Which clio to get type post... not again!

[daniel jephcott]

Sorry guys, this is a sort of which clio to get type of post.

still looking for a clio which will be used for track days but needs to be road legal so I can drive there. ill be wanted to take the car as close to a track car as possible but maintain an mot (luckily being a second car that will sit in the garage). then hopefully in the future grab a trailer and turn it into a pure track toy.

Am I right in thinking that a 172 cup is going to be the better choice for me, not just because its meant to be more track focused, lighter etc but when it comes to less hassle when modifying. for instance if I want to replace the steering wheel on a 182 ill end up with a light on the dash, I then want to convert a 182 to have no a/c, no abs etc I will then end up with more lights on the dash. I then want to add a decat, this will then bring up the engine management light which all of this will make MOTing the car very difficult.

with a 172 cup I wont need to mess around deleting a/c abs etc because its already done. then does the 172 cup have an airbag? if so how do you guys get around the airbag light issue. I think the 172 cup only has one sensor on the exhaust so decat or sports cat doesn't through up warning lights, is that right?
so back to the question, is the 172 cup the car for me or am I just over thinking it and any clio will be good but I may need to modify certain things to prevent error messages and warning lights.


I'm so new to clios that all this is mind boggling, your help and advice will certainly be very helpful.

cheers

dan

 

[masekwm]

As a former Cup owner, ask yourself this, it's 25 degrees, you're in a crash helmet or driving the couple of hours to a track. Would you miss the a/c?

The weight saving is easy on any of them, and the lack of ABS isn't a great thing imo.

Dash lights are easily solved with resistors or CLIP, decat sometimes bring up a light on either - they both have 2 lamdas.

I now have a normal 172 and don't miss the rawer road noise of the Cup, buy the best you can afford. With a 3k budget, from memory, you'll find plenty of decent cars

 

[JB21]

172 cup would be your best option for a dedicated track car, but just go with any 1*2 that has a half decent track spec, good condition with recent belts. The difference on track is minimal over a boggo 172 or 182. The boggo 172 and 182 will also cost a little less than a 172 cup so you could save some cash there to spend on track time and tuition.

 

[daniel jephcott]

thanks for the info, I never thought about the lack of a/c etc so its worth a thought.
so all of the warning lights associated with track modifications can be switched off using CLIP?

also what is 1*2 seen this loads and still cant work it out 😂

 

[masekwm]

1*2 is just 172/182.

Yep, all the warning lights can be disabled.

 

[Nicoles dad]

I am doing up a Clio 172 cup at the moment, spent a fortune on her.
Seems a shame that they are all getting pulled apart and made into track cars.
Just wanted to get one while I still can as they are at the point where they are getting broken for parts.
I love taking her out at weekends and enjoying the raw experience of driving.
if you love driving you have to go for a cup just make sure you can afford to fix it as there always seems to be something going wrong.
172 cup 71k £2000 spent this year on parts and labour

 

[JB21]

thanks for the info, I never thought about the lack of a/c etc so its worth a thought.
so all of the warning lights associated with track modifications can be switched off using CLIP?

also what is 1*2 seen this loads and still cant work it out 😂

Air bag lights can be switched off using 2p resistors from Maplins, not sure on decat lights as mine never came on using a scorpion decat pipe but there will be a cheap way no doubt!

 

[daniel jephcott]

I am doing up a Clio 172 cup at the moment, spent a fortune on her.
Seems a shame that they are all getting pulled apart and made into track cars.
Just wanted to get one while I still can as they are at the point where they are getting broken for parts.
I love taking her out at weekends and enjoying the raw experience of driving.
if you love driving you have to go for a cup just make sure you can afford to fix it as there always seems to be something going wrong.
172 cup 71k £2000 spent this year on parts and labour

Ive just got rid of a mk1 golf gti so I know this very well. also its not going to be a daily so ill be able to spend time repairing, tinkering I just want one that has a strong engine and is rather cheap and standard that I can get up to the desired spec or one which is at the desired spec that isn't dog rough.

 

[M.C..]

I have removed all my airbags and had the light turned off with CLIP it still comes on with ignition but goes off as it should for MOT.
If you are changing steering wheel and removing airbags you need to make sure the car is looking like a track car ie no back seats harnesses etc so it is classed as it is done for a purpose not just a chav taking stuff out.
These are the replies I had back from VOSA when I asked questions about MOT's.


Thank you for your email enquiry dated 17th January 2013, concerning an
MOT.

Please find below the response we have received from our MOT Technical
Standards department.

When airbags become a failable item, scheduled for April this year, there
will be an additional paragraph in the Introduction about modified
vehicles. This paragraph will state:

"Where a vehicle has been extensively modified or converted, certain
Reasons for Rejection, such as for components ‘missing where fitted as
standard’ should not be applied, for example:
a car converted for rally use (i.e. rear seats removed and fitted with a
roll cage and full harness seat belts etc.) may have been converted so
as not to require a brake servo, power steering or airbags
a car converted to a stretch limousine may no longer be fitted with
curtain airbags or functional Electronic Stability Control.

Therefore, if you carry out the modifications you plans to make, then it
should be okay.

I hope this information has assisted you with your enquiry, but if you have
any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Kind Regards

Rebecca
Customer Service Centre
VOSA Operations Directorate
Tel: 0300 123 9000




Thank you for your e-mail enquiry dated 12th August 2013, concerning MOT.

We are aware that the inspection of many of the new testable components
may adversely impact modified vehicles. We have therefore made provision
for most modifications to be accepted, provided that the vehicle is in
fact extensively modified to meet a particular purpose, rather than simply
modified on a whim and a fancy.

The Introduction of the 2012 MOT Inspection Manual was amended at the end
of April to coincide with the commencement of testing the new components.
It states:

Modified Vehicles

Where a vehicle has been extensively modified or converted, Reasons for
Rejection for components missing where fitted as standard should not be
applied, for example:

a car converted for rally use (i.e. rear seats removed and fitted with a
roll cage and full harness seat belts etc.) may have been converted so as
not to require a brake servo or power steering

a car converted to a stretch limousine may no longer be fitted with
curtain airbags

Additionally, Section 5.1 of the Manual will be amended to state: "An
adult harness belt comprising a lap belt and shoulder straps bearing an
FIA, British Standard or European approval marking (an upper case ’E’ or
lower case ‘e’ and a number) is an acceptable alternative to any of the
seat belt types listed"

It is also worth pointing out that Section 6.2 of the Manual, on Seats and
Doors, already contains a note in the Information Column which states:
"Original design characteristics and specialised modifications (e.g. to
enable wheelchair access) are to be accepted"

It must be remembered however, that modifications can only be accepted so
long as they comply with the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use)
Regulations 1986 and the Road Vehicles (Lighting) Regulations 1989 as
amended.

The MOT inspection manual also states:-

If an ABS or ESC system has been intentionally rendered inoperative, the
whole system must be removed. However, this does not apply to sensor
rings or other ABS components which are an integral part of another
component e.g. brake disc or drive.

I hope this information has assisted you with your enquiry, but if you
have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Kind Regards,

Robert Evans
Customer Service Centre
VOSA Operations Directorate
Tel: 0300 123 9000

The staff at the VOSA Customer Service Centre are keen to hear your
feedback on the service that they provide for you. This will enable us to
further understand customer requirements and make improvements where
possible. Please take a few moments to complete our Customer Service
Centre Customer Feedback form by clicking here
Stay informed: Sign up for free email alerts and newsletters from VOSA
Direct.

 

[masekwm]

Whilst that is the letter of the law, according to two testers who tested this:

If the light comes on and goes out then it's a pass, a missing airbag is one which is physically missing from a standard wheel and not an aftermarket wheel which never had one.

 

[daniel jephcott]

That’s great thanks for the reply. When I do finally get a car it will certainly be stripped, caged etc so this should be ok.

I have removed all my airbags and had the light turned off with CLIP it still comes on with ignition but goes off as it should for MOT.
If you are changing steering wheel and removing airbags you need to make sure the car is looking like a track car ie no back seats harnesses etc so it is classed as it is done for a purpose not just a chav taking stuff out.
These are the replies I had back from VOSA when I asked questions about MOT's.

 

[M.C..]

Whilst that is the letter of the law, according to two testers who tested this:
If the light comes on and goes out then it's a pass, a missing airbag is one which is physically missing from a standard wheel and not an aftermarket wheel which never had one.

Although most would probably pass if the light comes on and goes off the airbag is still missing and it was fitted as standard so if they were having a bad day they could fail you.
Reasons for Rejection, such as for components ‘missing where fitted as
standard’

 

[M.C..]

@daniel jephcott
Just find a garage that does not mind a track cars and knows what one is, I spoke to half a dozen garages before booking mine in for it's first MOT and they did not know how to go about the MOT correctly most said they would put everything down as an advisory.
I then found a garage that knows about track cars and all is fine not one advisory in 3 years but the tester does hate my car as he can not get in and out of it easily :laughing:

 

[imprezaworks]

I had a previous track car motd with zero issues apart from getting it hit before the emission test

 

[1985michael182]

Mine has failed mot for airbag light even though I have turned everything off on rs tuner and removed all airbags and components. The light comes on with the ignition and then goes out as it should. Some people just get power crazy and do things to spite people.... on to the next testing station