s9810588

Welcome! Which RS 200 Cup do you have? Clio 3 (three door, manual gearbox) or Clio 4 (five door, DSG)? There are only a handful of car clubs that regularly run track days nowadays: WRX Club, AROCA, PIARC and MSCA If you haven't done any track day at all in the past, I highly recommend Evolve Driving for some lessons. They are good. There's Winton on Mon 16 Oct, which is much cheaper compared to Phillip Island. I'm likely to go.

If first car means you haven't had any history with insurance, and possibly still on P-plate, insurance premium will dwarf servicing cost. I wouldn't be surprised if yearly comprehensive insurance premium costs over $5,000.

That's not @FredV6. Some say he only wears flip flops.

Just because the wheels look fine, doesn't mean they're true round. An elipse will balance fine but won't give smooth ride. I had vibration issue with a car fitted with aftermarket wheels. Balancing was fine and they all looked okay but problem disappeared when I changed to OEM wheels. Also once had vibration at speed. Turned out to be the foam & plastic bit of engine undertray (Clio 182) peeling off the plastic bit and flapped around. Worth checking the underbody lining are tightened up properly as it is easy to do. Clio 3 is pretty robust for track days use. Never had problem with mine after 15 track days or so. Maybe the previous owner hit hard a kerb or ditch? I can vouch for Fred Hopkins' work. He did above and beyond what was needed. I'll drive Melb to Brisbane and return for him to work on my Clio again (go away COVID!).

Damn! I think I sold my Clio 182 and Clio 3 200 at the wrong time and to the wrong people! 🤔

I waited 7-8 years to find the “perfect” RS. Even then, the condition was far from perfect! Five years later, still needing lots of fixes! 😆

If you already don’t like it now, walk away. It will only get worse as you discover more and more dodgy stuff as you get to know the car more. A good one is hard to find these days. They are at least 13 yrs old. You may want to consider the newer Clio 3.

$10,000 is for a mint Clio 182 with under 50,000km! The black one in WA looks tidy and has under 100,000km so his/her starting price isn’t unreasonable. There’s room for negotiation depending on the car condition (photos don’t tell that much) and recent maintenance work. The stock F4R engine in Clio 172/182 doesn’t come alive until you hit around 5,000rpm. It feels just like turbo lag but worse because it lags till higher rpm. I have an old VAG 2.0L turbo hatch but at least that one really picks up from 3,000rpm. That’s just my opinion. The Clio is fun to drive on the twisty road. You can floor it more without getting into ridiculous speed too quick. Stops very well too because it’s very light.

If the badges are only stuck on with adhesive, cut the adhesive with dental floss. Wrap the ends of the dental floss a few turns on a pair of chopstick, so you don't cut your fingers. Clean up the left over adhesive with eucalyptus oil. Some badge may have pins to go into locating holes on the panel though.

Ha! I missed that one. If it was a 197, whoever did the conversion to 200 probably spent more money than just selling the 197 and buy a 200!

I’m convinced that one is a 200. Front bumper, front fenders, wing mirrors, rear diffuser, exhaust tips and wheels all suggest a 200. Been watching closely Clio 3s for sale for about two month now. I was tempted to get it too but Recaro is a must have for me.

C'mon @FredBTM these people are desperate for your first class service! 😉

He's in Albury so hardly any difference buying from Sydney or Melbourne. The difference 3,000km is bugger all IMHO. The 2008 one in Melbourne has steering wheel in great condition and clean interior. That would be the one I'd take.

Don't get too high from sniffing the brake and miss the braking point for turn 1 Driver Dynamics day?

Definitely 2118. Totally unbiased opinion I chose 2118 because it is 7" wide instead of 6.5" wide Turini. No need for centering ring either because 2118 comes with correct centrebore size for Clio 172/182.