Why You Should Buy The Flawed But Brilliant Renault Clio 182 in 2020

I review the Renault Clio 182 and explain why I think this could be a future classic!

One of my RAW recording files was lost due to corruption which included the owner's fantastic personal comments of ownership and buying tips. So here they are!

00:00 The Disaster
00:38 Intro
01:29 The Pros + The Drive
06:40 The Cons
07:30 Buying Advice/Reliability
09:03 The Verdict

Guide: https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/buyers-guide-renault-clio-172182

Nick's Clio 182 info and tips!

Owned for 5 years. It is my 8th car so before this, I averaged a car a year.
This is my second 182. My first 182 was rubbish, had no service history and decided to sell after a couple of months. The first one didn't live up to any of the 182 hype, it was this tidy example that made it all click!

Modifications
I obsessed over first making the car drive as Renault intended and then on improving it to make better for road use.

The car came with:
A BRM Stainless Steel exhaust (most standard Renault steel ones rotted and had to be replaced after a couple of years)
Cooksport springs

When I bought the car:
Replaced the leaking shocks for stand cup shocks
Eibach Proline Springs - Cooksport springs too firm for my local roads
Powerflex Dogbone Mount - to improve the gear change and to sort the engine moving when changing gear
Removed the bushings under the drivers seat to lower it by 10mm
Ramair ‘Fattys’ Induction kit
Replaced all steering components (top mounts, bushings etc. - this transformed the car and made it drive like new. I felt much more confident in the car and this should be the first thing you do if you buy one.
Speedline Turinis alloys in anthracite (believe from a Clio 172 cup (same as the Trophy ones but a different offset)). These are 1.5kg lighter a corner and I could really feel the difference when I put them on. They also look more motorsport and are better for cooling your brake pads.
Steering wheel from a Clio 197 cup. This is slightly smaller in diameter, doesn’t fall apart in your hands and looks better
Brembo High Carbon Front Disks. These are OEM spec.
Ferodo DS2500 brake pads.
Uprated brake fluid
Pure Motorsport Solid Top Mounts - This made the steering feel more accurate and direct. Slightly more vibration through the wheel but I don’t mind it.
Whiteline Adjustable Rear Anti Roll Bar - Set to medium. Probably the best modification you can make. It makes the car turn in better, makes it feel like it pivots more in the middle of the car and makes the car feel more generally more agile and adjustable in the corners. The only negative is I think it feels a bit more bouncy at the rear.

How reliable has it been in 5 years of ownership

I would like to say it has been very, but it hasn’t:
It had an ongoing problem where the engine light came on and it felt like a cylinder was misfiring. I first had a Lambda sensor replaced (common problem) then HT Leads, then two injectors. It seemed fine for a while but then had it again. Then had the MAP sensor replaced and finally the garage found that it was the CAT so I had that replaced. It has been fine since. This problem has never left me stranded though

Mine does use a bit of oil, but then it does get revved fairly often
The Solid Top Mounts made a funny noise when cornering too hard on track
Sometimes the airbag light comes on, due to a loose airbag connection under the drivers seat (common problem)
The internal boot trim loves detaching itself from it’s clips (even after replacing them)

But actually, I am genuinely amazed at how reliable it has been given the (proper) use it’s seen.
Things I love most
Where to start?
I love how it gets better and better the faster you go
I love how utterly capable it is and how composed it stays even along the bumpiest roads
I love how it can really deliver even when there is a mountain bike in the back of it
I love that it’s NA
I love how I have never thought ‘I wish it had more power’
I love how light it feels
I love the over engine feel when you’re just cruising around
I love the proportions, the design and love its stance
I love the design of the interior too
I love that only people who love driving know what it is

I love the way it makes me feel after a great drive
Things that have been annoying to live with

How at normal speeds it doesn’t feel very special or fun. You have to go fast to enjoy it.
I’ve never liked the gear change. I came from a car with a great gear change. But when you’re going for a blast you do forget about it
The driving position doesn’t go low enough for me and I am only 5ft 10

Some people would say the cheap plastics and the rattles but this has never annoyed me

Anything you’d say to potential buyers?

Buy one that has already had the money spent on it replacing all the right parts. So ideally having had all the steering and suspension components replaced.
Buy one with good service history
Buy one
Fit a rear anti-roll bar

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