£5k burning a hole...

[tiptree]

So here's a starter for me: with maybe £5k available for a Clio to use as a second car, is it better to go for a 197 or a top money 182? Weekend fun driving and occasional trackday use, planning on visiting Nuerburgring again in 2012.

Any views much appreciated.

 

[It's.Lee]

Trophy.

 

[Spark]

Is this including insurance aswell? Id get a low milage ph1, do whats needed to track it, insure and and enough spending money left for the trip

 

[Mr Burns]

Out the box a 197 is brilliant, especially as the prices are dropping rapidly. However, the gearboxes are made of cheese so be aware of that. Also worth adding that the fuel economy is worse too, and as people always bang on about on here they don't 'feel' as quick as older Clios.

On the other hand a 182 is a smaller, cheaper feeling car. They drive nice and £5k will get you a real minter, but the overall package isn't as good IMO.

 

[Tiababy]

Top money 182. At 5k a 197 (you will see mostly 06/56 plates for sale at this price) is going to be due it's cambelt/high mileage/tatty or having issues in some way.
Every now and then a good low money one comes around but I'd say go for a good spec 182 or trophy.

 

[Djw Dave]

Buy a good Ph1 and spend the rest on mods/trackdays

 

[R-Sport.]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3436100.htm

This

has refurbed Sachs suspension, Adjustable koni rears, mark fish Springs & RS tuner-

Perfect Track beast- awsome drive

or as said PH1

S

 

[tiptree]

Thanks for suggestions. Would prefer something unmolested as I'm past doing more mods these days and fancy something that will sit in the garage most of the time and not lose too much money. Is the Trophy really that much different to the 182 and what really are the chances of finding one that hasn't been abused?

 

[jenic]

Your never going to find a 6 year old hot hatch that hasn't been abused tbh.

If your wanting to keep it standard and minty then go trophy imo.

 

[EdV6220]

I'd be all over the liquid yellow 182 on Pistonheads (the low mileage one with sat nav). If you could beat the seller down on price then that would be a reasonable investment IMO.

 

[Martin_172]

197 assuming they are nearly as good as a 200 (ive never driven one). clio 3's are a different ball game.

 

[Carson22]

Why a second car?

Why not just spend the money on the first car or sell the car and have a decent daily instead?
running 2 cars is pointless imo unless your going to trailer it to the track etc its going to need all the up keep like tax and MOT just to get taken out every once in a while as it sits on the drive depretiating in value, spend money wisely and you'll enjoy it alot more.

 

[dmallett]

Get a decent ph1 imo, spend the rest on what you feel needs improving/goes wrong/ track days.

 

[tiptree]

Thanks and to an extent, I agree, but my daughter uses her Clio when she's back from Uni and my car only really has two seats so it would have regular light use. Probably more motivating is that both times I've been at the Ring in recent years, I've noticed that Clios seem to just eclipse my pathetic efforts. Son used to have a 16 valve Clio and the track performance of that was just amazing, if a little slow on the straights.

 

[Gaz_]

As Ste said really. Depends what your're looking for. 197 is a much nicer place to be day to day, the 172/182's feel really old inside. However the Mk2's do feel more brutal/quicker in acceleration, and are a bit more twitchy, so therefore fun i suppose. So trade old/rattly feeling mk2 to a better built more insulated Mk3, both have similar pace

After having 3 Mk2's and 2 197's for me the 197 is the 'better' car as i use mine day to day. Not sure what you'll get for 5k mind?

 

[Riley!]

spend 4k on a mint 182 and save the rest

 

[Steve]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3436100.htm

This

has refurbed Sachs suspension, Adjustable koni rears, mark fish Springs & RS tuner-

Perfect Track beast- awsome drive

or as said PH1

S

Now not knocking this car, but!
4 services in 6 yrs + is not where my money would be going.
When I had my Trophy it had at least 2 or more oil changes etc every yr.
Christ if you can get a 197 for 5K that is awesome, but as mentioned boxes are chocolate even on 182's .

 

[RDH]

A 5k 197 is surely going to be a nail?

 

[yeecup]

Williams

 

[jenic]

Now not knocking this car, but!
4 services in 6 yrs + is not where my money would be going.
When I had my Trophy it had at least 2 or more oil changes etc every yr.
Christ if you can get a 197 for 5K that is awesome, but as mentioned boxes are chocolate even on 182's .

To be fair its stuck to schedule, 2 year interval.

Although I know what you mean, but the previous owner has only stuck to what they were told! Shame about the cambelt service though.

 

[R-Sport.]

Now not knocking this car, but!
4 services in 6 yrs + is not where my money would be going.
When I had my Trophy it had at least 2 or more oil changes etc every yr.
Christ if you can get a 197 for 5K that is awesome, but as mentioned boxes are chocolate even on 182's .

Really.....

You know better than Renault then?

2 years or 12k....

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...m-influx-of-idiots&highlight=influx+of+idiots

S

 

[tiptree]

There are currently three 197s for sale on PH or eB for less than 6k and one for just under 5k. The cheapest sounds genuine and the current owner has responded with more info, although it must be said I haven't been to look and the red one on eB is up for the third time in a fortnight. Appreciate all the diverse views but think 182 with low miles and owners best for us and for long term keeping and tlc.

Thanks!

 

[Steve]

Really.....

You know better than Renault then?

2 years or 12k....

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...m-influx-of-idiots&highlight=influx+of+idiots

S

What's your point?

Only tightfisted owners stick to that, dought the owners on here do.

Are we not car enthusiasts?

 

[clancy]

What's your point?

Only tightfisted owners stick to that, dought the owners on here do.

Are we not car enthusiasts?

true, but if the cars been serviced at the manufacturers recommended intervals then that's obviously fine. if it wasn't then Renault would tell people to service them more regularly.

 

[R-Sport.]

What's your point?

Only tightfisted owners stick to that, dought the owners on here do.

Are we not car enthusiasts?

Tightfisted owners- I think you may be delusional- If you run a poll of the enthusiasts across here renaultsport & clio 197.net I bet you less than 25% of people service their car over & above the main dealers recommendations- & of the 25% that do its probably because they can as opposed to actually needing to-

If you want to fettle your trophy or whatever RS you have with services every 6000 miles then thats up to you- but im yet to find 1 out of the 70 ive had with one engine go wrong that stuck to the correct service schedule-
which is as stated above...

I would hazard a guess that of all the broken Clio engines- the route cause of probably 99% of total failures was either
a) non cambelt change
b) Cambelt change incorrectly completed

Its a normally aspirated 170 brake F4R engine- not a highly tuned EVO / Subaru turbo lump taking 500 HP abuse....

S

 

[EdV6220]

I'm sorry but why would Renault suggest the servicing intervals they do if they weren't appropriate? That seems highly illogical for several reasons (brand reputation and revenue to name a few).

 

[DrR]

Mines serviced as per renault guidline, still on original spark plugs in mine to.

 

[Richyy182]

spend 4k on a mint 182 and save the rest

Agreed

 

[Final Maxim]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3343625.htm

 

[Fletcher]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3343625.htm

Nice. Always had a soft spot for a tidy Williams.

 

[Goodj]

MX-5

 

[jack_davey]

Only tightfisted owners stick to that, dought the owners on here do.

Are we not car enthusiasts?

I'm with this chap tbh, if we all stuck to Renault's guidelines we'd be putting cheap sh*tty semi synthetic rubbish in our engines.
In my mind their service intervals are the bare minimum, and they are not put in place to make the car last forever! They are there to make it last long enough
until you get rid of it to buy their new model and earn them a pretty penny for servicing your car in the meantime!

Back to the original question, I'd drive both and see what you prefer. They are totally different cars really, but if I was buying a 197 I'd be inclined to spend a bit more
and get one with the recaros etc, so if it was me I'd buy a mint 182 and pocket the change.

 

[Steve]

I'm with this chap tbh, if we all stuck to Renault's guidelines we'd be putting cheap sh*tty semi synthetic rubbish in our engines.
In my mind their service intervals are the bare minimum, and they are not put in place to make the car last forever! They are there to make it last long enough
until you get rid of it to buy their new model and earn them a pretty penny for servicing your car in the meantime!

Back to the original question, I'd drive both and see what you prefer. They are totally different cars really, but if I was buying a 197 I'd be inclined to spend a bit more
and get one with the recaros etc, so if it was me I'd buy a mint 182 and pocket the change.

Cheers mate glad I am not the only one.
When I sold my Trophy buyer was amazed at the amount of oil changes etc etc hence I got a stupidly high price for it, almost free motoring for the three yrs of ownership.
As for asking for prices for cambelt changes some of us can again get these done at mates rates using genuine belt kits etc.
Helps if your mate runs a Renault center.

 

[Martin_172]

the RS service schedule is lower than the non RS one to take the higher state of tune/harder driven engine into account. 12k/2yrs is fine. anyone who fancies wasting their money doing 500 mile oil changes then fire on!, my oil is usually still the colour it went in after 12k!