So I bought a car, what to do/check

[timwilky]

So I bought a 1.2 16v 2003 Clio with 73,000, one owner, full dealer service history for £1,400.

So on order I have a cambelt kit and water pump. Doesn't make sense to change the cambelt without doing the pump.


Oil, filter and air filter are on the bench waiting till after I do the cambelt. I have just had the wheels off to check the front pads OK, and whipped of the rear drums and shoes are OK.

So the anti freeze will go in when I do the water pump, I will also change the brake fluid, auxillary drive belt. My eodb scanner says no faults and indicates fueling, O2 etc all OK.

SO what have I missed, of course I need to look at wipers, washers, headlight aim.

Come on people, it is 18 years since I had the joys of car ownership and DIY on my own car. I must be missing something

[Owenski]

2003 clio, the rear link arm is poor on those as are the bushes on the front coming from the steering stem.

2nd hand car - check the spare is in good nick, you wouldnt want to look like an idiot at the side of the road holding 1 flat tyre and one spare flat tyre... jeeez that would be dumb cant think of anyone dumb enough to be caught out by that:-dd

[Tim in Belgium]

Check the fuel guage, this is useful to see if there is fuel.

If in doubt of its reading fill up the car with petrol to see if it goes up.

The true reading at empty can be found by not putting any more fuel in until the car stops*









* Note this may not be a safe course of action

HTH

[Stig]

Check the car has a jack. All well and good having a good spare. Not so good if you have no jack in which to change the wheel. Don't know about the clio but if it's possible I would check out the fuel pump (located in the fuel tank under the passenger seat?), at the same time I would check out the fuel tank it'self and make sure it's clean. Last thing you want is to run low on fuel and suck up a ton of carp through the fuel system. Oh and would probably be a good time to change the fuel filter too.

[Stig]

Check the throttle and hand brake cable too.

[CheGuevara]

CV boots and trans fluid.

[Stig]

And check all seat belts are servicable and function properly. Click each one home and ensure it doesn't come out. Anyone of them not working is an MOT failure.

[andrewsmith]

Steering arms and front suspension linkages as one of the two is prone to failing on the clio's. Normal indication is it trying to pull the car to one side.

Ignition keys as if they pack up are about £140 to replace as they are a transponder with intergrated power source

[El Saxo]

I had a Clio similar age to that Tim - cambelts were notorious for going after approx 60k so probably a good thing you are changing it if you don't know how much mileage the old one has done.

Also I had the throttle cable snap on me in the 3rd lane of the M61 :shock: - it was apparently a recall job on some years of Clio so I'd check with a main dealer to see if yours is affected and, if it is, whether it's been done.

[Filipe M.]

So I bought a 1.2 16v 2003 Clio (...)

I must be missing something

Your sanity! :p

[andrewsmith]

I had a Clio similar age to that Tim - cambelts were notorious for going after approx 60k so probably a good thing you are changing it if you don't know how much mileage the old one has done.

Also I had the throttle cable snap on me in the 3rd lane of the M61 :shock: - it was apparently a recall job on some years of Clio so I'd check with a main dealer to see if yours is affected and, if it is, whether it's been done.

That'll be this one!!
http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/searches/expand.asp?uniqueID=5619445A6BB4240380256BB9002693 E3&freeText=Blank&tx=

This is the other one I know did cause mayhem

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/searches/expand.asp?uniqueID=F52AF48DDA93A7EC00256D48003F2D 2D&freeText=Blank&tx=

[fastdruid]

Head gasket. :-)

I've heard of quite a few clios[1] blow the head gasket at ~60-70k.

Druid

[1] And replaced it on one.

[Scott S]

As it's a Clio.....

Check the CV boots and listen out for the drive shafts nocking. Front ARB links aren't too great on the PH1's but you may be ok on that one.

I have a Clio and in the last 12months it has had, discs, pads, track rod ends, 2 tyres (partially due to the track rod ends), handbrake cables, spark plugs and leads (a plug came loose in the head an bounced the life out of one of the leads), a replacement seat runner, and a wheel bearing. One shocker broke, so I replaced the suspension.

Fortunately, it is now parked up.

[454697819]

yep.. dont forget to take it to the audi dealership and px it for something else...

tee hee hee

sorry had my fill of renaults..

No cant see you have missed anything, do the service items then drive it till it breaks..

then fix it and drive it till it breaks...

ad infinitum...

[Biker Biggles]

You will need a flag to wave at passing cars when it breaks down.
As its French best make it a white one eh?

[Ratty]

Another one for track rod ends. I replaced one on Mrs Ratty's 54 clio at 30K. Totally shot. Also had a crank sensor fail on her last one. £19 from any motor factors and if the SERV / Airbag lights come on, wiggle the connectors under the passenger seat. I've seen a forum where somenody paid Renault £200 to have this fixed !!!

Ratty

[toxic]

My mate's wife had one. The core plugs rotted through and the coolant ran out. She started it and it managed about a mile.

[Specialone]

Sell it and buy a VW :)
I hate french cars :(

[barwel1992]

check the radiator pressure cap if you want to be anal about checking little things

[Quiff Wichard]

check you have loads of biscuits and always a full mug of tea - and lock yerself in the garage pop radio 2 on and ENJOY

[timwilky]

Been locked in the garage for the past hour but with Arrowrock on the DAB.

changed to brake fluid, it really is a piece of cake with the vacuum bleeder attached to the air line.

Cam belt and tensioner have arrived, but not the water pump, so no pint in doing that just yet.

so Friday afternoon, nothing to do until water pump arrives, so shower and pub I think.

checked ball joints, track rods, drive shafts. All perfect.

I know what people think of Renault. I too cursed them my lads suspension collapsed and ate 5 drive shafts in two years. But this does seem to be a nice little car for the money I spent on it.

[-Ralph-]

Check your AA membership.

Don't bother trying to prevent problems, as it's French your fighting a loosing battle from the start.

[svtomo]

did you get a new crank pulley bolt, its a use once stretch bolt and should be replaced and tightened properly, so many nm then angular, you will need help with this to lock off the flywheel.

[svtomo]

oh and run the engine for a few seconds before you put the top cover and mount back on and re-check tensioner, for some reason they have a tendancy to go to max tightness and rattle, dont know why, some just do, and this will save you 30 mins incase it does

[watsontrio]

I'd check the wiring loom to the ecu that's mounted on the back of the inlet manifold. The plugs to the ecu will be covered by a thick metal box which rubs through the loom either side causing havoc and dead ecu's. Just bust the cover off and leave it off, it's fittied to the minimise cost in a frontal impact when the engine is pushed in the bulkhead (write-off anyway)! Only other thing is I'd change the coil pack with HT leads(about £35 patent), they are prone to failing and back-feeding through the ecu frying it, the HT leads are moulded into them stupidly!
Also check to see if the bonnet catch recall has been done, early ones had an rare habit of opening whilst driving!
Happy Days!

[The Basket]

Check your AA membership.

Don't bother trying to prevent problems, as it's French your fighting a loosing battle from the start.

Nope.