SCOTT GLANDER at SG MOTORSPORT

‘ The V6s tend to have more mature owners now: they bec ame cheap, and many were abused, but today even Pha se 1 c ars are £ 16,000- plus. The condition of c ars out there varies a lot, and to find a ver y clean Pha se 1 is now ver y hard. Look for corrosion on the body, faulty air- con systems, seized rear suspension track- rod ends and cracked rear c ats on any V6. On Pha se 1s the brake c alipers of ten need refurbishing and front splitters go missing , while c amshaf t depha ser pulleys and f ly wheels c an clatter on Pha se 2s, amongst other common faults. It’s ea sy to find a shiny Clio V6, but it’s what’s under the skin that counts.’

SEAN MARTIN at K- TEC RACING

‘ Handling on the Pha se 2, along with build quality, is greatly improved, and this is ref lected in the prices. A good specialist histor y is of ten better than a main dealer histor y, a s you need to know what to look for, and most dealers have only ever seen a handful. The c ambelt and water pump is a big job and c an ea sily be £ 1500 – and that’s required ever y five years. Suspension par ts such a s ball joints, arms and driveshaf ts c an now be ver y dif ficult to source through Renault, and are hef ty in price a s well, while body panels are now obsolete. Regular coil and spark- plug changes will also be on the a genda, especially for examples that don’t get driven that far in a year.’