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Hi from South Wales, UK


RebelMotorsport

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Hi all,

 

I've just signed up to the site (having found my way here seemingly randomly) and thought I'd say 'hello'. I'm not from Oz but spent last November, December and January in and around Perth, WA. My partner and I saw a few RenaultSports during our time in WA before having to return to the sub-zero temperatures and snow here in Wales. We also saw a Renault Meggy at a trackday evening at Barbagallo Raceway but have no idea who it belonged to.

 

We run a small and friendly performance car club here in the UK and we both love our performance cars and, more importantly, our driving. My partner drives a mildly modified Honda Civic Type-R (EP3) and I drive a RenaultSport Clio 182 Trophy (number 165 of 500). Funnily enough, I was (and still am) massively into the Jap car scene but my partner persuaded me to try the Trophy and I love it. Conversely, my partner loves her French cars - she's had a Pug 205 GTI and a RenaultSport Clio 172 - but is now enjoying a bit of Jap engineering with the Type-R.

 

Regards,

Andy

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Hey there Andy, and welcome to our little community :D

Glad you found us!

 

All of us Clio owners will be most envious of your Trophy, I'm sure :wink:

 

Yep, small but enthusiastic group of RS owners in Perth so I'm sure it would have been one of our members that you saw at that track day/evening.

 

We're a 2x RS household too. Sounds like you'll have to get your partner to join up as well LOL

 

Cheers, Dish.

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Thanks for the friendly welcome guys. :D

 

It's a shame that my girlfriend and I couldn't have brought along our cars when we visited WA... we found some real nice sections of road out towards Nannup(?) Mind you, the traffic police seem very strict in Oz and I don't think I've ever seen so many police speed cameras, radars and traps! I used to think it was bad here in the UK but perhaps it's not as bad as I originally thought (not that I condone driving inappropriately on public highways!)

 

I'll look to post up a few pics of the Trophy at some point soon. It really is a fantastic car, handles beautifully and can embarrass many perceived 'superior' cars. Mind you, RenaultSport owners already know this so... :wink:

 

Whilst I didn't see many RS whilst in WA, it was great to see them all the same. As much as I love V8's, Holden's, Falcon's and similar, I really do like the European hot-hatch scene - hence it's great to see sites like this on the opposite side of the world. If you weren't so far away we'd probably join you for a drive!

 

Andy

 

Edit: My Trophy's gone missing... GRIFFYN!!! :lol::wink:

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Andy, going by your wife's taste in cars, I think the culprit might be closer to home than you think :wink:

 

And if you think the speed trap situation is bad in WA, VIC (and to a lesser extent NSW) is even worse.

 

Looking forward to seeing the Trophy pics :D

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As am i... pics, vids, an interior view out whilst driving....ALL of it please!

Thanks for joining and hopefully bringing a wealth of information.

If i may, i'd like to start with one (of many possible questions):

- how does the ride (specifically the suspension) feel compare to a 172 (your wife had) and any other RSC you have driven in?

Cheers, and welcome aboard.

WOLF

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welcome ! some very nice driving roads thru south wales .

 

went to the shambles and thru brecon beacons a few years ago . very green .

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Thanks all for the welcome. :D

 

wasntmeyoucan'tproveanythingthephotosarefakedandthevideohasbeenwipedanyway

 

Ok, I guess it wasn't you after all... :lol:

 

And if you think the speed trap situation is bad in WA, VIC (and to a lesser extent NSW) is even worse.

 

Really? That's not good! I was really surprised at some of the laws / rules, too. Hoon laws (?!) and the double de-merits over Christmas...

 

- how does the ride (specifically the suspension) feel compare to a 172 (your wife had) and any other RSC you have driven in?

 

Hi Wolf,

To be honest I'm not sure what the 172 was like to drive as she had just bought the Type-R when I first met her. In addition, she also had a top of the range suspension setup (LEDA) with fully customisable setup all round so (she tells me) it handled beautifully... which is impressive given the already impressive handling of the 'standard' RenaultSport Clio's.

 

The Trophy is quite a harsh ride (made all the much worse at the moment due to a bad winter in the UK and the resulting terrible state of our roads!) Personally it doesn't bother me - partly thanks to the Recaro Trendlines that come as standard - but it's a bit too much for some passengers. Handling-wise it is a bit special. The Sachs dampers are fantastic items and the turn-in and responsiveness is phenomenal. The setup is ideal for the sort of driving that we do and on the roads that we tend to venture out on. It's also good for the odd track day here and there, although a top end coilover setup would probably be better (and cheaper!) for those who are more track focused. I'm looking to get the Sachs dampers refurbed later this year because it ain't cheap to buy them new. Besides, they are still in great condition in all truth.

 

welcome ! some very nice driving roads thru south wales .

 

went to the shambles and thru brecon beacons a few years ago . very green .

 

Indeed there are some great roads rob. We are lucky enough to live on the edge of the Brecon Beacons so we have plenty of twisty mountain roads and valleys to enjoy. With Wales only being a small country we very often head up to mid-Wales and North Wales to enjoy some of the driving roads out that way. We are very lucky! Oh, the green is due to the constant rain...

 

I'll get some pics and bits up very soon!

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I'll get some pics and bits up very soon!

Loved your members ride page SharkyUK. Very through, car look's impressive and finished off very well.

I think Lyn is a keeper too :lol:

:lol: Thanks, blue182! Glad you liked the write-up and - yes - Lyn is a keeper!!!

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...she had just bought the Type-R when I first met her. In addition, she also had a top of the range suspension setup (LEDA) with fully customisable setup all round so (she tells me) it handled beautifully...

- partly thanks to the Recaro Trendlines that come as standard -

 

Get a lotto ticket buddy...think you have some serious good fortune around you. :wink:

Cheers,

WOLF

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I'll get some pics and bits up very soon!

Loved your members ride page SharkyUK. Very through, car look's impressive and finished off very well.

I think Lyn is a keeper too :lol:

 

+1, thanks for the comprehensive write-up! :D

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  • 1 year later...

Wow, how time flies... it's me, Andy (I originally joined as RebelMotorsport but things have happened since then hence I'm back here under a new alias and with a new account...) :lol:

 

Sadly things didn't quite work out as planned with Rebel or indeed with Lyn (who remains a friend I'll hasten to add!) However, I'm happy to report I've started a new club up here in the UK but, most importantly, the Trophy is still going strong (despite a few issues with the engine over the last few months). I'll look to get a full project thread posted up soon...

 

I hope folks are well and please feel free to send some of that Oz sunshine over here as I'm well and truly fed up of staring out the window at the rain...

 

Here are a couple of pics as she currently stands...

 

20110319_ktritb01.jpg

 

20110411_tdfdyno.jpg

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Your wife has good taste in cars. Well so do you actually.

Hi mate - thanks for the reply. Unfortunately we are no longer together (we weren't actually married although it sometimes felt like it!) :lol: A common story; we wanted different things out of life hence we split amicably. Actually, that was quite some time ago now...

 

...however, my new girlfriend also drives a Honda Civic Type-R although I didn't realise this until I'd been dating her for a while. It would seem that the Trophy and Type-R relationship seems to fare better than my own! :rofl:

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Car looks great Andy :drool:

 

Send one of us a reply-paid envelope and we'll pack some sunshine for you :wink:

Thanks nemz. Reply-paid envelope on the way... :D

 

I'll swap you for the Trophy... timeshare week on/week off?

I'm very tempted griffyn... it's a shame you're so far away otherwise we might have been able to come to some sort of deal! :nod:

 

Things seem to be working out for you, plus you still got your Trophy...so once that posted sunshine reaches you, you'll be set.

 

WOLF

Cheers Wolf. I've always said that the Trophy is a keeper and I couldn't face the daily commute and/or weekend blast without her. Even after several years of owenrship she still gives me an immense amount of fun and enjoyment.

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