1994 Renault Clio Williams 1 review from UK and Ireland

Electric windows at the front are slow, almost stopping at the mid point when rising.

Rear wiper plays up now and again.

Slight wheel bearing rumble round left hand bends at pace.

Oil pressure sender reports false oil pressure readings on the dash guage.

Only had the car a month and 1500 odd miles, but I absolutely love it. It goes well, handles brilliantly and attracts a lot of attention.

Call me a poser, but for me that's what owning a car like this is all about. The fact that people turn and think "there's one of them Williams Clios, ain't seen one of them for a while!". Not forgetting of course the fun you have behind the wheel. The engine is torquey, although first gear is pretty much unusable at full pelt as the front wheels tend to light up much too easily. Mid range pull is excellent, and whilst motorway cruising isn't the quietest, it is certainly effortless to overtake and pull up hills.

Inside is comfortable, well put together, although the dash creaks and squeaks a little when turning the wheel. The blue dials, numbered plaque and snazzy blue seatbelts and carpet serve as constant reminders of what you are actually driving.

Under the bonnet is tight as you might imagine, very difficult to do much work under there, which is of course reflected in garage servicing and repair costs. I am fortunate enough to be able to do much of the work myself, but patience is required in abundance.

Complete service history is essential on cars like these, and adds to the value greatly. Cambelts should be changed well before the recommended 72,000 and if neglected will relieve you of half the purchase price of the car.

Williams are a rarity these days and the prices of the Williams specific parts reflects this. You will find that scrapped ones for breaking are virtually non existent and new parts prices are thoroughly extortionate. Having said that, a lot of the parts are shared with the Clio 16Vs, and these of course are available from many of the well known parts outlets. In previous experience though, it is advisable to use the OEM parts which Renault use. They are of a better quality and will inevitably last longer than the pattern parts on offer. These "genuine" parts can be sourced from many companies around the UK, cheaper than Renault themselves.

It goes without saying to watch out for accident damage on cars like these. Get an HPi check done on the car before you buy, they're invaluable.

Most importantly, if you are considering one, take the time to look at a few to compare notes. And budget for a cambelt replacement (£200) and an HPi check (£35). Once you have it, look after it, service it regularly, and it will return reliability and most of all, pure driving pleasure.