz_]

I felt the same from going from my 172 cup (73k) to a 19k 182. Felt very flat compared to the Cup, and initally regretted the move. Its now done 6k of being driven properly and its a different machine now. The kick at 5k is more pronounced than the cup. The 182 imo needs driving differently than the 172's, they need to be kept on the boil more @ around 3.5 k onwards

 

[ChrisR]

Interesting, I keep thinking about swapping my mk1 172 to a 182 but can never really justify the costs when everyone says they prefer the mk1!

 

[fUbAr]

Interesting, I keep thinking about swapping my mk1 172 to a 182 but can never really justify the costs when everyone says they prefer the mk1!

I would say its worth it... i think I was just expecting too much out of the 182 from the start. Now that mine's 'fixed' i would happlily advise you to consider upgrading. My 182 is now faster than my old car, but more importantly it feels more composed whereas the 172 always felt like it had drunk too much red bull. There was never a 'calm' moment in the 172.

 

[theathea]

"up to the limiter in 5th" ??????????
what was the speedo showing ?
got no roads near me to try this out.......honest!
anybody else max'd out..no dreamers please

 

[GarethM]

Autobahn's over there fella, not speed limit

good review dan, interesting reading as im thinking of upgrading to an RB 182

 

[fUbAr]

Autobahn's over there fella, not speed limit

good review dan, interesting reading as im thinking of upgrading to an RB 182

do it mate... im sure if you buy the car off an enthusiast, you won't experience the problems ive had as they would have driven the car how it was intended and it should have loosened up nicely.

 

[Ian_182]

^^^agree with that