Clio, gone but not forgotten.

[nacho man]

Well picture the scene.

I was on holiday in my pirate of a father t4 camper, the missus was happy as it was sunny, I pretending to read a book about the gestapo, but in reality I was browsing the web looking at cars.

I had been after one of these for years, with tales of them keeping up with exotic machinery in evo magazine fresh in my noggin.

I found one that wasn't 6 grand plus, which is a lot for a flimsy french hatchback. the history was all online from the register from near enough brand new, it had been looked after, undergoing a 3k suspension refresh last year.

I dropped it into conversation with the account/gaffer, she didn't normally do her thing of saying "no"

This surprised me, it must be the hormones, so I continued on my quest to achieve a viewing, this went well. No resistance was found.

I did some more digging in the shape of a hpi check and all was well, I then had another lengthy chat with the owner and it sounded bob on. It was a good 8 hour round trip from my house to the car, I chanced it and paid for the insurance beforehand with an agreed value up front as it was surprisingly cheap.

Yesterday started at 07:30, I couldn't sleep as I was excited. much traffic was met on the M3 and M27 on the way down, I turned up at the blokes gaff to be greated with it in a massive garage, next to a clio v6 a gt6 a saab 9000 on 330 odd k and a nissan leaf.

We went for a drive and I transferred him some monies by a bank transfer, in my experience these are pretty much instant.

However.......

Monies transferred at 12.01.
We waited.
And waited.
Checked the sort code and account number for the 53rd time, still correct.
Me and the wife went for lunch.
14.13 still no transfer, both parties ring banks, yeah Mr T it's been sent and is out your account, No Mr seller no funds are in your account and none are pending.
14.43 Go to beach to ponder what to do, ring bank again, no Mr T funds have left your account, Mrs T now very fed up.
Looked at BnB's, these were expensive so gave that idea up, train ticket on mon morn back to pick it up once funds cleared looked the best option.
15.37 text from hsbc, "this is the hsbc fraud team please call us quoting this reference ******"
Call hsbc, do you know a Mr seller, yeah been trying to give him money, ok I have now released the funds as we thought it was a dodgy transaction.
15.40 call seller to tell him to check.
16.18 Seller still not received funds. Mrs T spotted finding big rocks and rope to drown me in the sea.
16.32 Seller calls, Monies are in his bank come get the car.
16.33 Mrs T puts rocks down.

That was a right palaver. Finally I could drive off in 193/500.













I know it isnt autoshite, but i have always wanted one and you only live once. My others cars I have always wanted are a dc2 integra type r, e30 m3 and a xj6 coupe. I can't really afford any of the them. It was a lot still for a clio. But I am sure I won't lose.

Not my pics, pics stolen from the internet from 2015, but it's the same car. Didn't take one pic all day. The tank was half full as well, it drives well, seems to cling on for dear life around the bends. The recaros are mint, as is the rest of the car, except a dint on the bonnet, which I am gonna get sorted, these trophys seem to be very well looked after.

I am gonna go outside now and touch it up, then will try and get it on three wheels around the island when it drys up.

Fin

[Jon]

Great stuff! However, I thought you'd given the reveal away earlier in the thread when you mentioned a Clio V6 but you kept me guessing until the end, despite us having something similar sitting in the garage. Here's ours:

 

 

Yeah, well, erm, it's not a Cup - in fact, it's not even a 182 but a lowly 172, albeit with some mild performance mods added from new. It's pretty lively nevertheless and therefore I'm guessing that one with a bit less weight and a bit more power is something else! Got to admit that the 205 GTI and Visa GTi are a bit more me though, as I just can't resist fanging it at any given opportunity. Fortunately, it's my wife's and she's merrily added 45000km to its odometer in the last 2 years - it was only on 55000km when she got it, so it's probably lost all its value according to Honest John, with its 6 figure odo.

 

I wish we'd got a Cup now, for the simple fact that it doesn't have rain sensing wipers, which naturally the windscreen company broke when replacing the windscreen. Months down the line and several revisits later, it's still not been fixed.....

 

Anyway, new hot hatches with manual gear boxes seem to be dwindling in numbers these days, so I reckon yours is a keeper. Here's hoping it's a worthy substitute to your Williams!

[dome]

An old Renault not Autoshite? Don't be daft;)

 

I'd love to try one of these, an old 172 has been on my radar before and no doubt will again . Top job.

[stripped fred]

A lovely car. Enjoyed reading about it. Can you make sure you keep us updated as would be interested how you get on with it. I've always fancied one of these.

[Bren]

Want a V6.

[J-T]

LOVE these, well bought! Didn't they have gas dampers specific to that special edition?

[Tamworthbay]

Clio and V6? How could anyone not drool at that combination?

[Rusty_Rocket]

My pal has the Clio with the engine in the back- is that a V6?  All I know is, it's incredibly wide, makes a lot of noise and he uses it as a daily driver.

[RoadworkUK]

A superb conveyance, and one that gets my approval.

 

I find them fascinating. They feel fast, but not that fast, until you reach a junction and find yourself having to shed an extra 20mph that you didn't know you'd accumulated.

 

This will hold its value and perhaps appreciate, if you give it time.

[Faker]

Awesome machines. Health to enjoy. Added pic of my old 172.

[Jim Bell]

Nice.

All Recaros are for winners.

[nacho man]

LOVE these, well bought! Didn't they have gas dampers specific to that special edition?

 

Yeah they have sachs dampers with a remote reservoir. These cost a fortune luckily the fronts were refurbed in 2013 at a cost of £800.

[FakeConcern]

Nice buy!

My youngest daughter still has the Clio 1.2 we got her to learn to drive in 5 years ago and a while ago she was keen to upgrade to a 182. Unfortunately she would only look at Racing Blue or Liquid Yellow ones which are pretty thin on the ground and seem to be either stupid money sold. I did try to get her to look at the Trophy, but as her sister had a Capsicum Red Clio at the time she wouldn't entertain the idea. Now she's decided to keep the 1.2 and teach her boyfriend to drive. Good luck with that!

Anyway a French hot hatch is always going to be AS friendly!

[phil_lihp]

An actually desirable modern Clio, good purchase.

 

[nacho man]

Just gonna have a bath and read this

 

 

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[nacho man]

 

 

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[spartacus]

A mate of mine has one of these from new, it was ace. Good buy I reckon, well done.

[AlabamaShrimp]

My mate had a 182 as only his second car. Drove very nice but felt a bit plasticy exactly like a small French car normally does.

 

If this is a car you always wanted is it a permanent keeper?

[Uncle Jimmy]

I pretending to read a book about the gestapo, but in reality I was browsing the web looking at cars.

 

The old 'he's safely reading about the Nazis, can't be up to anything' ploy....clever.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Want a V6.

[M'coli]

Nice.

All Recaros are for winners.

Good job I'm not a winner as my arse don't fit them!

 

Tidy Clio, by the way!

[SiC]

Utterly approve. 172/182 is on my bucket list.

 

Trophy is the one going to be worth £SILLY in really not too long - like the 205 GTI, r5 turbo etc.

 

V6 is cool, but a bit of a widow maker and the trophy with its trick suspension is better in everyway (except maybe noise).

[FakeConcern]

Just remembered this

 

 

[Split_Pin]

Approved, I've always admired these.

[Pillock]

Mustard Mitt I thought these were just a special edition of the 182, but custom shocks with remote res sounds pretty hardcore. 

Fair play for wanting something and going for it though, can't fault you. Looks sweet!

[nacho man]

Well it's started. £££££££&

 

Ordered 4 new Goodyear eagle f1's , not too bad a price from tyreleader. The rears were close to legal 1.8/2.0mm tread and the front only a bit better.

 

Ordered a oil and filter kit from Renault which was £38 for 6 litres of 5w-40 and a filter which ain't too bad. It's had a oil change in the last few months but I can be anal sometimes so want to do it myself.

 

Then I ordered a copy of a k tec racing induction setup, which is basically loads of bits off eBay, I will keep the original air box in case I ever do sell. Hopefully it well sound ace coupled with the scorpion exhaust.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Alfamale]

Looks like a belter. I'm guessing you still have a Clio itch to scratch after the Williams.

 

Have fun with this, will do an update on progress with the Williams soon.

[Alexg]

Cracking purchase. Nice one.

[nacho man]

Looks like a belter. I'm guessing you still have a Clio itch to scratch after the Williams.

 

Have fun with this, will do an update on progress with the Williams soon.

 

Yeah, hot hatches are my type of motor, I will have something else but always come back to them. Would be ace to see how the williams is getting on.

[sporty-shite]

Was only thinking about 172/182s the other day. One is definitely on the list. 

 

This looks incredibly nice, and incredibly out of my meagre budget! Well bought.