Excellent performance for a naturally aspirated diesel
Glow plugs and exhaust, that's all!
Excellent small car, great value, reliable, comfortable, easily beats the crumbly Astra that starts to rust after three years. At least Clio's are galvanised for 8 years!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 12th January, 2001
Excellent introduction to Hot Hatch Heaven
Power steering pump burst.
Wheel bearing knackered.
Bent wishbone on the front.
Electric window (passenger side) stopped working.
It took a while for me to start to like this car. I guess it was difficult to beat the build quality of the Honda.
The car's previous owner never gave it any stick and it showed when I bought it. It gained power during the first 6 months of ownership (helped on by a K&N, Scorpian exhaust & Superchip!)
The electrics appear a bit dodgy.
I do like it's subtly in terms of there are no stuck on spoilers etc, but yet it catches the eye enough to know it's no 1.0L Clio.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 12th January, 2001
Fast warm hatch
Leaking heater radiator hose.
Squeaking from the rear brakes, handbrake poor.
Had a smack with the curb which bent everything from the wishbone to the steering rack! Seems to be a very weak car. But only cost £300 for parts.
Very quick car, reliable if serviced on time.
Brakes need looking after.
Rear seats offer little room.
0-60 in 8.5 seconds is very respectable for a small car.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 11th January, 2001
A very good project car and low insurance for the engine size
Wheel bearings.
Gearbox needed reconditioning after a bearing went.
Clutch (when the gearbox was out).
Overheating problem and water leakage fixed probably due to the radiator leaking.
I wanted to do up a car and this was a perfect project with me only being 19 and the engine was good, quick, and the insurance wasn't too bad (group 9).
I lowered it loads, put 15 inch TSW Venoms with 195/45/15 tyres, completely changed its looks, put a full straight through Scorpion exhaust system on it with a powerflow center section, I have a large stereo and am very pleased with the car.
The only problem was a £800 bill for a reconditioned gearbox and clutch due to having to remove the engine!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 19th October, 2000
Quick, smart and a cut above the usual hot hatches
Since I have owned it the heater fan has not worked. Must fix before winter!
New front pads & discs. Not cheap!
Excellent car! I've owned an SRi, XR3i's, Si's and GTi's. This is the best. Respectable enough to give a lift to your girlfriend's gran and quick enough to show it's got the walk to match the talk. And that's the standard model.
Handles like a dream and a comfortable drive to boot.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 17th August, 2000
No major problems as yet, although it makes some funny noises from the top of the engine that I want to get checked out. Possibly clearances need adjustment? Also the rear brakes are not too effective - hopefully bleeding them should sort it.
Pretty expensive to buy a spare key, though! 81 quid?! What's that about, then?
A quality car. Feels really solid to drive, and picks up nicely. Handles really well, too - the power steering makes it very easy to whip round corners at a nice speed. Not quite as fast on the acceleration as I was expecting, but I think a tune up should sort it. It was in a bit of a run-down state when I first bought it!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 8th August, 2000
I have a 1993 Clio. I have had a problem with the rear discs. The front ones seemed to get hot whilst the back ones hardly warmed at all. I had the bias valve adjusted, but this didn't make much difference and I have just put new pads on the back. It's seems to have improved a little, but now I'm wondering if they bleeding as sometimes one side is warmer than the other, although it's not always the same side. Very strange. Apart from that and the sunroof leaking, it's an ace little car. In a couple of years no doubt I'll be after a 16v one. (Wish mine had the extended middle clocks on it too)
23rd Jan 2001, 16:57
I have had very similar troubles with a Renault Clio. Mine is a 1992 1.4RT.
I have replaced three wheel bearings, the gearbox went this week, and also a rear bushing at the axle went.
The car has been lowered as much as you dare, it's running on 195/45/15 tyres with a bit of scrubbing on the back. I have TSW EVO R alloys, a twin weber carb, K&N filter, and PECO big bore exhaust, 16V bonnet and SEAT IBIZA front splitter on bumper.
The electrics have also caused a lot of hair loss - trying to find piddly little wires loose or badly earthed.
The car had 88,000 miles on it when I got it in December 99, apart from the the mechanical problems it's been a great car, it handles like no other car I've driven... if it would just keep going without problems.