Time to plan the track car...

[Olli3]

OK, I bought my 182 with the intention of turning it into a track car next year. After owning it for about 10 months and seeing other on the road I'm starting to think my 182 is too good for a first track car.

So, what do you guys think? Sell the 182 and get an older cheaper 172 for the track and use the extra £££ to help prepare it?

Not sure what my 182 is worth atm... 04, Cup Sus, Tidy body work and interior, 58k, iceburg.

 

[Greeny.]

Get a cheap good running ph1 172 imo as long as its only going to be a track car and not your daily of course Saying that though 172 cup's are cheap these days and come with the added bonus of the aircon removed which is always one job off the list. I don't know how much you have to spend but if it was me I would be on a lookout for a decent running 172 cup for a good price, otherwise get a cheap ph1 172.

 

[M444TTB]

Is it a 2nd car? If not you'll probably get fed up of driving it every day in a year or so. I know a few old names from the Pug scene on here who can probably testify. To that end is do it to something cheaper if your 182 is good.

 

[Wests Renault]

Been there and done exactly what you are thinking. I had a 182 which was superb and I thought it was too good to strip apart. So I sold it and bought a ph1 172. I sold the 182 far too cheap because I was desperate to get a ph1 and when I did end up getting one, it turned out lots of parts needed replacing. So the money I made back on the 182 was spent mostly on getting the 172 road worthy. To this day I regret selling the 182 as it was such a solid car.

I'd personally stick with what you have got, do a few track days and decide for yourself which parts need upgrading.

 

[mozzarooni]

I've had a Clio Williams road legal track car, it was amazing, 800kgs or there abouts and 185bhp After mods loved every second of it.

Just keep the 182 and strip it to with in an inch of its life, lower it on coilovers, modded exhaust, airfilter and get the inlets matched and away you go, you don't really need much more than that as there such a fun car on a track anyway!

Or if youve got plenty to spend, go for throttle bodies or turbo it

 

[Olli3]

Don't really have a budget as such. Would look at selling the 182 and getting 172 with the money and put any spare cash into parts. Any extra spending if fine within maybe 2k.

And yeah. It will be a second car. Thinking of getting a Z4 Coupe...

 

[Olli3]

Been there and done exactly what you are thinking. I had a 182 which was superb and I thought it was too good to strip apart. So I sold it and bought a ph1 172. I sold the 182 far too cheap because I was desperate to get a ph1 and when I did end up getting one, it turned out lots of parts needed replacing. So the money I made back on the 182 was spent mostly on getting the 172 road worthy. To this day I regret selling the 182 as it was such a solid car.

I'd personally stick with what you have got, do a few track days and decide for yourself which parts need upgrading.

I have thought that myself. It all depends on what kind of 172 I can find as I wont sell the 182 until i have found a good 172. mmmm maybe your right. maybe I should just keep the 182. At least I know her. Feck! now I don't know what to do!!! LOL

 

[Tunst]

Buy my 172 :rasp:

 

[Pryor]

I bought a 106 GTI a fair while ago and loved it so much it turned into a trackcar although it did have some bilstein b8's dampers and different springs though at that time. Could not tell you what its like standard!

The cars are cheaper, second hand parts are cheaper, you wont care about it much! Perfect IMO

I have had a few clio 182's and a clio trophy and it doesnt compare to the 106 what so ever for the pure fun factor although the clio is a much better all rounder if your using it as a daily.

 

[Revels]

People get so worked up about a track car and thinking they need to do everything. Best coilovers. Best seats. Best brakes. Strip it out.

The best thing you can do is do a trackday exactly how it is. Get some tuition at the start of the day and see how you get on. If you think the brakes are rubbish, then upgrade them for next time. If you feel you're ending up in the pass seat when turning fast, then get some buckets with harnesses.

The Clio is a capable car as it is. Many people on here have spent thousands preparing their cars for track and they spend most of the time on the commute.

 

[Olli3]

I have done a couple of track days already thanks. When I say prepare it I mean better breaks than the standard cheese and maybe coilovers. That would be about it. Oh and tyres too.

My plan is to do track days next year and then potentially a race series the year after (CSCC Tin Tops or something like that)

I plan to do it as cheap as possible to start

 

[MarkCup]

You need my car...watch this space...will be up in the for sale forum soon :approve:

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

People get so worked up about a track car and thinking they need to do everything. Best coilovers. Best seats. Best brakes. Strip it out.

The best thing you can do is do a trackday exactly how it is. Get some tuition at the start of the day and see how you get on. If you think the brakes are rubbish, then upgrade them for next time. If you feel you're ending up in the pass seat when turning fast, then get some buckets with harnesses.

The Clio is a capable car as it is. Many people on here have spent thousands preparing their cars for track and they spend most of the time on the commute.

This basically.

You don't drive a Merc S class where it might be sensible to buy something else to do trackdays. It's a Clio, built to be sporty. IMO don't worry about the expense of a 2nd car for something you say you've not even tried, use your car and some of the money you save can take care of maintenance.

 

[montana]

People get so worked up about a track car and thinking they need to do everything. Best coilovers. Best seats. Best brakes. Strip it out.

The best thing you can do is do a trackday exactly how it is. Get some tuition at the start of the day and see how you get on. If you think the brakes are rubbish, then upgrade them for next time. If you feel you're ending up in the pass seat when turning fast, then get some buckets with harnesses.

The Clio is a capable car as it is. Many people on here have spent thousands preparing their cars for track and they spend most of the time on the commute.

well said

 

[Olli3]

This basically.

You don't drive a Merc S class where it might be sensible to buy something else to do trackdays. It's a Clio, built to be sporty. IMO don't worry about the expense of a 2nd car for something you say you've not even tried, use your car and some of the money you save can take care of maintenance.

You've lost me with that one?

I bought the Clio for the track. But wanted to drive it as my daily for a year for fun and to save some £££.

And what haven't I tried?

 

[mark smith87]

I run my phase 1 172 as a road car but have added DS2500 pads all round, Brembo high carbon discs on the front,Goodridge braided hoses and DOT5 fluid. Greenstuff cotton air filter in standard 172 airbox, Toyo R1-R tyres, K Tec engine mountings and Powerflex dogbone bush. Job done. Thats all it needs. I put the rear strut brace in when I go on track and take it out for road use as it makes the back end too hard. Its only a 5 minute job to fit it. The aircon is still in the car and used all the time even on track. It doesnt sap the power or affect the amount of petrol it uses and it stops the windows misting up and keeps the car fresh. Sometimes if I can be bothered I'll strip out the rear seats but it doesn't make that much difference. The car is as quick as any other Clio on track. I proved it last year at the Renaultsport day at Oulton Park when I had a good dice with a 172 that had been fully stripped and had all sorts done to it and he couldn't get past me. And I was on Nankang M&S tyres which are crap on track.
The rest of the time its used for marshalling duties and anything else I need it for including the odd family trip out. I've no intentions of stripping the car out. It's a nice condition car and looks superb. Just get as decent a Clio RS as you can afford and go have some fun with it. Thats what they were built for.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Just drive it and enjoy it,don't fcuk about with it.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Is it a 2nd car? If not you'll probably get fed up of driving it every day in a year or so. I know a few old names from the Pug scene on here who can probably testify. To that end is do it to something cheaper if your 182 is good.

Think we need to rename CS www.bmwsport.net these days ... hello ex-PGAC member & current owner of my old 328

To the OP. The standard 182 really is a joy, for me i would do the following:

Carbon Lorraine pads (on track only, they eat paint/wheels, etc)
Decent fluid & braided lines
A bucket seat (for when on track, takes 15 minutes to swop the seat over)
Some harnesses

Then maybe Konigsports/Whiteline ARB for some more adjustability and 15" wheels for cheaper tyres.

Enjoy.

 

[Dan@M.A.D]

I have a 172 cup for sale , 84k, Belt done recently, Engine and gearbox are perfect, Needs a bit of TLC paint wise, No wheels included, £999 OVNO. Bargain!

 

[shell-vt]

get it stripped dont be soft im doing the same...

 

[Si]

People get so worked up about a track car and thinking they need to do everything. Best coilovers. Best seats. Best brakes. Strip it out.

The best thing you can do is do a trackday exactly how it is. Get some tuition at the start of the day and see how you get on. If you think the brakes are rubbish, then upgrade them for next time. If you feel you're ending up in the pass seat when turning fast, then get some buckets with harnesses.

The Clio is a capable car as it is. Many people on here have spent thousands preparing their cars for track and they spend most of the time on the commute.

This. My car has seats and climate control. It still puts a smile on my face on track without me spending thousands on a cage and buckets so I can be super cool.

Save your cash, drive it on track how it is and spend the money you would have done on things you don't need, on tyres, brakes and more track days.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Hero's

 

[Sir_Dave]

Hero's

Yup.

I look forwards to the for sale thread in 5 months time, when its finished & they have completed 1 track day.

 

[Daniel]

If you plan on doing lots of track days, then cage/seats harnesses etc are essential imo.

If you're doing 2/3 per year then its a complete waste of time.

Remember also, track days are expensive. £130 ish for the day, £70 fuel (at least!) wear and tear on the tyres/pads/car in general.

Too many people on here build track cars before ever really getting into track days. All seems a bit ass backwards to me.

 

[Fred@BTM]

get the 2118's, renaultsport sabelt wheel and silvervisions ordered up before you do anything!

 

[Tony Hunter]

get the 2118's, renaultsport sabelt wheel and silvervisions ordered up before you do anything!

The list goes on.

 

[Pryor]

This. My car has seats and climate control. It still puts a smile on my face on track without me spending thousands on a cage and buckets so I can be super cool.

Save your cash, drive it on track how it is and spend the money you would have done on things you don't need, on tyres, brakes and more track days.

I spent lots of money on a cage & buckets/harnesses for safety

 

[Adam G]

Tow strap and AA cover as well.

 

[Sir_Dave]

FYi, i was spending about 350 quid in track time cost, fuel, food & brakes/tyres per day. Then spent about 1500 making it mechnically perfect when it broke.

All in all, excluding buying/playing with it, 6 track days have cost me about 3.5k in the past 12 months ...

 

[Fred@BTM]

I did £1K at beford once LOL

 

[Whiteley]

Been there and done exactly what you are thinking. I had a 182 which was superb and I thought it was too good to strip apart. So I sold it and bought a ph1 172. I sold the 182 far too cheap because I was desperate to get a ph1 and when I did end up getting one, it turned out lots of parts needed replacing. So the money I made back on the 182 was spent mostly on getting the 172 road worthy. To this day I regret selling the 182 as it was such a solid car.

That's because you bought it off me! Who's got it these days?

 

[davemittell]

I had a track day car once! a valver clio!

6 track days later.......
http://youtu.be/73b-JF9MwWs

Hence why you shouldnt spend money you can't afford to lose on track toys etc!
car was about 4 inches shorter both ends and had no lights and a banana shaped radiator but managed to get me 150 mile home from rockingham!
I bought the car for 600 quid, serviced it and did the basic maintenance MOT etc and just had fun have pics of me overtaking porsche 911 at oulton on the chicane. Had my fun out of it for very little money and destroyed it, salvaged the engine and put it in a renault 5! Didnt cost a fortune and was good value for money, if it had been 5-10000 quids worth of car I wouldnt of been laughing!

 

[Tony Hunter]

I did £1K at beford once LOL

But you roll high.

 

[Jay Payne]

Tow strap and AA cover as well.

and then complain on here that they wouldnt recover you home from the paddock

 

[shell-vt]

my old 5k trackie ... think safety allways...

 

[Toastfrenzy]

I had a nice cup........some say.......... I've ruined it now...mate I bought it from won't speak or even reply to my emails any more, gutted..... not!

 

[Sir_Dave]

my old 5k trackie ... think safety allways...

More pics/spec of the 206? Always been a fan of them ...

 

[shell-vt]

More pics/spec of the 206? Always been a fan of them ...

hijack thread for sir_dave...
206 gti 180...03 plate ......

interior
full strip safety features
stock hatch race spec full weld in 10-point cage with added bars,
weld in harness fixing points
life line fire ext,
battery & fuel cut off
sabelt steering wheel
carbon seats
6,point harnesses
polli windows

ext & eng
vibro mounts
oil cooler
gt bumper
khumo tyres x8 and for sale,,,
adj drop links
288mm std brake calipers
brembo discs
pads

plus few other bits bobs

only pics i have left

 

[Olli3]

Love the way people tell others what they can and can't afford...

Anyway, Leaning towards using the 182 now. Less hassle I guess. Will start with upgraded front pads and some new discs (needs them anyway). Already have 15's for cheaper rubber. Maybe a front strut. And it needs some engine mounts sorting.

Then later next year will look at making it lighter and some performance parts (coilovers, exhaust).

Watch this space...



[waits for the "crash" comments]

 

[Wests Renault]

That's because you bought it off me! Who's got it these days?

Not sure mate, was a guy on here who bought it but not seen any sign of it since.