Motors Anyone own or have owned a Clio?

My Clio is giving me jip about reverse gear. Whenever I select it, no matter how far down my clutch is and how much I make sure I lift the neck of the gearstick to do the up-left motion over first, it STILL ALWAYS grinds the gears. Considering it's a city car, I NEED reverse and dont fancy paying out for a new gearbox sometime soon. Am I doing something wrong? It's not the neck bit, cause otherwise it would shift into first, and the clutch works on every other gear just fine.

 

Old shape one? A mate of mine has one, I seem to remember his gearbox having similar issues.

 

Yea old shape. Tis a 94 model.

 

No idea really but get it looked at ASAP. Maybe nothing too serious like a badly adjusted clutch cable or something but could lead to more expensive damage.

Thinking about it, reverse is different from the other gears as there isn't a synchro on it, hence why you shouldn't go into reverse when travelling. So just cos the forward gears are OK doesn't mean that the clutch is working properly.

 

It sounds like the clutch might be on the way out, when the clutch is getting to that point it's usually reverse that becomes the first problem shortly followed by first.

 

It could be the pilot bearing (if it has one) dragging causing the input shaft to still be turning when the clutch is fully depressed. I had it happen on an older car I had years ago but get it looked at.

 

I have a 98 Clio, and a while ago my cluch cable went, and ever since it's been replaced, reversing has been so much easier, I don't have to put my clutch down so much to reverse.

But occasionally I still do get the crunch sound, but I'm not entirely sure why that happens.

 

Seconded, that's exactly how the clutch went on my Punto. The amount of travel the clutch pedal has to undergo should also be slightly different if this is true.

Everyone gets that - it's just gear meshing.

 

I went out again last night (****ing London drivers should ALL be shot, stupid bitch was so close to me I could see the wrinkles on her face in my mirror), and tried reverse after running it around a bit and it was perfectly fine. Just seems to need to get going a bit before I use the gear. Ive resorted to parking by reversing in now so as I can first gear drive it out.
Will get it looked at for sure if it gets worse. Thanks peeps!

 

Or stick it in reverse before you start the engine? lol

 

Gearboxes in older French cars are generally quite pants.
In my old '92 AX, reverse was forever grinding.
My mate has a '98 406 and that too is either grinding into reverse or just not going into reverse.
Another friend has a '97 106 and it is just easier to get out and push the car backwards!
I have numerous other reverse/french car related stories, although I think you get the picture.

I personally wouldn't buy another French because of this reason, although I haven't heard anything about newer models, but I think I will stick with my old school Jap Civic, although reverse is starting to be slightly tempremental in that, but she does need new fluid, and I think I will recondition the gear box soon anyway, just because I drive like a loon!

 

My m8 got a clio 95' recently and was without 5th and reverse. The gear stick felt loose though.

He changed the gear linkage, which resolved the problem. He was inistiialy having the same problem as you before it completly went.