Renault Clio RS 182: A Missed Opportunity and a Surprising Turn of Events
After expressing my frustration with my Panda’s starter motor issues, I stumbled upon a pristine Renault Clio RS 182 for sale. This was a car I had been eyeing for quite some time, and the price seemed right, making it feel like fate was intervening to offer me a way out.
As I began the process of preparing for a potential part-exchange, the dealer requested a non-refundable 10% deposit, which raised some red flags. The fact that they couldn’t provide a picture of the Clio’s underside further added to my apprehension.
Despite my hesitation, I decided to sleep on it, only to discover the next day that someone else had already reserved the car. It was a disappointment, but in hindsight, it might have been for the best.
Interestingly enough, the following day, my Panda miraculously started working perfectly, with the start-up noise issue seemingly resolved. It almost felt like the car was apologizing for its previous troubles, begging for another chance.
Feeling a renewed sense of hope, I decided to pamper the Panda with a new timing belt, a service, and a comprehensive inspection from Fettle & Finesse, renowned as the UK’s top 100HP specialist.
Unfortunately, my optimism was short-lived. During the inspection, concerns were raised about the condition of the sills, a common problem in 100HP models due to their hidden location beneath the bodykit.
To my dismay, Laurence, F&F’s expert technician, was able to remove a significant chunk of rust from the sills with just his hands.
Despite my initial reservations, I hadn’t anticipated the extent of the damage.
