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SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
SharkyUK's RenaultSport Clio 182 Trophy

My RenaultSport Clio 182 Trophy is a limited editon model (with only 500 having been made) and the following images and narrative depict my ownership and experiences with this fantastic hot-hatch.

Service History and Maintenance
For all services and oil changes I have only ever used top quality fluids (such as Silkolene Pro S 5W - 40). The Trophy also only gets fuelled with premium petrols such as Shell V-Power. For all work, I take the car to reputable specialists who know the car inside out. I'm happy to travel further afield to use the right person, especially given how temperamental these cars can be!

IMG_0127.jpg


A brief overview of some work carried out during my early ownership. I'll update the thread over time and document subsequent work, repairs, maintenance, modifications, etc.

January 2008 (Renault dealership)
  • ECU bracket replaced (under warranty)
  • Passenger Recaro seat bracket replaced (under warranty)
  • Rear washer jet replaced (under warranty)
November 2008 (RenTech)
  • Health and diagnostic check
  • Broken fog light replaced
  • Underside seal check/inspection
March 2009 (Rob)
  • New boot lock
  • New factory brake discs
September 2009 (Pro-Speed)
  • New full stainless steel exhaust system with 100 cell sport cat (replacing stock system)
October 2009 (Rob)
  • New front-nearside brake slider (to replace broken item)
  • New OEM front brake pads
In The Beginning...
The Basic Car:
The car was initially registered on 27/08/2005 and I purchased it on 16/08/2007. As standard the car comes with:
  • Cruise Control
  • Air-conditioning
  • Traction Control
  • Fog Lights
intro_montage.png

Limited Edition Extras:
The car comes with a few extra limited edition 'niceties', including the all-important number!
ltdnumber.png

Other notable extras include:
  • Recaro half leather / half suede front seats
  • Lightweight Anthracite Turini Speedline alloys
  • Sachs Race Engineering Dampers
  • RenaultSport Clio V6 255 roof spoiler
  • Front splitter
  • Capsicum Red paintwork
extras_montage.png


It was a friend who convinced me to purchase a RenaultSport Clio Trophy. I had always been interested in Japanese performance cars - and still am - but I was hearing good things about the Trophy. So, a very good example was found to be for sale in Malvern and I purchased and picked it up on the 16th August, 2007.

As mentioned, It was a very good and clean example with 24k miles on the clock. There were only a few minor problems that needed addressing (all of which could be easily resolved) - the windscreen was chipped, the alloys had some very light scuffing, the number plate was cracked and it was running a poorly installed aftermarket induction kit.

Here is the Trophy the day after I bought it:

20070817_01.jpg


The First Modifications:
The first round of modifications were simply to fix the issues I mention above. These were:
  • New Windscreen
  • Silvertec Indicators - front and rear
  • New RenaultSport Trophy themed number plate
  • Standard Induction kit re-fitted and the aftermarket item disposed of
Silvertec Indicators - front and rear
silvertec.jpg


New RenaultSport Trophy themed number plate
20080327_07.jpg


September 2007
In September 2007 I changed the brakes. It was actually a group-buy on a Honda Civic Type-R forum but a deal was negotiated whereby I was able to purchase slightly different components (for the Trophy) but at a discounted price.
  • CRN grooved brake discs
  • EBC Red Stuff pads
  • Goodridge braided lines (red, front & rear)
  • Castrol DOT 5.1 fluid
The uprated lines and fluid were great but the discs and pads were average at best - both from cold and even when up to ideal operating temperatures. The net result was that I swapped these out in March 2008 and replaced them with:
  • OEM discs
  • Ferodo DS2500 pads (front & rear)
I was shocked at the state of the CRN discs and EBC pads when they came off. Considering they had not really been on the car long and had not been abused too much they were in pitiful condition; warped discs and split/disintegrating pads. You can see for yourself in the pictures below.

20090325_04.jpg


20090325_07.jpg


It's safe to say I was much happier with the OEM discs and Ferodo's!

Ferodo DS2500's front & rear

IMG_0132.jpg


IMG_0130.jpg


December 2007
So Christmas 2007 rolled around and, again, the Trophy was treated to more gifts.
  • Custom painted engine cover
  • Custom made mats
  • Custom made battery cover
  • ClioSport red tax disc holder
  • Personalised carbon fibre keyring
Custom painted engine cover
20080327_02.jpg


20080327_03.jpg


Custom made mats
custom_mats.jpg


Custom made battery cover
20080327_04.jpg


ClioSport red tax disc holder
taxdischolder.jpg


Personalised carbon fibre keyring
keyring_montage.png


April 2008
It may have been April but we weren't fooling around when it came to purchasing a set of brand new Turini Speedline alloys (and centre caps). Having agreed to buy them we started out on a 700 mile round trip to pick them up. Any excuse for a drive... To this day these new alloys remain completely wrapped and packaged up as my original Speedline's are still in pretty good shape.

Due to the loss of the front splitter (courtesy of a soft grassy verge on a tight country road) we bought a replacement item, albeit made from carbon fibre. In my opinion this is much better than the stock item and sets the front end off nicely.
  • Brand new Turini Speedline alloys
  • Carbon fibre front splitter
New Turini Speedline Alloys
turinis.jpg


Carbon Fibre Splitter
20080327_05.jpg


July 2008
In July 2008 I took the Trophy to PowerStation to obtain baseline performance figures whilst she was still in stock form. The idea was that, after the rolling road day, I would start looking to mildly modify the Trophy. Here are a couple of photos on the rollers.

20080719_powerstation_44.jpg


20080719_powerstation_43.jpg


For a stock Trophy I was quite happy with the result. I was even happier considering the fact that the car was due for a service at the time and it wasn't running too well on the day of the dyno. The dyno graph is shown below:

dyno1.gif


August 2008
August is also my birthday month and 2008's birthday saw more gifts for the Trophy.
  • Chrome K-Tec front strut
  • Carbon fibre rear strut
  • Personalised number plate
The increased rigidity did not upset the Trophy's dynamics in any noticeable way and it still likes to c**k it's leg up like an excited puppy that's about to take a pee! The quality and finish of the struts is top notch so they also look as good as they perform.

Chrome K-Tec front strut
20081112_strut03.jpg


20081112_strut04.jpg


Carbon fibre rear strut
20081112_strut01.jpg


20081112_strut02.jpg


Personalised number plate
20090127_01.jpg


November 2008
Despite only having been to PowerStation a few months prior, November 2008 saw me taking the Trophy back there for Rebel Motorsport Club's annual rolling road day. I wasn't expecting any results too different from the previous visit as I had not had any performance work carried out on the car. Below is a video of the Trophy on the rollers.



Here is the dyno graph from this second visit to PowerStation. Again, I was quite happy with the result for a stock car.

dyno2.gif


December 2008
It didn't seem long since last Christmas but Christmas 2008 was here already and Santa had yet more goodies for the Trophy.
  • New engine cover nuts and bolts
  • Samco coolant hose kit
  • Samco induction hose kit
  • Custom made battery cover (to replace the older, tarnished one)
  • Meguiars G220 rotary polisher and detailing kit

Samco coolant hose kit
20081101_hoses01.jpg


Samco induction hose kit
20090325_01.jpg


Custom made battery cover (to replace older, tarnished cover)
20090325_02.jpg


September 2009
I had to wait a while for this but good things come to those who wait... At the end of September my car was booked in with Charlie at Pro-Speed (Cardiff) for a new exhaust system. I knew the sound I wanted, the look I wanted and I knew that Charlie would deliver (based on his previous work and recommendations). However, things never quite go according to plan...

At the last minute I was called away to work in Germany and thus was unable to take the car into Pro-Speed myself. Fortunately my friend was available and kindly offered to help me out by taking/picking up the car on my behalf! The first time I saw and heard the exhaust was when she came to pick me up from the airport only a few hours after it had been fitted. The sound was great and it looked great, too... even in the dark of night.

The exhaust is a full stainless steel system with a 100-cell sports cat. It retains the dual exit pipes but has a 3.5" bore to better fill the holes. A slash cut finish perfectly aligns with the rear end of the car too, making for a system that looks as good as it sounds.

pro-speed01.jpg


pro-speed02.jpg


pro-speed03.jpg


Thanks for looking. Please follow the thread for more ongoing updates and stories involving my Trophy!
 
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SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
A great read mate :D

Have you managed to take a vid of the exhaust in action yet?
Cheers mate!

No, sadly I haven't had chance yet. In between work, running the club with my partner and getting ready to go away on holiday for a couple of months I seem to quickly run out of hours! But don't worry... the vids will be coming - promise! ;)
 

Daniel

ClioSport Moderator
  Whichever has fuel
Lyn is a very understanding and helpufl wife/gf!!!

Lovely car mate :)
 
  TrackCar & F30 330d
Lyn is a very understanding and helpufl wife/gf!!!

Lovely car mate :)


Yeah thats what i was thinking. My GF asked me what i might want for xmas this year. So i said a dished steering wheel for my track car would be lovely, she just said "but what will i get out of a steering wheel" lol

The project thread looks very professional too. Such a smart car. I like :approve:
 

Chris205

ClioSport Club Member
  Many Things
Lyn is a very understanding and helpufl wife/gf!!!

Lovely car mate :)
+1

lyn seems very very understanding, i must first find a woman, make her read this thread and understand the way to a guys heart!
 

DMS

  A thirsty 172
Great write up. You seem to be choosing mods that improve on the standard car and don't look out of place.
Any long term plans yet or is it just an ongoing thing?

EDIT: Oh and out of interest, where did you get those plates from? Wouldn't mind a similar thing myself but in blue.
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
Great write up. You seem to be choosing mods that improve on the standard car and don't look out of place.
Any long term plans yet or is it just an ongoing thing?

Thanks mate.

I do have some long term plans but I might have to re-think a few of them. Whilst I would love to explore a few different modification routes I don't want to 'ruin' the car and detract from the fact that it's a Trophy. I hope that makes sense!

In the short term I'm looking to improve the breathing (having now had the new exhaust fitted) by looking into perhaps a V6 airbox and ITG filter. This will be followed by a remap at some point, too. My other plans will remain under my hat for now...

I'm sure that there will however be other 'ongoing' things and I'll be sure to post them up in here.

EDIT: The plates are from FancyPlates.com
 
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  B/G 182 + PH1 Track
Stunning car, great photos, personally id want the exhaust to sit a tiny bit further out. But awesome car.
 

Gally

Formerly Mashed up egg in a cup
ClioSport Club Member
Awesome write up and really how a trophy should be.

The plates need to go tho mate, cheapens the car imo.

Plain is the way forward and maybe even cut down just a little.
 
  53 Clio's & counting
To be fair, Andy's Trophy is MINT, and love the sound of that new exhaust, every time i see it i get more jelous
 

SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
Thanks all for the continued comments - appreciate them all whether good, bad or indifferent. I certainly have more plans for the Trophy in the future so we'll see where it goes...

To be fair, Andy's Trophy is MINT, and love the sound of that new exhaust, every time i see it i get more jelous
Russ, the cheque is in the post fella. No need to be jealous though because the way you drive yours... well... 'nuff said :wink:
 
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SharkyUK

ClioSport Club Member
i already see a 'ring sticker

unless... :smiley:

As those who know me can testify... the car is more than just a daily driver... :wink: It gets used as was designed for and is not just a driveway ornament to brag about in the pub!! LOL! (Hence why I think I may have one of the highest mileage Trophy's currently, maybe).
 
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