White good hillclimb tool - Her Name Was Rio

[Elstro1988]

Wasn't sure whether to post this here or Retro Rides - it's too new to be a true retro, and well, my intentions for this glorious piece of Korean shite are well....not what you'd expect.

 

Earlier this month, rather than keep using my precious 1.0 Nova in hillclimbs and sprints, I decided it was time to acquire a second car to take the abuse on the hills and keep a Nova on the road a little while longer. I could, and should, have bought something approved, sporty, and cool for the sport, such as a tidy 106, Saxo, maybe even an old 3series or Impreza. You know, an actual performance car or at least one with the credentials (light, good power-weight-ratio etc).

 

Nope. I want to be different and stand out. A Nova at least, has plenty of off-the-shelf upgrades and it has been a fun means of finding my feet a little. But I love it too much to continue putting it through that strain. So I purchased this:

 

 

2003 Kia Rio 1.3i Ice+. 60k, £500. Has all the modcons - aircon, keyless central locking, electric mirrors and windows, ABS - none of which the Nova has. It also bears scars of previous (late) old gentleman owner, scuffs ahoy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, this is not a joke. I really plan on being the first person to use a cheap-and-nasty first-generation Rio in competitive motorsport - like a WI member lifting her skirts on a street corner and attempting to sell herself maybe.

 

In the 3 weeks of ownership I have deduced that all the stuff the motoring journalists berated the Rio for was true - it is a bland, dreary white good on wheels, devoid of any passion or automotive soul whatsoever. Blinkers and wipers on opposite sides take some getting used to, slight fanbelt squeal when cold, and the engine light is on (apparently a common problem with these.) The 1.3 Mazda-derived engine shifts nicely and doesn't feel painfully slow, but driving it on the road after a Cherry Bomb-shod Nova was somewhat emasculating.

 

Sure, feels like a limousine compared to a base-spec 1litre pushrod Nova but still. But a fantastic piece of Autoshite - I originally fancied a Shuma but they annoyingly come in 1.5-1.8 configuration which would put it in the ultra-competitive up-to-2000cc class.

 

Now, I know the hardcore shite aficionados would want to keep this special edition model standard so I'm afraid to say this is not my intention. As a car with zero sporting credentials, it needs all the help it can get. Plans are alloys with sticky track tyres, induction kit, Cherry Bomb backbox (with a stainless exhaust in the near future), lowering springs, a strut brace and any other ways I can make it go faster. 

[spartacus]

Good effort! Even if it's not seriously competitive it'll still be fun, I reckon unless you're a front runner then you're competing against yourself, chasing better times, you may as well do that in this as anything else. I'll be watching the thread for sure.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Damn! I keep forgetting that Kia made a Rio too.

Got all excited about seeing a leathered up and wobbed bodykitted Dolly.

[brickwall]

That Rio is dull as dishwater and thus will have a fair few fans here.

[Jim Bell]

Moar updates please. This board neds + motorspirt.

[oldcars]

Nice like these. Good luck with it, my Shuma likes to chuck up the EML every few weeks.

[spike60]

Good luck with that, it's always good to see different stuff competing. I'm a fairly regular spectator at Harewood and an occasional at Barbon Manor. Last time I was at Harewood there was an Espace competing!

[320touring]

MUCHOS APPROVAL HERE!

[skattrd]

[2MB]

You posted this in the right place. I'm not averse to modifying myself and using the thing for motorsport is surely a valid excuse. Hillclimbing is great because it is fun in any car, regardless of ability of driver or car. Mk1 Rios were solid gold shite from the minute they rolled out of the factory IMO, and I for one will be looking forward to see how this one turns out.

[Elstro1988]

Nice like these. Good luck with it, my Shuma likes to chuck up the EML every few weeks.

 

What's the Shuma like to drive/own? Probably just a bigger Rio I imagine but I do like the mk1's twin-headlight styling. Plus they seem pretty rare, no doubt scrappage killed many.

[gm]

Excellent - which hills will it be going up ? I flung the mazda up forrestburn a few times last year (practice day) , it's damn tricky but bloody good fun. I promised myself I would get a license and do it properly this year but the season is about to start and I haven't got off my arse yet

 

Good luck with the Kia, I'm sure you'll enjoy every minute of it

[skattrd]

I really need to use he Daihatsu properly and do some hill climbs or sprints as well.

Keep us updated with progress on the Kia and maybe it'll give some of a bit of motivation to do similar.

[Matt]

Many thumbs up from me. Looking forward to seeing it progress.

[barefoot]

I got really confused at 'precious 1.0 Nova',

but then I chuckled at the lowered strut braced noisy Kia shopping trolley.

[oldcars]

What's the Shuma like to drive/own? Probably just a bigger Rio I imagine but I do like the mk1's twin-headlight styling. Plus they seem pretty rare, no doubt scrappage killed many.

I am bias but there class. Under 300 left now i think. Mazda running gear like your Rio. They like to rot a bit and high tax i think has killed off a few,

I find it one of the most comfortable cars to drive, been all over with it, and its been good. Worth about £300 and i have spent ££££ on it but it will never go. Was my late Grandfathers first new car he ever bought.

[Sloth in a bowl]

Bin it, get a Kia Pride and save yourself a few hundred kgs as well as the potential of the 1.3 L (1,290 cc) BJ engine (78.0x67.5 mm) was a DOHC 16-valve engine, used only in the Japanese market Ford Festiva GT-X and GT-A (1989.03-1993.01, GT-A from March 1991). It developed 88 PS (65 kW) at 7,000 rpm and is probably rarer than diamond encrusted rocking horse shit.

 

Did you spot the subtle wiki cut and paste?

[chaseracer]

Where? 

[loserone]

The Festiva and Pride have a big following in the US and in the Philippines, mostly putting B6T (turbocharged 1.6 B series) engines in from other Mazdas.  What's the Rio running gear from then?

 

P.S. I reckon I'd much prefer hill climbs or time trials in the Pride than the Impreza or my old MX5...

[quicksilver]

Most excellent. It'll certainly stand out and I'm sure we'll all be interested to find out how you modify it - I can't imagine many performance parts being made for Kias!

[chaseracer]

I can't imagine many performance parts being made for Kias!

 

Hyundai used to go rallying - same as Kia underneath.

[anonymous user]

I wish you all the best for going a bit left field with your thinking. Many years ago I tried hill-climbs and production car trials and enjoyed it (the trials more).

 

One of the funniest things I've seen, at Prescott, was someone go up the hill in their towcar (The trailered March wouldn't go, so they used the towcar just to get the points for competing) The towcar was an automatic Volvo estate; the commentator had a laughing fit as did most of the spectators. The funniest bit being that he got quite a good time with it.

[tooSavvy]

and I for one will be looking forward to see how this one turns out over.

 

EF (eventual) A

 

 

TS

[KruJoe]

Mad as toast. I approve wholeheartedly. Just a shame it's not one of the proper early ones with the droopy, melting nose, in either green or that metallic yellow. Most of those went to frag about four years ago though.

[HH-R]

Strange that these got a Mazda donkey rather than a Hyundai Alpha? IIRC they were based on an Accent chassis though I could be RONG.

 

Never understood the Japanese/Korean "white goods" criticism - it's not like mass produced Fiat, Vauxhall, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, SAAB etc lovingly hand craft each vehicle out of passion, blood, sweat and tears.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Using a Kia Rio for hillclimbing ? Sounds like a perfectly sensible plan !

 

(says the man who has done track days in a bog standard Lada Samara)

[gearoil]

Where are you competing ???

[Lacquer Peel]

Baffling.

[xtriple]

We bought a Rio BRAND FUCKING NEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I wanted a Skoda Octavia but could only afford a fairly basic 1.4... went to see the New Kia Range at our very local dealer (who was well known to everyone as a fucking evil cunt and rogue/all round bad guy.... known to everyone but us unfortunately!) and for the dame money we could have a 1.5 SE with aload of options... it had AC, it was a boiling hot day, the wife won... I think it was the only 1.5 SE Kia ever sold 'cos I've never seen another. It got a towbar, load liner, different alloy wheels (bigger, wider, prettier!) and wood trim all over the inside. It was Mica black and looked pretty good. Wonder if it's still around - WA51BLX, which I always read as: was I bollox!

 

One of its first journeys was as towcar to our huge trailer with a 3 series BMW on which we took to a gymkhana! Had a riot with the Beemer but nearly lost the lot at 60 on the way home!

 

My wife drove it twice then went back to her Mini which she loved and so I was lumbered with the Kia. Thanks love...

 

We kept it for four of five years and in all that time it was perfect - burned a clutch out towing heavy cars on that HEAVY old trailer and sold it to a mate for £2500 with about 20.000 on the clock. He lent it to his Dad who promptly used it in a bet in a poker game in Edinborough .... and lost!

[oldcars]

We bought a Rio BRAND FUCKING NEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I wanted a Skoda Octavia but could only afford a fairly basic 1.4... went to see the New Kia Range at our very local dealer (who was well known to everyone as a fucking evil cunt and rogue/all round bad guy.... known to everyone but us unfortunately!) and for the dame money we could have a 1.5 SE with aload of options... it had AC, it was a boiling hot day, the wife won... I think it was the only 1.5 SE Kia ever sold 'cos I've never seen another. It got a towbar, load liner, different alloy wheels (bigger, wider, prettier!) and wood trim all over the inside. It was Mica black and looked pretty good. Wonder if it's still around - WA51BLX, which I always read as: was I bollox!

 

One of its first journeys was as towcar to our huge trailer with a 3 series BMW on which we took to a gymkhana! Had a riot with the Beemer but nearly lost the lot at 60 on the way home!

 

My wife drove it twice then went back to her Mini which she loved and so I was lumbered with the Kia. Thanks love...

 

We kept it for four of five years and in all that time it was perfect - burned a clutch out towing heavy cars on that HEAVY old trailer and sold it to a mate for £2500 with about 20.000 on the clock. He lent it to his Dad who promptly used it in a bet in a poker game in Edinborough .... and lost!

last mot expired 2009 at only 39000