Clio 197 Ultra Red 2007 from Finland. April, time to start driving.

[Jimmy]

Which goes completely against the grain for most things Renault. Or most things car related and French infact.

Normally you give something that feels reasonably substantial a gentle tug and it breaks into multiple parts before your eyes.

I find this usually occurs on a Sunday afternoon when everywhere is shut and replacement parts aren't available

Yep, you've got to hand it to our friends over the Channel, they certainly know how to make tough mutha grilles

 

[sevenfourate]

Yep, you've got to hand it to our friends over the Channel, they certainly know how to make tough mutha grilles

Spent so much time and effort designing the grilles - they then rushed the rest of the car

 

[Jimmy]

Spent so much time and effort designing the grilles - they then rushed the rest of the car

Haha yeah, you can just imagine the engineers' meeting... "Right lads, I've designed these awesome grilles...."

 

[sevenfourate]

Haha yeah, you can just imagine the engineers' meeting... "Right lads, I've designed these awesome grilles...."

"Grilles are done, but our 10 weeks is up and we've still got gearbox and manifold to design. Get to it lads we've got 2 hours left before we have to submit drawings........"

 

[Jimmy]

"Grilles are done, but our 10 weeks is up and we've still got gearbox and manifold to design. Get to it lads we've got 2 hours left before we have to submit drawings........"

"Zut alors! We forgot the steering wheel!"
"Don't worry, we have some 'premium' leather in the back... comes from the same factory that provided us with the Recaro seat coverings...quality stuff."


Sorry Antti, we couldn't resist

 

[Antti O]

I was in little roadtrip yesterday, 500kilometres.
Roads were like liquid salt, so this morning good clean with proper cleaning products and i waxed it with collinite 915 wax. Collinite is not ideal for winter use, but it gives really good gloss. I will wax it again when is time for summer tyres.
Also new front brake discs delivered. I will change brakes when i have summer tyres, there is so low brake friction with winter tyres might not be ideal to break in front discs & pads..

Some pics..click for big pictures

 

[sevenfourate]

Some pics..click for big pictures

I think you mean click for EVEN BIGGER pictures Antti ! (Brilliant ones as always though).

Not sure i've ever seen your car dirty !

Cant wait for a really decent weekend that i'm not working to give mine its start of the year 'big detail'. I'm going to use Collinite 476 as my base-layer. Will be the first time i've ever used Collinite of any sort. I know the 915 is a softer and more glossy wax....your obviously a fan though. And your car always looks good in it

 

[Antti O]

Thanks Suv! I am waiting also for proper weather to do long polish / wax session for summer. Pictures too big? I have full hd display maybe 24-26" in my computer
Maybe 1280x res pics next time..?
Collinite 915 is really good for summer use, unfortunately not so long lasting wax. If you have energy to wax once / month it will be really glossy and suberb beading. My car is so beaten by winter i have to make little polish with rotary and finishing pad, it will take all small scratches away. Black hex-logic + Scholl S30 ultrafine compound.
Every time i wash my car i see how those salt raped winter alloys let it down..

 

[Antti O]

Another sunny friday morning. I bought new wheel bolt set from uk, i am waiting new bolts. Next week i will wax my summer wheels.
If weather will be fine maybe 2-3 weeks and then i can change summer tyres. Lot of ice still left see my garage area ..

 

[Antti O]

My original summer tyres ready for change when weather allows. These are factory installed continental sport contacts (2007 marks).. gentle driving by previous owner?

I just washed those and waxed with collinite 915 carnauba wax.
These will be temporary summer tyres, when i get my winter alloys from paintshop, i will install michelin pilot sport 4 and these will be winter wheels in future.

10 years have left its mark.. but this set is the better set, winter alloys are worse.
5 euro aliexpress centre badges,.. perfect for winter wheels.. , thank you @sevenfourate

 

[sevenfourate]

Looks good to me Antti !

Glad you liked the badges. Good enough fit for very little ££££ arent they........

 

[Antti O]

Looks good to me Antti !

Glad you liked the badges. Good enough fit for very little ££££ arent they........

Yep, those are really good for winter tyres. For summer wheels i will use OEM badges.
Now my temporary summer wheels are in the car. It is so much better to drive compared horrible stud tyres. I also fixed that oil leak from engine cover bolt. It was leaking quite bad. I took it off, and put black engine gasket sealant, torqued it 14nm. (from universal torque chart, M6 / 10.9 bolt)

We still have some snow left, but roads are pretty much clear from snow.

 

[tomislavp4]

Looking good!

It is so much better to drive compared horrible stud tyres.

Changed tires on mine yesterday and the difference is night and day. The noise is much lower on highway speeds and the ride comfort is improved. There is also more grip now so it doesn't understeer like a dog on roundabouts! Sometimes I wish I lived in a warmer climate.

 

[Antti O]

Yep.. i can say same. This winter is so long here north.
This morning again -2celsius and lot of fresh snow. Summer tyres.. funney.
It would be great to drive b-roads fast but it is little scary when tempeatures are so low, could be black ice somewhere. Have to wait some weeks..

 

[Jimmy]

Lovely photo Antti, and that scenery is amazing! You live in a beautiful part of the world!

 

[Antti O]

Thanks @Jimmy !

Time to think about summer wheel paintjob.
Standard colour is silver, but how about cup antrachite? I dont know how it fits with silver brake calibers.. this car is not cup.

Here is the paint codes
Clio Renaultsport 197 205-88 (Silver)
Clio Renaultsport 197 with Cup chassis (anthracite) 205-272

Here is ultra red cup..

 

[Johnny 99]

Anthracite would work well with the Ultra Red. My wife's old Astra GTC (which we only kept for a short time as we both hated it!) looked good in bright red with it's anthracite winter wheels. The calipers were silver and it looked fine.

 

[Jimmy]

I agree with Johnny, I think the Anthracite would go well with UR. You could always repaint the calipers if you weren't happy with the silver look?

 

[peter]

yup. +1 for anthracite.

 

[Antti O]

Thanks for your opinions. That grey will be cool, i dont know how it looks because my car is not so low as cup version.
Wheels removed from stud tyres.. i am waiting one centre cap from uk. When it arrives then i take wheels for my local paintshop.
Just got email from allpartsfast, parts has been shipped . That was fast. I did order those sunday. Package already its way. If i order same parts from Finland, they say it is french stock 3-4 weeks delivery time
+1 To buy from UK sellers..

See condition.. road salt is fun. If you dont wash your car once / week, here is result.