2000 Renault Clio Sport 172 from UK and Ireland - Comments

Hi all

Taking delivery of my new clio cup on sat 1st March

I've read various comments about how the car should be 'run in'

How many miles and at what max revs should these cars be run in at? (if they need to be run in at all?). Surely if the engine is up to temperature it shouldn't really matter?

Is there a club set up for 172 and 172 cup owners - or is it done through the normal renault channels?

I think it would be a laugh if a good meet was set up to discuss/compare these pocket rockets. Anyone interested?

I can't find anywhere on the net saying how many cups have been and will be made. I know originally it was 250, then it went to 500 but I think someone on here has said they are now making them to order. I know they were only going to make 2500 worldwide with only 300 going to France. (in France the cup is called the clio Ragnotti - after a famous racing driver). Does it say anywhere on the car what no. it actually is?.

Anyway this is a top site and I am looking forward to reading future comments.

Cheers.

Compo.

With regards to running your cup in.

When I bought my 172 I spoke to the head technician and he suggested ensuring the car was up to full temp and after that drive it however you wish. If you run it in at low engine rev's you get a slower car. That was his comment, how true it is I have no idea.

I need some advice, I have a clio cup, how do you lot think it handles, on the motorway it feels good, but on slower speeds the steering wheel pulls ever so slightly to either side is that normal. What I am trying to say is that when your driving on normal roads and the surface is pretty smooth and you let go of the steering wheel does your car drive in a straight line or does it pull to one side very slightly. I know it depends on the road, no road is dead straight, and how do you think it corners, do you ever get any sound from the front suspension when going round a corner, a slight clonking noise.

Any advice would be greatful.

I currently own a saxo vts and I must admit I was impressed with the clio cup during a recent test-drive. It certainly feels faster than my saxo, particularly at low revs. However the one thing that might put me off buying a cup is the lack of ABS. I was proved correct when the salesman drove out of the garage, floored it to about 50 and then slammed the brakes at a roundabout. We went for a bit of a skid (in the dry). Despite that I found that the brakes performed well on the testdrive although I didn't hit them hard. My question to the clio cup owners is whether the cup stops well from high speeds or is it a bit scary?

Cheers Simon

When I first had my cup I really didn't want to screw it, so I kept it under 4000rpm for the first 100-200 miles, but then I was told that they should be run in before you get it... but, they are run in on a dyno, not the same a being run in on the road cos theres no torque. My cup has now done 3500 miles and I still haven't taken it to the gear change indicator (theres a small green light on the dash with a gear leaver on it, this shows when to change gear to get the best out of the engine) - End of the day the car has a 3 year warranty... any problems, take it back!

I think this is due to the car having larger alloys and also some amount of torque steer! its perfectly normal.. if your still not happy with it get the tracking checked! hope it helps.

Fair enough keeping the revs low for the first few hundred miles. Nobody wants to screw the nuts of their new motor anyway! But there comes a time when you should start to open her up. The green shift light comes on about 200 - 300rpm before the rev limiter. About 6800 ish. However, I have noticed that the light comes on earlier in 4th, about 6650rpm and hits the limiter about 200rpm earlier. Anyone else noticed this? You have to bear in mind that until the oil temperature is up, your car will 'green light' early, around 6400rpm. Thus saving the engine components. I have experienced this even after 10miles, thinking the car was warm.

I feel that if you take the motor up to the green shift light, your engine revs 'sit pretty' for the next gear, just inside the 'cam changeover' point.

Hope this helps.

Mac.

To the guy that owns the VTS, I previously owned one before I bought the clio cup, the difference in performance is incredible, don't get me wrong the saxo is also quick and handles nicely, but the cup is a lot faster in all areas, it also feels more solid than the saxo, and to me handles a lot better. I do miss the ABS, but also don't mind not having it. The saxo feels good upto 100mph, but looses power where as the clio keeps going and going. The clio cup is around 5/6 seconds quicker to 100mph than the saxo. The saxo is a nice car and I had loads of fun in it, but the rush you get in a clio cup is something else. To all the cup and 172 owners, I read in one of the comments above that someone has not even taken it upto the full 6700rpm so you get the gear indicator light to come on. You should because in some cases the light has failed to work even if you do floor it, so try it. My car has done around 3800 miles now and feels very very fast. On some days I take the car to the limits all the time, I love that engine. Do you lot have problems with the seats jamming up all the time, when you want to tilt the back rest forward, both my seats are due to be fixed.

Hi All.

I've just picked up my Cup it was a demo car with 80 miles on the clock, I have no doubt that I was probably driven quite hard for these 80 miles, but as you would expect it drives like new.

The car cost £10250 and considering that I went to look at a one year old 172 for more money, I'm very very happy.

I have just found the "cliosport" website which has a few good articles and links, does anyone know any more??

Can anyone tell me exactly how much faster is the Honda Civic R.

Cheers.

Check out the comment on the 8th December with regards to a modified Civic Type R against my standard Clio Cup.

Has anyone been head to head with a normal 172? I know the Cup looks a bit quicker on paper, but would like to know what the really equates to on the road.

I am the proud owner of a BMW M3 1995 model with 290ish BHP, well earlier tonight I was lucky enough to race a 172 Cup, I am very impressed with the performance of this little number, if it wasn't for my traction control of the first roundabout I reckon it would have been a dead heat race, I only started to pull on the cup around 120mph, by the end of the straight which is about 3/4 of a mile long I was only 4 car lengths in front of the blue rocket. When I came home I looked up info on the Cup and came across this site, on some earlier comments there seemed to be a bit of ding dong with M3 owners and Cup owners, well take it from me, as soon as I see a cup for sale the Bemmer is gone, the cup would leave it standing on the twisties.

Good site keep the comments coming in, I will be visiting back.

Roger, Falkirk.

Had a bit of a run in with an M3 last night. I thought that I was going to get absolutly leathered by it!

Off a small roundabout, 2nd, 3rd, (still on its bumper), into 4th. By the time I changed into 5th he was only about 5 car lengths in front. Next we proceded to go onto a (privately owned!!) stretch of motorway. The result was the same through the box, but once again the M3 pulled like crazy after 120mph. (like it should)

Stopped and spoke to the astonished M3 owner. It turns out that it was the 286bhp version with a stainless exhaust. He thought that we were going to pass him through the box, but wasn't worried as he knew he had top end grunt. At the point were I was doing 135mph, he was passing 155!

He was very impressed with the Cup.

Hi Roger! That was me!

How ironic is that by the way?! Just checked the comments the now, (daily ritual!), good to see that you were impressed with ma wee motor. I thought I was toast!

Mac.

Hay, I've got a 172cup and think the little animal is way to powerful for its own good. I've had it for about 5 months now and everything that's ever 'had a go' I've just blown them away. The only thing I still can't get to grips with is the brakes, no ABS when yr hitting a roundabout to quickly is quite sh*tty. I was thinking of getting the brakes upgraded to Red Dot and Brembo, or something similar. Now heres the stupid question... if I had the brakes upgraded, am I more likely to lock up more than I do now because the brakes are better with no anti lock system??? Any advice would be much appreciated. And also I want to modify my baby aswell, Has anyone Superchipped it and what sort of difference is it in the power and torque?? and do you have to declare chipping to insurance company? cheers.

Regarding brakes. If you have more powerful brakes, you will have a better 'bite' in the dry, but you will most certainly lock up even easier in the damp/wet conditions.

There is a lot of pros and cons to aftermarket brakes. Temperature ratings, size etc. Think about this. If you were to upgrade Renault brakes, you would speak to Renault Sport right? Then I would suggest that we stick with what they have given us.

The brakes that are on the Cup are very powerful beasties and you need to get used to using them progressively rather than just stamping on them, like you can get away with when running ABS.

Hope this helps.