Who still uses their 182 daily and needs it to work for working?

[DickP]

Hi

In my nineteen months of Clio 182 ownership I have found more and more often that whilst certain parts are available, they have to be ordered in over a period of days.

I have also found that on starting some jobs, you then only find out about some other associated issues or further parts required after the job has started (then see line above).

How many people these days use their Clio as a daily driver and can comfortably rely on it?

I do not feel that I can comfortably rely on the Clio these days, granted I did get around 25k relatively trouble free miles in it but it is the supply (or ready availability) of parts which are frustrating.

 

[R3k1355]

Same with any older car, general service stuff is not too hard to get but some stuff is specialist only.

 

[DickP]

Having ran other older cars, like Fords (and even Land Rovers), the parts supply has generally been more on the shelf. But I guess this is my first performance orientated car so I suppose there is less of them around to keep stocks for in the first place....

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

What's wrong with it.. or what has stopped you using it ?

Can get most things at Euros or GSF.. Or failing that, on here usually !

 

[Darryl_1983]

I've had an VW Jetta with a 2.0 tdi engine, an audi TT with a 1.8T engine, and more recently a Z4 with the 3.0 engine. I'm more comfortable with the reliability of my clio 182 than any of them to be honest.

Just started my 4th ownership of a 182. The previous times i'd had a failed gearbox that was run low on oil (my fault for not servicing when i bought the car), and a failed alternator (design issue with the mounting when using the RS2 manifold). Other than that they've all been pretty solid and it's just been general wear and tear items.

 

[Djw John]

Used a clio of one sort or another for the last 15 years, almost always as dailies and for the last 5 years for use at work too.

A good one is just as reliable as anything else ime

 

[MRBILLYUK]

They only made a few 1000 1*2's compared to bog standard Clios , so I guess parts are are becoming quite limited now . I've had my 182 since new in Feb 2006 , use it as my daily . Touch wood nothing major or too dramatic has gone wrong with mine in all that time .

 

[flebay]

I have found more and more often that whilst certain parts are available, they have to be ordered in over a period of days.

All main dealers keep on the shelf are service parts buy this i mean things that are in the service book, it keeps there cost down.
The other parts i have found they can get in for the next day or theirs a short wait if coming from France.

 

[DickP]

What's wrong with it.. or what has stopped you using it ?

Can get most things at Euros or GSF.. Or failing that, on here usually !

Hi

It's just items like having had the injectors out (to replace one), I then needed to replace all the O-rings on those injectors. I eventually sourced some but had to wait for delivery. Likewise, as I can't easily replace the connector to the injector rail I am in the process of working out how to replace that section of fuel pipe to use the new connector I have. Having spoken to Renault (who appear to be the only ones who can supply an OEM plastic pipe with fittings already attached), the price is £68 incl. VAT. So I need to look at what else I can do instead as I don't want to pay that much if I can for a section of fuel pipe.

On other jobs I have done on the car, another example was when replacing the rear brake pipes I (annoyingly) managed to loose one of the two U shaped brackets which support the metal pipe where it joins the rear axle flexi. This had to be ordered in specially, I think from France, rendering the car out of action for around one to two weeks.

Having worked a lot on my Fords and Land Rovers, the 182 is by far the most difficult car to work on to date.

Don't get me wrong, I do like the Clio 182, and generally I think it holds up very well. Really, I think I am just a little frustrated with what seem to be relatively easy jobs sometimes ending up taking up far more time, effort and money than I initially envisaged.

 

[Clio_fool]

99.9% of owners would have replaced those parts with used items at a fraction of the cost and down time. I've run mine daily for 2 and a bit years and it's not had any more time off the road than the wife's 2015 clio!

 

[DickP]

You would have used second hand O-rings and metal brake pipes??

 

[Stay Puft]

Use mine to get to work and back and have done for 5 years now. Do about 50 miles per day, going strong.

 

[Clio_fool]

U clamp and pipe connector I was referring to. Seems to me you're sourcing parts from the worse place possible and expecting Renault to stock obscure parts for a long out of production car.

 

[DickP]

Hi

The U shaped bracket yes I probably could have done, pipe connector I'm not sure as in my futile attempts to reuse the pipe I have destroyed the end and it is now too short (see other thread in technical section).

It just annoyes me that what was supposed to be a straightforward job of an injector change leads to many more jobs. The joys of an ageing car! Fortunately I should be in a position soon to get something else as a daily runner and then the Clio can get looked after properly without juggling maintenance and needing it for work to get to site visits.