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ryan_b
28-08-2009, 10:19
Hi all.

In terms of, ownership, power, realibilty, parts and overall enjoy how would you rate the Williams clio?

Im a long time 205 Gti man and only buy very good examples but ive been hankering after a Williams for a long time. Its a once a month car and something to clean.

Just trying to gauge some general feedback across the ownership board.

Ryan.

16v_paddy
28-08-2009, 10:41
I'd say it'll be a similar experience to the pugs tbh, will have similar issues mechanically & aesthetically, will be just as much fun (maybe more??) to drive

since you're already familiar wth older french, bean can,hot hatches :P I doubt many things on a williams will come as a surprise to you

ryan_b
28-08-2009, 11:26
I'd say it'll be a similar experience to the pugs tbh, will have similar issues mechanically & aesthetically, will be just as much fun (maybe more??) to drive

since you're already familiar wth older french, bean can,hot hatches :P I doubt many things on a williams will come as a surprise to you

I have been thinking that myself however im one of these people thats gotta learn as much about a thing prior to buying lol.. The Gti was a fun car but for any decent power figures you gotta go Mi16v and thats something that no longer interests me. In modern day terms how what you rate the performance of the williams? Ive never driven one but i have driven a 1.8 16v Clio and i was impressed with the performance but even more impressive was the dam grunt that came off the thing and the suck of induction through that scoop!!

Smokey McPot
28-08-2009, 11:28
Ive never driven one but i have driven a 1.8 16v Clio and i was impressed with the performance but even more impressive was the dam grunt that came off the thing and the suck of induction through that scoop!!

Its pretty much the same, but a little bit better.

16v_paddy
28-08-2009, 11:41
Well if you've driven the valver, even better 8)

The big difference betwen the valver & willy is the power delivery, you've got to rev the tits off the 1.8 to keep it on the boil as the peak power is higher up the rev range than it is on the willy.

The williams also have a wider track at the front (& some say at the rear as well :? ) different shocks & springs and are lighter than the 1.8 having no sunroof and less speakers.
The seats in the williams are very comfy & hold you in really well when chucking it about.

Are you looking at getting a 1, 2 or 3? There are subtle differences between them. The 2's & 3's have different wing mirrors, front grille, side indicators, heater controls & more speakers than the 1's.
Only the 1's have a plaque on the dash
Some 2's have a sunroof as it was an optional extra
The 3's have a sunroof & ABS as standard and they're a different colour blue

Coops
28-08-2009, 11:48
i've owned a williams 1, a clio 1.8 16v and a clio 1.8 16v turbo

all of them are brilliant cars, but then i would say that wouldn't i ;-)

ryan_b
28-08-2009, 11:56
Well if you've driven the valver, even better 8)

The big difference betwen the valver & willy is the power delivery, you've got to rev the tits off the 1.8 to keep it on the boil as the peak power is higher up the rev range than it is on the willy.

The williams also have a wider track at the front (& some say at the rear as well :? ) different shocks & springs and are lighter than the 1.8 having no sunroof and less speakers.
The seats in the williams are very comfy & hold you in really well when chucking it about.

Are you looking at getting a 1, 2 or 3? There are subtle differences between them. The 2's & 3's have different wing mirrors, front grille, side indicators, heater controls & more speakers than the 1's.
Only the 1's have a plaque on the dash
Some 2's have a sunroof as it was an optional extra
The 3's have a sunroof & ABS as standard and they're a different colour blue

I will be trying to find ethier a 1 or a 2 model. It really depends what is available at the time of looking. However i wont just be jumping into the first one ebay fires up lol.. I dont mind spending the money as long as i get the quality. Ive been keeping an eye on the usual sites for them and i reckon around 3500 should get me what i want, What do you guys think?

ryan_b
28-08-2009, 12:02
i've owned a williams 1, a clio 1.8 16v and a clio 1.8 16v turbo

all of them are brilliant cars, but then i would say that wouldn't i ;-)WH

Hopefully i find one like yours lol..

What modifactions have you done to your williams if any buddy??

I assume exhaust, induction are a good route for starters?

MatrixGuy
28-08-2009, 12:03
Simply amazing, apart from those little issues.

The drive, the noise, the looks you get. It looks so unique IMO.

Look for rust!!!! lol.

16v_paddy
28-08-2009, 12:22
i've owned a williams 1, a clio 1.8 16v and a clio 1.8 16v turbo

all of them are brilliant cars, but then i would say that wouldn't i ;-)WH

Hopefully i find one like yours lol..

What modifactions have you done to your williams if any buddy??


He killed his williams so his input isn't valid :P

Coops
28-08-2009, 12:40
i didnt kill it, i mearly redistributed its component parts........

it had avo adjustable dampers, -35mm springs
silicone rad hoses
8mm ht leads

that was about it really, standard exhaust with a silenced magnex decat and standard induction, airbox and panel filter, which is more than adequate on a standard engine tbh, and i wanted it quiet as it was a daily runabout

ryan_b
28-08-2009, 13:57
i didnt kill it, i mearly redistributed its component parts........

it had avo adjustable dampers, -35mm springs
silicone rad hoses
8mm ht leads

that was about it really, standard exhaust with a silenced magnex decat and standard induction, airbox and panel filter, which is more than adequate on a standard engine tbh, and i wanted it quiet as it was a daily runabout

Would you recommend lowering them, i do like the slightly lower than standard look. Would standard shocks work with 30mm lowering springs or do you recommend a upgrade shock and spring. Unlike you i want the full unlease of sounds lol. Ive got the work car (205 Van) and the clean clothes car (320d) i just want something to play with lol..

Coops
28-08-2009, 14:35
all down to personal preference, the adjustables and slightly lower ride heigh made it a bit more fun to drive, slung round corners with more confidence etc. i'd also invest in some decent tyres as well, i ran yoko parada spec 2's. 195/50 r15, a no no in the purists eyes but imo worthy of the upgrade.

as said for induction a panel filter in the o/e airbox is best bet as these cars suffer from heat soak if you use an open induction kit

i did have a stainless powerflow system on mine, was a bit droney tho and it was replaced early on for standard. i ran a magnex on my old 16v though and that was a lovely system, fitted spot on (where they go up over axle at the rear can catch and bang/rattle) and gave a nice throaty burble and a bit raspier up top of the rev range.

in terms of performance, decat can be a good bet, but again depends on the car, some respond well, others dont. my valver didnt so i ran a cat, the williams did so i ran a magnex silenced one

Allan
28-08-2009, 15:02
If you have driven a valver, i would deff get yourself a drive in a williams, dispite what a lot of people think the williams does drive totaly different to a valver.

The power comes in low down and they have the wider track which gives them better cornering.

Again the same as coops i have had valvers, williams and atm have a turbo valver and a williams 2.

Driving 1 Williams to another also varies a lot in feel, i have driven several and none of them ever feel the same, again with all french cars you need to look the car as a whole.

Also look at what you will be intending to do with the car, driving around the roads, long trips, trackdays, sprints... all of the above :D

Wobba
28-08-2009, 15:05
A decat sounds great and adds power highe up the revs but you lose that amazing low down Williams torque...I run a decat just for the pops and bangs :)

Standard suspension is really good anyway, but having been driving my AVO's about for months it makes std. struts feel a bit lame hehe.

ITG filter or OE tbh, makes barely any difference. There is a skuttle panel conversion though but it may mean chopping a hole in the firewall...not wanting to hurt my willy personally so a no-no for me.

Magnex - nice sounds, not too big, nice basic exhaust system. there are other nice ones though. I have an unsilenced Supersprint mid-section and a Magnex backbox. It's quite...errrr...loud.

ECU is chippable quite easily and I currently have a Gunner 180 chip in there with 7100 RPM limit. The extra RPM is a nice benefit as the Willy rev limiter is too low for my liking.

Loads of brakes options. Do a search here for many other posts about stuff like this.

There are loads of easy small mods you can do if handy with a spanner. Weight reduction being the most obvious and easiest.

Wobba
28-08-2009, 15:48
Driving 1 Williams to another also varies a lot in feel, i have driven several and none of them ever feel the same, again with all french cars you need to look the car as a whole.


I think yout loved mine even after you almost fell out of my passenger window :)

2 live
28-08-2009, 18:08
all down to personal preference, the adjustables and slightly lower ride heigh made it a bit more fun to drive, slung round corners with more confidence etc. i'd also invest in some decent tyres as well, i ran yoko parada spec 2's. 195/50 r15, a no no in the purists eyes but imo worthy of the upgrade.

as said for induction a panel filter in the o/e airbox is best bet as these cars suffer from heat soak if you use an open induction kit

i did have a stainless powerflow system on mine, was a bit droney tho and it was replaced early on for standard. i ran a magnex on my old 16v though and that was a lovely system, fitted spot on (where they go up over axle at the rear can catch and bang/rattle) and gave a nice throaty burble and a bit raspier up top of the rev range.

in terms of performance, decat can be a good bet, but again depends on the car, some respond well, others dont. my valver didnt so i ran a cat, the williams did so i ran a magnex silenced one


the purists that look down on 185s dont know wot the fuk they on about. the width of the rims alone suggests 195s should be used anyway. reno were just getting rid of tyres in stock at the time i think.


as for how the willy is rated................personally.pound for pound....nowt will touch em.

iv owned several cars over the years, a few williams es, a couple valvers, pugs, golfs etcc etc ...none come close.

as for the susp. personally i thionk the std set up os pretty good, but to really get the best out of the handling, a set of adj coilies wouldnt go amiss.

to me a de-cat is a nessecity, fuk the low down, my cars spend their time up near the limiter hehe

zorsts, much of a muchness tbh. i have a powerflow on 1, its about 7 years old now tho and starting to show, thankfully the lifetime garauntee comes into play hehe. on the other i think its a scorpion back box, straight thru ctr section

tyres.....again...imo......u cant beat the good old michelin pe2s, altho i might be tempted with a set of r888s next.


think of the 205, but a more refined, faster, better handling car and ul be somewhere near. ;)

Danno
28-08-2009, 18:23
when describing the williams, 1 word comes to mind - awesome, got to be 1 of the best hot hatch cars ever made, sure they're getting on a bit now age wise, but the feeling you get when you plant your foot and throw it around is imo priceless. all the problems with arches the engine and the rest are instantly forgotten.

raviedavie
28-08-2009, 18:57
im new to williams ownership but have had a wide variety of cars , 205 1.9 gti , clio 16 valve , civic type r , cupra r , scoob WR1 , 400 bhp evo 7 and currently have a 370 bhp E46 M3 and in all honestly i love the willy ! its just such a rewarding car to drive and it has such character that you have a constant smile on your face. it reminds me alot of the 205 in that raw power sense but it handles so so well. ive loved all my cars and have wanted a williams for a while as i kinda grew up with them being " a legend " and i can truly see why they are so highly rated and respected. My M3 is a beast and will happily lose me my license but hand on my heart if i want a great blast on a clear day morning then its the clio hands down !!!
It rewards the driver in a way that the M3 simply cant get close to , my only question is why i waited so long to get one !

8) 8) 8)

white16valver
28-08-2009, 19:49
Glad to hear it, davie ;) :D

Robertio
28-08-2009, 23:12
Hi all.

In terms of, ownership, power, realibilty, parts and overall enjoy how would you rate the Williams clio?

Im a long time 205 Gti man and only buy very good examples but ive been hankering after a Williams for a long time. Its a once a month car and something to clean.

Just trying to gauge some general feedback across the ownership board.

Ryan.

Driving experience = 10/10
Power = Ideal for a road car, doesn't need any more. From a roll it pretty much stays with my standard scooby. Renault were conservative with the 150bhp, or the ones I've driven/owned have had slightly larger than standard horses. Wouldn't use one as a track car, but even my 500bhp RX-7 was underpowered on track.
Relibility = Had a number of issues with my car, but none that have made it undriveable.
Parts = Very hit and miss. Had to wait over 6 weeks for Renault to get me a second front shock as there was only one in the UK. Can't get rear arches. On Monday I got quoted approx £500 for a manifold - none in the UK, so would be looking at atleast 2 weeks to get one from France. On the other hand I got a backbox next day and most other bits have been a day or two.

Just dropped mine over to the bodyshop tonight to get the arches along with some of the bodywork done, 4 figure bill heading my way soon :oops:


I can't rate the car highly enough as a driving experience - preferred it to both 205GTi and 306GTi-6. Unfortunately I can't warrant having 3 cars so it will be going in a couple of months (once bodywork is sorted and I fix the couple of mechanical gremlins). While it is great as a fun road car my scoob wagon is better at transporting mountain bikes and snowboards, so while being much less fun is more useful, and can just about tow my track/race car (not something the Clio would take kindly to having to do).

Of all the road cars I've driven
Best FWD: Clio Williams
Best RWD: RX-7
Best AWD: Not yet found one that gets close to either of the above.

Wouldn't modify a Williams - the ride height is marginal for speed bumps out the factory and any change has a negative effect. Have converted mine back to factory ride height after it was lowered by a previous owner. Every aftermarket exhaust I have sampled has droned horribly, the gearing is really short in top so you have to live with the racket 4k rpm makes if you cruise at 80mph - factory backbox is nice and quiet. I drove my current car home at little more than 50mph as the stainless backbox was killing me at motorway speeds, it was a long journey, though did return over 40mpg. Current car came with an induction kit that resulted in a hunting idle so that was quickly removed. Some cars are better modified, a Williams is not one of them IMHO.


If I can ever afford a house with a 5 car garage I will have a Williams sitting in the corner along side an early Elan, a 2 poster ramp my track car and the scoob, or similar, as a daily hack.

MatrixGuy
28-08-2009, 23:55
Nice post Robertio 8)

I didn't know you could no longer get the rear arches?!

ryan_b
29-08-2009, 01:00
Thank you very much guys for helping me with your great posts it really is rewarding to read others peoples ideas/thoughts and experiences on this and helps me make up my own mind onn what i will be looking for.

Again guys thanks, Ryan.

Purple
29-08-2009, 07:01
It's probably the fastest point A-to-B car there is - in city and non-highway traffic. With its sharp direction changes, superb engine driveability and lovely line-tightening in mid-corner lift-off - not many cars can keep up, if I am in a hurry. What the Williams is not good at is it's a bit tiring on long high speed drives, huge turning circle and vague fuel indicator. 12 years with it as a daily drive, the closest I could find for around the same budget was the circa 2000, Integra Type-R.

ryan_b
29-08-2009, 10:23
It's probably the fastest point A-to-B car there is - in city and non-highway traffic. With its sharp direction changes, superb engine driveability and lovely line-tightening in mid-corner lift-off - not many cars can keep up, if I am in a hurry. What the Williams is not good at is it's a bit tiring on long high speed drives, huge turning circle and vague fuel indicator. 12 years with it as a daily drive, the closest I could find for around the same budget was the circa 2000, Integra Type-R.

12years? Thats very impressive. Is it origional or have you kept it up to date with the odd bit of bodywork and engine work?

Purple
29-08-2009, 11:21
12years? Thats very impressive. Is it origional or have you kept it up to date with the odd bit of bodywork and engine work?
First owner was a friend who had it for about 8 months. I have had it since mid-1996. Owned it for 13 years but the car's been having a cushy, parked life since about a year ago.

Am afraid my reliability and maintenance experiences won't be applicable to Williams in Blighty as I live in Singapore. But having said that, it's reliablity is phenomenal - I have Japanese car owning friends who hates my car :-). Still on factory gearbox and engine block/intake. All original panels and paint, though pretty badly nicked in places (but no rust) as I am not much of an aesthetics guy. Most of my problems had been electrics-related but tamed it since strapping on a few extra earthing cables and locating a bad fuel-pump connector.

Oh yah, forgot to mention as a long term car it's hell on the clutch leg, so avoid traffic jams at all cost :)

MatrixGuy
29-08-2009, 14:46
12years? Thats very impressive. Is it origional or have you kept it up to date with the odd bit of bodywork and engine work?
First owner was a friend who had it for about 8 months. I have had it since mid-1996. Owned it for 13 years but the car's been having a cushy, parked life since about a year ago.

Am afraid my reliability and maintenance experiences won't be applicable to Williams in Blighty as I live in Singapore. But having said that, it's reliablity is phenomenal - I have Japanese car owning friends who hates my car :-). Still on factory gearbox and engine block/intake. All original panels and paint, though pretty badly nicked in places (but no rust) as I am not much of an aesthetics guy. Most of my problems had been electrics-related but tamed it since strapping on a few extra earthing cables and locating a bad fuel-pump connector.

Oh yah, forgot to mention as a long term car it's hell on the clutch leg, so avoid traffic jams at all cost :)

lol, yeah i agree with that.