Renault Spares [Clio 182]

[mankool]

Hi Guys,
I bought a Clio RS 182 sometime late 2012 and I've been having a blast with it (truley a pocket rocket and amazingly handling, long sprints are not very exciting though). The car has been serviced at the agency most of the time so it has been in pretty good shape. This also means that I have had little to worry about since the purchase. However, with the passage of time there are a few things that are surfacing and I need to get them fixed. The problem that I'm facing now has to do with sourcing of the spare parts (was expected). The authorized agent, Arabian Auto, doesn't seem to stock some of the parts or they are just toooo expensive. For example, I'm in need of a RHS window regular and a new one is costing AED1,200. I am also in need of the drive shaft boot (rubber housing) and a thermostat value for the water pump (pump is also kaput and a new one is available at just AED260, fair price). Does any one know where I can source Renault parts apart from the dealer? I live in Ras AlKhor and i checked the local neighbour hood, there are tons of shops for the Japs but couldn't find one for the French pedigree :p I was told by one shop owner that its available only at the dealers

Any help and pointers would be great ...

thanks

[root]

Hey! The Clio RS is a hidden gem in this market, but as you've now realized, there's a reason people don't buy them over here. You won't find anyone stocking its spares here. If you're lucky you might find some of the spare part dealers in Ras al khor (Awir) and Sharjah that do 'source in' the French parts, but I dont know of one to point you towards.

It's worth asking around in Sharjah on the BMW showroom road where all the spare-part shops are, on who does Renault parts and someone might point you to the right one. Otherwise, look around while driving to see who has put up Renault or Peugeot logos on their shops and stop by there. They might have ability to source them in at a decent price.

The other alternative (which is probably better) is to buy these parts online. For the germans there is a fairly decent second-hand/used parts market as well, which you can get online. I'm sure you can probably find something similar here. Sometimes, you can get good used-parts from salvaged vehicles at 1/3rd the original price.

For engine parts, I'm guessing Renault might share some with Nissan, so that might be worth checking on. Again, some online research is probably most helpful at this stage - at the minimum it will tell you what a 'fair' market price for that part is. Many times, you dont need the original dealer parts, but can use good OEM brands like Bosch, others that are as good but cheaper.

[mankool]

thank you for the input root. Yo are right about checking for spares online, there are quite a few websites in UK selling spares for the CLIO RS and likewise UK seems to be the biggest market where this car is widely available. A month ago I got a couple of exhaust mounts from UK (mom was on her way back) .They were selling for AED360 at the dealer compared to £7 in the UK. I'm expecting there to be some sort of difference in the quality of the parts but then again I bought spares just in case they don't last as long :p

I will visit sharjah and see if I can spot something, I simply dread going there due to the traffic.

I guess its one more weekend that's gonna go waste sulking on the roads of dear sharjah

P.S: I also got some Menzerna polishes from UK, anyone share the same obsessive car detailing (OCD)syndrome?

[root]

Ya akhi, you are in Dubai now! Relax and get someone to polish it for you

[root]

Also, best to go to Sharjah on a saturday (that is if you're off), as the shops are open and you'll get less of a rush.

[mankool]

Yeh, i know its not too expensive out here. I used to get my cars done at sharjah, near abu shaghara park. However, now that i have become experienced in this detailing thing i have realized the difference between a regular compound job verses a professional showcar finish. It really enhances the look of your car. I'm planningto do my mustang GT in the coming weeks. I will try to post the before/after pics and will let you guys decide