Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Nice but I think that this is better:

692 bhp Guy Martin averaged 150.7mph on the NORC in it.

Talking of 3 door estates... been watching this for a while with no intention of buying. Thought it would be a good candidate for an engine swap.

He set it on fire on the Nurburgring when a turbo oil hose started misbehaving. Also looked like a nightmare to drive as the brake balance was fucked- rear kept locking up.

Fast, mind.

I'd still rather have the Goodwood XJ220-based Transit. Got overtaken by it once on the way down to the Revival. Sounded fantastic.

So a Metro engined Transit. Mmmk

I'm sorely tempted to pick up a little 182 for escaping out into the countryside every other weekend. At the moment, you can pick up a clean example for less than the price of a used Supersix.

Has anyone had experience with these little hatchbacks? Oh and will they be exempt from the 2021 ULEZ extention?

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I've tested a few of those. They're a fucking riot, but I couldn't find one clean enough or that hasn't been ragged to shit. Undercarriage issues just glared out with every one I went to see.

They all seem to have been kept clean exterior wise only.
Last one I had a look at had a massive crack on the lower control arm. The guy didn't even what he was looking at.

Whilst they're great fun, they are very buzzy and crashy machines. Doing long distances on it will be marmite. You'll either hoon or get to your destination with a headache.

Paging @Colm89 He's a resident clio wizard.

When I was a kid, my dad borrowed his boss’s 3.0L V6 Clio for an evening and took me out for a spin in it. That’s left a massive impression with me nearly 20 years later
/CSB

Pffft not a bad end to its life given that he acquired it after he crashed it and the insurance company wrote it off. Re the rear brakes locking up, it's not really surprising given its a fwd with relatively little weight over the rear wheels also I think (and could well be wrong it's been a while since I watched the program) that he kept the stock leaf spring suspension at the rear

@danstuff it looks an absolute riot. Also being mid engined would help with the braking issues.

Love these to bits. Any hot hatch tbh. Renault 5 turbo, Lancia Delta Integrale, 205 gti - the list goes on.

came here to post this. cost my dad quite a bit to get it fixed on his earlier last year (2019). I think he's getting a Tesla now though..

I loved my 182 cup, bought new and ran for 7 years pretty much problem free.

Was a much tougher car than I ever expected it to be and it loved to rev.

Cam belt changes are expensive and the exhausts were poor quality so most were changed for 'boomy' sports exhausts.

Escort estate
Lowered
Mattress in theback

Ha ha I am flattered!

I owned two different 172's that i done a lot of diy on, and a 220 trophy that i never touched as it was under warranty, but to call me a wizard is a long stretch ha ha.

What went wrong on my ones, hmmm, the engine mounts perished and the engine tried to escape through the radiator during an MOT so I replaced them with vibratechnics solid mounts (and replaced the busted rad). The mounts rattled the shite out of the car but power felt a lot more direct, and because racecar. I replaced the suspension with coilovers as I had cash to burn before I had a wife and a house, but suspension generally isn't a weak link that I am aware of.

Timing belt can be expensive, so make sure it's been done. My 172 lunched an engine prior to my ownership because an indy that said they had the correct tools to do it, didn't have the correct tools to do it. Previous owner managed to get a new engine out of the indy, but I wouldn't fancy the hassle he had.

Rear wheel bearings can be weak, but they are in the rear disc so easy to change on your driveway.

To be totally honest, there is very little to go wrong with them, and what does go wrong is generally cheap to fix. They are wicked cars to drive.

I put 2000 miles on mine in 10 days once driving from Dublin, through England, around North France, and back again. This was with coilovers and solid engine mounts. Oh to be young again.

Also paging @ukjoshb as he had a 182 more recently than I did. He might even still have it for sale?

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God i loved my 172. Rare in iceberg silver, with ph2 172 cup wheels....

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That looks incredible.

I'd love a phase 1, but the interior is an absolute nightmare - the way the rubber corrodes is something I've never seen before in any other car.

Black 182 is what I'm aiming for.

Yeh the steering wheels melt and the door grabs go a bit scabby, but i don't remember anything worse.

I replaced my steering wheel with one of those spenny suade sabelt renaultsport ones: https://images.app.goo.gl/zaQ3kmPC2UQyj8vv8

Made it feel like even more of a go kart

Ha, top post, can’t imagine what solid mounts must be like over 2k miles in 10 days! What specific tools would you need for the cambelt tho, camshaft/crankshaft locking tool?

Why not get a saloon and, if necessary a roof box? Way more bargains to be had.

Like... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-Mercedes-C-Class-C180-Kompressor-1-8-Avantgarde-SE-Jasper-Blue-only-42k/274147631499

edit. wrong thread

Bit more chavvy but Corsa C 1.8 SRI? Or a Cooper S?

It has a dephaser pulley that needs specific locking tools

Impossible really. Even the 182 twin exhausts is a bit over the top. But I get the sense they are looked after more than the 182s of the same year.

All this is because the worlds gone mad and everyone thinks their mk2 golf is worth 8k.

Saxo VTS?

Servicing through the roof tho, no? Not gonna be cheap over the next 5-8 years I imagine.