2001 Renault Clio Sport 16v 1.2 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Wet and smelly

Faults:

Wet footwells.

General Comments:

Very cheap car to have. Low insurance and tax etc, looks good and reliable, but cannot have anything on the floor because it's always wet. Even get frost on the inside during winter through condensation. I too am in the club unfortunately.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 2nd March, 2009

2001 Renault Clio Dynamique 1.5 dCi turbo diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Could be better

Faults:

Sunroof rattles badly.

Parcel shell constantly rattles.

Leaking sunroof, passenger side.

Starter motor due to go.

Replacement hazard switch.

Brakes wear badly.

Electrical fault (I believe this may be due to the sunroof leaking and water getting into the fuses). I can be driving along and all the dash lights and fault lights come on, the car loses power temporarily and the clock re-sets itself i.e. mpg = 0. Quite frightening when you are on the motorway.

Service light on constantly, despite recent service.

Door car, the handles to move seat forward are flimsy.

Problems starting on cold days.

General Comments:

Starts fine on a dry day.

Comfortable seats; I have Dynamique so it's bucket seats.

Despite the size, the cabin doesn't feel cramped.

Very economical, I average about 60mpg, my previous car was a Honda Civic and it averaged 36 mpg. Cheap road tax £35 p/year.

Comparatively good sized boot compared to other super mini's.

Comfortable drive.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th January, 2009

2001 Renault Clio Alize 1.4 from South Africa

Summary:

Light on fuel, heavy on everything else!

Faults:

Car cutting out & difficult to start after first service.

Have to press reset button on engine to start car.

Service light kept coming on when driver seat was adjusted.

Accelerator sticking.

Indicators working when it felt like. Eventually stopped completely.

No hazard lights.

Water leak. Replaced water pump.

Head gasket blew. Skimmed head & replaced head gasket. Looked as if this was done before.

Engine block warped. Car dead at 140 000km!

Conclusion: If gasket blows, get a new motor!

General Comments:

Always saw Renaults on the road after the won F1. Now hardly any around.

Reasons for not having a Renault: More expensive to service than a BMW, parts are unaffordable, service is pathetic!

The Clio was first car I bought, but definitely the last Renault!

Advice to Clio owners: SELL!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 14th January, 2009

2001 Renault Clio Dynamique 1.2 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Extremely unreliable

Faults:

I've recently had my Clio in the garage 3 times in 3 weeks to try and get an electrical fault fixed that has been happening on and off for the past year. The car loses 90% of its power and will not go over 30mph.

General Comments:

This problem (as stated by many others) is obviously a known fault, yet Renault do nothing. It has cost me a small fortune to try and sort a problem that even the mechanics at my dealer can't get to the bottom of. It just happens again and again. The car is currently in a dealer after going wrong twice after it was supposedly fixed. £800 for a new injection computer, only for the problem to come back a week later, then happen a week later after getting it back again!

One thing I will add is it seems to happen more when it rains.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 16th December, 2008

2001 Renault Clio Expression+ petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Too expensive to fix

Faults:

With just around 11,220 miles, I have had to:-

Replace 2 wheel cylinders.

Put in new brake discs and brake pads.

I am told by a Renault dealer that a new throttle body will have to be installed and perhaps a new wiring loom.

General Comments:

I have now learned through the Internet that Renault cars suffer excessively and inordinately from problems with the throttle body and the wiring loom.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 11th December, 2008

2001 Renault Clio Dynamique 1.2 16 V from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Good

Faults:

It's been a good car.

I've experienced the electrical warning light coming on and the engine stalling. To get rid of it, you need to rev it at 2000rpm and it will go. Also put the higher grade or unleaded and the problem does go away.

General Comments:

Good car for price.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd December, 2008

2001 Renault Clio Sport 172 2.0 16v petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Va va voom!

Faults:

Rear discs at 60K. Not in itself that bad for a performance car, only annoying that (probably to save manufacturing cost) the hub bearing is integral so they're much pricier than normal.

Front spring cracked around the same time. Not something you'd expect to fail ever, but I've read elsewhere comments on Renault spring unreliability.

Front drive-shaft replaced at 70K (check for strong vibration when accelerating).

Spat a spark plug out one time which was bizarre. Was on holiday so stuck with the dealer fix, which although efficient included plugs @£17.50 each!

Recently cabin quality issues to the fore. Rubberized lacquer on door inserts comes away like a skin problem (although can be carefully removed to just leave the base paint). 'Leather' steering wheel is only leather on the bottom spoke you never touch, the rest is low grade synthetic which crumbles and falls away to look rancid. Better and much cheaper to re-trim rather than same again from Renault.

General Comments:

Good looking hot hatch, which has the performance, although you need max revs/noise to get it.

Reasonable economy (35-40mpg) on motorway and with medium speed driving.

I've got back issues, which I now partly attribute to the terrible seat (soft and lacking in lumbar support).

Quite tight in the back for passengers/luggage for a car in its class.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th November, 2008