Suj's Nimbus Clio 197 and E36 328i Trackcar

suj

Paid Member
Hi all,

So some people may have seen my thread in the R27 section, some may have not.
#93/500 Link

For the people that didn't, I will summarise:

It was about October time, I always liked the 197s and finally decided to get one in the new year.
I contacted my mate who had an Albi Blue 197 F1 for advice on what to look out for, he then told me his is going up for sale, I know the car has been looked after, so we agreed a price and I left some money with him, then had to sell my MK3 MR2 I had at the time.

I bought it and didn't even get to spend that long with it before I went on holiday (drove it to Gatwick airport where it stayed for 5 days).

I used it for 2-3weeks, but where I fell for it was when I went to a Skidpan day at Castle Combe, I took motorway all the way there, but it finished midday on a Friday so I took country roads back, no one was about so I got to have a proper play with her, it was so much fun, I truly fell for it then.

Unfortunately the next Monday going to work on the M40 I got rear ended at like 30mph, I knew then the car was going to be written off by the insurance company (creased rear floor).
I was properly gutted, like seriously gutted, I decided then and there that I will be trying to look for another one ASAP!
Then came the stupid "negotiations" you have to do with insurance, they were trying to say a normal 197 is worth the same as a R27 :neutral: but one bit of advice, don't give up, be tenacious but polite still, it worked and I got paid out a decent amount.


So fast forward a few weeks, I went to see a few cars, I really wanted another Albi Blue, but all the ones I seen had something that was putting me off.

I had been talking to someone on here with a Nimbus Grey one that he wanted a quick sale, so was priced very cheap, it ticked all the boxes (pretty standard, Milltek resonated catback, powerflex dogbone and upper torque mount, FSH, cambelt, dephaser and waterpump done at ALS recently etc), but my mind was saying "find another AB".

In the end I was getting sick of travelling about trying to find a good AB, I spoke to the seller and bought the car.

So here it is (sorry just a few phone pics, I only picked it up recently lol).

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So spec of it:
* 07-plate
* FF so all the keyless entry stuff
* Climate pack (climate control, auto wipers and auto headlights)
* FSH (All Renault except the last one that was done by the last owner with receipt for the parts)
* Cambelt, dephaser, waterpump and aux belt done by ALS on 26/01/2016 @ 59,100miles
* 68,000miles currently
* Milltek Resonated catback
* Powerflex dogbone and upper torque arm
* K&N Panel filter
* Sony headunit (with USB and aux-in)

Good bits:
* Drives well, pulls well
* Lower ball joints were done not long ago
* No real noises from suspension etc, drives well
* No wheel wobbles at any speed I have done (only been cruising, did push it a little on country roads, but again not fast)
* Bodywork is relatively in good nick, just a few stone chips / scratches as you'd expect


Bad bits I have noticed from not long driving:
* Due a service (which I knew), so it is booked in with RS Four Ashes on Saturday
* Brakes feel spongey, I don't think it has ever had a brake fluid change, so it is also booked in with RS Four Ashes for this too, if this is still rubbish, I will put new disks and pads all round (already priced these up in excel from different vendors :laughing: )
* Cruise control + and - does not work, I managed to get it to work, but to set a new speed I have to turn off CC and press R again
* First gear when cold / first start can be a bit stiff to engage, could this be a linkage thing or GB oil? It doesn't crunch in any gear (cold or warm)
* Wheels are curbed
* Steering wheel has typical peeling
* Kangaroos loads, so will look at doing the sealant trick (as it already has the tie wrap on)
* Annoying rattle from steering column area, I know this will drive me nuts
* Passenger side corner of bumper sticking out (my last one also did this, what is this all about?)

I did a mod on it, which I actually bought for my last on, I think it adds about 12.232848bhp (internet told me so) :grin:

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The thing I knew I would miss the most is the Recaros, I really wanted them, but many cars I liked didn't have them (I didn't want a cup, as it is my daily, so I wanted all the FF extras).

A pair came up cheap so I picked them up, i'm so happy as they are in good condition and excited to get them in :smiley:

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So I was reading, am I right in thinking they need resistors or updating on CLIP, otherwise the airbag light comes up?


Plans ahead:
* Fix / sort the "bad bits" list
* Buy some cup suspenion....yeah I know I am building another R27... haha (I basically nearly got some, but I used up all my money on the Recaros, I hope he sees pity on me and gives me them cheaper :tearsofjoy:)
* Get some Laguna wheels and throw some track tyres (something like AD08rs or similar)
* Get back into trackdays, i've been out a while so want to get back into it, even get back out at the Nürburgring, miss it so much!
* Aesthetically relatively standard, maybe a Sprint spoiler and RS front splitter
* Maybe a map to improve midrange torque and improve kangarooing / flat spots

Otherwise I should be keeping it standard and just refreshing stuff when it needs it.

Sorry I know I have waffled on loads, I hope to keep updating this thread, as I can be a bit forgetful lol.

Thanks
Suj
 
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Welcome back! Good move with the seats, they are what make the driving experience IMO.
Definitely needs the front splitter, but all in good time :smile:
 
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Thanks lads, yeah I do enjoy it a lot, it's a great "everything" car, so ticks all the boxes for me at the moment.
Just I get a bit OTT about modding / perfecting, I should be saving more money...it's a bug haha.
 
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Excellent, really glad you found one you were happy with! The 'bad bit's should hopefully be fairly easy to sort out, and the mods already on there are nice!

Good work on getting the Recaro seats too, a worthy upgrade! You should be able to pick up some Cup spring etc fairly easy, they seem to pop up every now and then!
 
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Thanks @Jimmy agreed on the Recaros, selfishly I had to have them.

@Micah haha to be fair to him he only had them up 1 day, I was going to have them at full price but I got the Recaros (I even got his address so my mate can collect from his on weekend) but I would also hold out for the full amount if I was him, so no problem, he was very polite so I respect him for that :smile:
 
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Welcome back suj !

Car looks ace. Good start to your thread too. Not waffle in my eyes...... i love to read people thoughts as to why their doing 'what'....

ENJOY !
 
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Welcome back SUJ glad to see you back in another rs :smile:

Keep the updates coming i love reading up on peoples progress .

I think i need to do a progress thread to :grinning:
 
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glad you came back..nice example too..well the modding bug is very contagious..once you get it,hard to get rid off..
enjoy your baby
 
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Cool story mate. Glad you're back and enjoying it.

Thanks lads, yeah I do enjoy it a lot, it's a great "everything" car, so ticks all the boxes for me at the moment.
Just I get a bit OTT about modding / perfecting, I should be saving more money...it's a bug haha.

You're going to fit in really well :smile: I do like the addition of "perfecting" and not just modding :thumb:
 
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Great news mate and happy that you have the Recaros. Spend your money on getting it mint then mods later.

Totally agree, the seats just came up at a price I just had to buy, as you know they don't come up in very good condition for a decent price.
It's booked in for service and brake fluid change, I am also going to ask them to look at the brakes for me, if they need changing then I will do what is needed.
I gave them a good thrashing the other day and they seem so much better, so I think it could just be that the car wasn't used a lot in the last 2 and a bit months.

Welcome back suj !

Car looks ace. Good start to your thread too. Not waffle in my eyes...... i love to read people thoughts as to why their doing 'what'....

ENJOY !

Thanks Syer, i'm glad it hasn't come across as waffle :smiley:
Yeah I like to read about that too in threads, I have been reading your thread and have enjoyed it :smile:

They are priced cheap as it is, priced to sell

Yeah they are Chris, like I said if I didn't have the Recaros, my mate would be at your door on Saturday as we discussed :smile:

Welcome back SUJ glad to see you back in another rs :smile:

Keep the updates coming i love reading up on peoples progress .

I think i need to do a progress thread to :grinning:

Thanks mate, yes please do a thread, not many AGs about :smiley:

Cool story mate. Glad you're back and enjoying it.



You're going to fit in really well :smile: I do like the addition of "perfecting" and not just modding :thumb:

Thanks mate, yeah I am a bit of a stickler for getting a car up to spec, I end up spending too much (I try and do as much work as I can) but certain things like servicing I like doing to keep the history.
I will be doing a mid-year service myself, as I do about 20k most years, so I normally service my cars twice a year.


Thanks for all the kind words, this forum was good when I briefly had my R27, and continues to be really useful and friendly :smile:
 
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A little update, I went to RS Four Ashes on weekend to get my service done and brake fluid change, so that is 2 things off the "bad list" done.
While there, they do a 25-point check, and my rear pads need changing, rears discs are on 80% life, so that is fine, as the fronts are due soon too, brake fluid change has made it feel much better, so I guess it had never been done.

So I used my first proper tank of fuel driving to work and my normal driving done, the car was saying 31.1mpg average, but then when I worked it out miles to litres I got 33.2mpg (393.7miles to 53.87litres = 11.866gallons), so I am happy with that really (I do like 80-85% motorway, doing about 75miles a day).

I also ordered jump cables and resistors to put in the Recaros, my mate is going to solder and shrink wrap them properly for me, so I will have them in hopefully next weekend.

I really need to pull my finger out and sell some bits I got from my MR2, I got some R888s in the attic from my old E36 track car, I got some winter wheels and tyres off my E8 740iL also I need to sell lol.