Woohooo, so i've got myself a £500 Ph1 172, but now what?!

[alexdodd]

First time Clio owner! £500, 36k on the clock, Titanium (i think) Silver, some history, but appears to have been abandoned somewhat...hence it's not in ideal condition...

So far it's had new discs and pads all round, all belts changed, new exhaust mount 2 lovely new rainsport 2's on the front (back are OK for now) and obvious fluid renewal. Mechanically its sound for sure, and It's passed it's MOT so at least I can move it from place to place easily now... Just driven from Liverpool to Edinburgh (home from home) and achieved >30mpg (including the 30 mile hoon on the a702), smooth, didn't miss a beat, very pleased with the drive

But....

There appears to be wet in the footwell, so i'm going to have to go scouting for blocked drainages somewhere I assume. Any pointers, or just dig and dig deep?

The front bumper looks like some kinda con job tbh, it doesnt appear to fit correctly even though its a ph1 style. It's also missing its front fog lights... So i need some fog lights ph1 and ph2 the same? And need to really look at whats making the bumper not sit flush (heads already saying crash damage, but i'm fairly sure its not )

The seats seem like they've been taken out and not put back properly and bars that adjust the seat on the rails aren't attatched (but present), might link in with the wet footwell i've yet to inspect (late dark cold wet nights)

Needs a headunit, need to do my research, any recommendations that play well with the steering wheel controls? After something that plays from usb/sd (sdxc cards) and good bluetooth GUI handsfree etc... I'm assuming parrot tbh!?

Have some nicer 16cm speakers I'll probably swap over.

Looks like the inside door handle has been replaced before but with the wrong colour plastic, so i'll be looking for that too (or at least a matching pair!)...

Steering wheel is a mess, so that needs redoing, I've seen there are good people on here who are willing if paid! If i have it restitched on here will it last a lot longer than the OEM? which appear to be made of cheese... How easy is detaching the wheel, airbag wise? Assuming a few bolts here and there?

After that i'll look into little tweaks (but i'm pretty much keeping this standard for the most and carbon fibre is banned), ph2 bullets perhaps, a splitter/diffuser maybe, clear side repeaters, a light tint, and I have some decent , thought about HID's but i don't think I can pass an MOT with them (no washers/self level right?)

Biggest problem is trying to get this done in the cold & wet Edinburgh throws at you, and I only have access to on street parking Less than ideal....

I guess that was just a little brain dump. Basically I'm happy i've got a nice cheapo Ph1 172, but know I need to put some effort in to polish this turd! I will probably start a project thread when I actually start this project, but that might possibly be after winter! Any tips or advice greatly appreciated

Pictures will follow (dark right now obviously ), and it needs a CLEAN like never before, but thanks to winter road ****/grit I think i'll just wait until the worst is over, then properly go to town on it... A new years resolution!

Cheers,
Alex

 

[alexdodd]

Ooooh and I only have one key! :dapprove: Unsure if I can stomach buying another one (around £150 right?), or just be "really careful" :rasp:

 

[LiamR172]

Hi and welcome i wouldnt of thought the steering wheel would be that bad after only 36k?

Anyway, to remove it, if you turn is 90 degrees you should see 2 holes, i cant remember if its just clips or if its screws or what, but you will see at the time, undo them then lift the airbag out slowly, there is 2 plugs on the back of it which you will need to undo, and then its just the big nut in the middle of the wheel and thats it off

Plans sound good, and i guess at 500 quid you cant complain at a few niggles can you!

 

[Sam]

30 MPG seems a tad low considering you where motorway driving and hooning it.

I get 32 MPG and mines over fueling. Has it had its belts done?

If you aint sure, it really needs it doing. If a belt slips / snaps it will cause devastating damage.

Get it done by a specialist as not many people know how to do it properly.

I learned the hard way.

 

[Sir_Dave]

If the belts havent been done & its a £500 car, there's no point spending another £500 doing them imho.

Just wait till it blows up and bung another £250 engine in it.

 

[LiamR172]

He said in the second paragraph that all belts were done

 

[Stu.]

Where in Edin are you? Id get a rear quarter trim off and see if your sills have water in them! Thats why i had puddles. Or if you've driven it in the rain and theres no plastic bungs underneath where the seats bolt in, or the boot seal + 2 black caps let water in. These are all things I've had on mine leak wise. Also ph1 + ph2 fogs are different. I have a set forsale too aswell as a few other bits you mentiond you were after gives a pm if you like.

 

[Sam@NP]

If the belts havent been done & its a £500 car, there's no point spending another £500 doing them imho.

Just wait till it blows up and bung another £250 engine in it.

A £250 engine will require belts though.

 

[couzens]

Standard head unit and use the cd changer IMO. I'm a Ph1 purist however.
Don't put tints on it, they look much nicer without them.

With regards to the steering wheel, I'd highly recomend a Sabelt Cup steering wheel. Well worth the money tbh.

No harm in polishing a turd, my ph1 was a dog when I bought it.

Wack some pics up!

 

[Beasley Clio182]

Sounds good mate everyone likes a bargain ! and £500 theres going be a few , and like you said the belts are done so mechanical wise hopefully wont cause any issues ! just tarting up !
Get some photos on and start a project thread ! if you want bits get posting and looking through the bits for sales mate should get some stuff through there

 

[alexdodd]

Wow, love the replies already, everyone is so damn friendly round here! I'll reply to each and everyone as I go! Sorry again no pictures since i'm working 12 hours days right now! Monday is my day off and I'll get a chance to really play again....

Hi and welcome i wouldnt of thought the steering wheel would be that bad after only 36k?

Anyway, to remove it, if you turn is 90 degrees you should see 2 holes, i cant remember if its just clips or if its screws or what, but you will see at the time, undo them then lift the airbag out slowly, there is 2 plugs on the back of it which you will need to undo, and then its just the big nut in the middle of the wheel and thats it off

Plans sound good, and i guess at 500 quid you cant complain at a few niggles can you!

The steering wheel is OK, I'm being possibly overly fussy but I see it as something thats on its way out and will go so I might as well change is and have it fixed properly... You hold it everytime you drive the car (hopefully)!

30 MPG seems a tad low considering you where motorway driving and hooning it.

I get 32 MPG and mines over fueling. Has it had its belts done?

If you aint sure, it really needs it doing. If a belt slips / snaps it will cause devastating damage.

Get it done by a specialist as not many people know how to do it properly.

I learned the hard way.

Yeah my mpg might have been out, I forgot to properly reset the odo between tanking it, and i was estimating probably on the harsh side. I thought i'd done 210 miles, so likely less and that ties in well i reckon The trip computer was displaying more but I just don't believe them... Can't beat tanking it and resetting the odo... So i will keep a proper eye on that in the coming month I realise it's easy to spot problems before they become truly apparent by keep on to of fuel efficiency.

If the belts havent been done & its a £500 car, there's no point spending another £500 doing them imho.

Just wait till it blows up and bung another £250 engine in it.

Surely more hassle replacing engines anyway though as well?! I'm happy with this low mileage one (although that wasnt the primary reason for buying it) and just looking after it...

Where in Edin are you? Id get a rear quarter trim off and see if your sills have water in them! Thats why i had puddles. Or if you've driven it in the rain and theres no plastic bungs underneath where the seats bolt in, or the boot seal + 2 black caps let water in. These are all things I've had on mine leak wise. Also ph1 + ph2 fogs are different. I have a set forsale too aswell as a few other bits you mentiond you were after gives a pm if you like.

South of Edinburgh matey It had been sat around a while so I think it's some kinda drainage from the front-ish? Although the way the seats are they've been out and most certainly not put back properly, so likely missing bungs, they're coming back out anyway and properly put in, so i'll check then

Standard head unit and use the cd changer IMO. I'm a Ph1 purist however.
Don't put tints on it, they look much nicer without them.

With regards to the steering wheel, I'd highly recomend a Sabelt Cup steering wheel. Well worth the money tbh.

No harm in polishing a turd, my ph1 was a dog when I bought it.

Wack some pics up!

Pics are coming, but I don't think I could cope with a CD player, haven't touched a CD in a loooooong time! Sorry to say

Sounds good mate everyone likes a bargain ! and £500 theres going be a few , and like you said the belts are done so mechanical wise hopefully wont cause any issues ! just tarting up !
Get some photos on and start a project thread ! if you want bits get posting and looking through the bits for sales mate should get some stuff through there

Yep i'm gonna be prowling parts forum much more from now and i'll get myself a thread together. I'm in no particular rush though just yet! Hectic work life right now

 

[blburied]

Ooooh and I only have one key! :dapprove: Unsure if I can stomach buying another one (around £150 right?), or just be "really careful" :rasp:

I popped into Timpsons last weekend as I only have one key. They can code a basic non c/l key for £40 (half price), or if I went to a large Timpson shop they could code me a C/L one for less than a Renault dealer. Might be worth looking into?

 

[benhwolves]

Good luck with the project, you sound like the right person to bring the car back to its former glory, look forward to following the progress.

 

[mark smith87]

My 172 only has one key with the central locking button on it , the other is a key that is used for servicing by a garage and opens the doors manually so all you need is a standard key, not a second plip key. The only thing that might be a problem with getting a key cut is that there is an immobiliser built into the ignition switch, and if you use a key that doesn't match the system it might not start. I'd recommend going to Renault and ordering a standard key that can be matched to the car. It will be a bit more expensive than a key from a key cutting shop but at least it will work.
The standard CD changer and stereo is a decent set up, I am trying to remember what make they are but can't think. I had a couple of the speakers repaired on mine by a local guy after discovering the wire had broken on two of them.
The steering wheels do go scabby. I bought a Ripspeed leather cover for mine and that hides the worst of it and adds a bit of extra thickness to the standard steering wheel. Look for the ones that have the ribbing , they are really comfortable to hold and look half decent. Only £14. Not got any chavvy chrome bits on them or different colours added just black. You can get coloured ones but they just look cheap. A lot cheaper than a wheel retrim!
The CD changer is under the drivers seat. Check if its still there and if not then someone on here is bound to have a second hand one to sell. They are part of the standard ICE kit in the 172.
If the seats have been out then they need to be put back in properly and the airbag connections might need to be checked if the seats aren't in properly. Remove any airbag fuses though before doing anything with them in case you trip them off by mistake. As already mentioned check the bungs in the floor are in properly or if any bolts are missing from the seat frames. That could let water in from underneath if any are missing.
On a decent motorway run you should get between 32 and 37 mpg. On track I get 17mpg.
Have fun! They're a fantastic car to own and drive.

 

[mark smith87]

My 172 only has one key with the central locking button on it , the other is a key that is used for servicing by a garage and opens the doors manually so all you need is a standard key, not a second plip key. The only thing that might be a problem with getting a key cut is that there is an immobiliser built into the ignition switch, and if you use a key that doesn't match the system it might not start. I'd recommend going to Renault and ordering a standard key that can be matched to the car. It will be a bit more expensive than a key from a key cutting shop but at least it will work.
The standard CD changer and stereo is a decent set up, I am trying to remember what make they are but can't think. I had a couple of the speakers repaired on mine by a local guy after discovering the wire had broken on two of them.
The steering wheels do go scabby. I bought a Ripspeed leather cover for mine and that hides the worst of it and adds a bit of extra thickness to the standard steering wheel. Look for the ones that have the ribbing , they are really comfortable to hold and look half decent. Only £14. Not got any chavvy chrome bits on them or different colours added just black. You can get coloured ones but they just look cheap. A lot cheaper than a wheel retrim!
The CD changer is under the drivers seat. Check if its still there and if not then someone on here is bound to have a second hand one to sell. They are part of the standard ICE kit in the 172.
If the seats have been out then they need to be put back in properly and the airbag connections might need to be checked if the seats aren't in properly. Remove any airbag fuses though before doing anything with them in case you trip them off by mistake. As already mentioned check the bungs in the floor are in properly or if any bolts are missing from the seat frames. That could let water in from underneath if any are missing.
On a decent motorway run you should get between 32 and 37 mpg. On track I get 17mpg.
Have fun! They're a fantastic car to own and drive.

Actually just thought about what I wrote and I do have two electronic keys! Doh! But I only use one so its not really an issue.

 

[mad in general]

I am in Edinburgh also, Gorgie area.

I do have a CD changer which is not used and I have removed it from the car. Never tested it but you may have it for the price of a pint if you are open to meeting up with randoms.

 

[alexdodd]

I am in Edinburgh also, Gorgie area.

I do have a CD changer which is not used and I have removed it from the car. Never tested it but you may have it for the price of a pint if you are open to meeting up with randoms.

Always open to randoms and pints I don't need the CD player though, defo looking for something more modern as it's a creature comfort I don't think I could do without....

Only update is....i'm now working Monday as well....

 

[alexdodd]

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4180593/172 Ph1/IMG_1303.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4180593/172 Ph1/IMG_1304.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4180593/172 Ph1/IMG_1305.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4180593/172 Ph1/IMG_1306.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4180593/172 Ph1/IMG_1307.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4180593/172 Ph1/IMG_1308.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4180593/172 Ph1/IMG_1309.JPG

Few very quick ones there, don't show any real detail apart from how the bumper doesn't seem to fit, something i'm sure i can fix by removing and refitting... Notice the chip (I've only just noticed ) on the bumper too!

 

[Stu.]

Good base for a project anyway, And its had the front bumper painted at somepoint! Its missing the black bits

 

[mark smith87]

What black bits on the front bumper? Mine is all silver.

 

[Stu.]

What black bits on the front bumper? Mine is all silver.

Where I've put circles, Theres black stickers in there on both sides.

 

[alexdodd]

Clio Stu, that's a beauty of a car you have there!

 

[Stu.]

Clio Stu, that's a beauty of a car you have there!

Cheers mate! Will you be attending any meets in the new year?

 

[alexdodd]

I won't make anything in the new year, and I need time to actually sort the car out... but I'll get involved for sure

 

[ALY]

I've had another blip key done by Brian down at Rentec at Telferton Industrial Estate recently, think it was about £150 ish. Might be worth a try in the event of your sole key giving up or going awol.

 

[alexdodd]

Yeah already had a chat with Brian at Rentec, he's definitely gonna be my port of call in Edinburgh! Seems a true gent!

 

[BREMBO]

Good project, thought you bought it in Edinburgh at first as would have been gutted for 500 sheets!

If the mileage is legit you have a bargain there, need to get a proper project thread up. Also rentec are great, I have been there for a service and MOT for the V6, they will probaly appreciate something like this.

Enjoy!

 

[ALY]

Brian's been around Renaults for a long time, had my newish purchase down for that key I mentioned and a minor service (I'm old & can't be bothered now!) and he remembered the car from umpteen years ago when he did the maintenance on it at the dealer when he was there!

 

[alexdodd]

Good project, thought you bought it in Edinburgh at first as would have been gutted for 500 sheets!

If the mileage is legit you have a bargain there, need to get a proper project thread up. Also rentec are great, I have been there for a service and MOT for the V6, they will probaly appreciate something like this.

Enjoy!

Yeah I got the impression that it's a nice thing for him to be involved in, like he doesn't wanna see them all go to rack and ruin...

Unsure if the mileage is truly legit, but the last 3 MOT's seem to say so. The car has been pretty much abandoned by most terms. Wasn't MOT'd for the last year etc... Got enough history to keep me happy. It's by no means perfect (it really isn't) but it's done Liverpool to Edinburgh (and now back for xmas) not skipped a beat.

Although after the rain the other day its also certainly still not watertight lols =/.

MPG on the trip computer after 500 miles (350 of which are pure motorway) is saying 31MPG, unsure if that's correct though until I tank it and work out properly once more... That sounds possibly a little low to me though, something I'll have a chat with Brian about.

Also now beginning to think it might have been lowered (I can't tell and have no real clue about what should be standard), there is a clunk on full lock i'd missed (or has just appeared) which I assume is suspension related.

Again all part of my list of things I need to sort out, but it's xmas and new year and it can wait

 

[MicKPM]

This is the one that I nearly purchased... it did sound and look like a good base for a resto project but it needed more than I wanted to spend (don't panick, I'm a right tight fooker).

Enjoy it mate because part of me still regrets not buying this ph1 over a ph2.