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197 / R27 revised gearbox...



Iridium

Honorary Member
ClioSport Club Member
  Former R27 & Mk1 V6 owner
Morning chaps/chapesses,

For many, rather unfortunate reasons regarding me and being really ill, I keep having to go to hospital in Leeds - about 65 miles away. This is of course, not something I want to do in the vee because it's putting miles on it for no fun, I don't like parking it at St James right next to chapeltown at all, and let's face it, if I have to get a wheelchair in there I'm a bit screwed. This is likely to go on for some time.

So, basically I'm faced with the need to consider moving the Vee on, and the only thing I can really see to replace it is a 197. Want something pretty new, with some space - don't need anything bigger than a Clio3 though, that is still fun when I want to forgot my ails and drive like a t**t :) And I like 197s (although my mate just got a Corsa VXR and that's very, very nice to drive as well, but I prefer the look of the Clio). Anyway, I digress, onto my actual questions!

I remember reading in Tim's thread regarding his new white 197 FF that the revised gearing meant 3,250rpm @ 70mph in top now, whereas on his old 197 it was 4,500rpm @ 70mph in top - which was very wearing noise and economy wise. Can anyone confirm these are the figures for sure and I've remembered right?

Which leads us to my second point, ideally I'd be looking for a used R27, in red, with no options - how do I know if it has the revised box from an advert - save me travelling the length and bredth to test drive to see heh. ISTR every one after a certain build number, was it, 420 or something? Does anyone have any info there? I know it's cars built after October '07 - how does one find the build date of the car? Vin plate?

Which finally leads us onto my final consideration, should I just trawl the RenaultSport forums and pick up a brand new cup? The only toys I want are Recaros - having sat in them they're just too comfy to say no, and aircon. Cruise would be nice but not a deal breaker, so I think a Cup would be ok for me spec wise. I'd get the side strips sprayed and the mirrors cos in any colour but a white car, I think the black strips look not as good as colour coded. Ideally an ex-demo cup would be best - surely I should be able to find that, with options, for around £12-£12.5k if people have bought them with options for £13k?

Finally, who are the best people to ask, with regards to sourcing such a car? I'll keep an eye on pistonheads/here/autotrader of course - I won't be ready to buy for a month or so anyway but I do have someone quite interested in the Vee - of course that is by no means a guaranteed sale - but I'll be sad to see it go, it's an epic ownership experience and I'll be buying another in 2 years or so, and as it's mint as minty fresh polo I hope it goes to good home :)

Anyway, I think I've typed for long enough now, any help will be greatly welcomed :)

Dan
 
  Golf 7R
I have the revised gearbox - its so much better than the old demo i drove without it.

As for the best deal go to renaultsport.co.uk and PM a guy called Marc elgar or alex levington, as far as dealers go there top guys and come highly recommended!
 

Iridium

Honorary Member
ClioSport Club Member
  Former R27 & Mk1 V6 owner
Oh those differences aren't as big as I thought, that's hugely reassuring! So it's not 70mph @ 4,500rpm then heh :)

Dan
 

Iridium

Honorary Member
ClioSport Club Member
  Former R27 & Mk1 V6 owner
Just back from testing a white 57 plate Cup, was the dealer Demo, on 4k miles, up at £14k with A/C. Drove really well, and the standard seats I actually found more comfy than the Recaros I have to say. Now really I need to test a none-Cup 197 without Recaros and with the older box...

Dan
 

Gaz_

ClioSport Club Member
  Extreme mode
Yep, the standard seats are superb tbh!!!! Mine has the old box fitted and its OK tbh, i dont do a lot of motorway driving, but on the times i have its not overly bothered me. You'll be fine imo :)
 

Iridium

Honorary Member
ClioSport Club Member
  Former R27 & Mk1 V6 owner
The salesman was an old bloke who lives in my village (10 miles from the dealer) and he had me drive all the way to the village and back down th twisties - saying things like "You can get round this corner at a ton" :D It was awesome - I've never a 197 once before but didn't really give it any in the bends, but I did today and I have to say, the chassis really IS as good as everyone says. And the brakes, woah. It did feel noticeably slower than the Vee as I expected, but that said looking at the speedo it wasn't much slower at all - just felt it cos it was so much more civilised. I liked it a lot :) Average was showing 31mpg at the start of the test drive, about 100 miles on the trip, and was at 30.4 when I got back having twatted it relentlessly for 20 miles heh.

Dan
 

Iridium

Honorary Member
ClioSport Club Member
  Former R27 & Mk1 V6 owner
Oh also, I accidently hit the limiter once, just over 7,000rpm, but the Renault website tells me it should be 7,500rpm - do they just need to be really warm before they'll rev all the way up there?

Dan
 

Gaz_

ClioSport Club Member
  Extreme mode
Need to be warm, a good ten to 15 mins driving usually :) See thay aint all bad :)
 
Alan was toying with selling his Ultra R27 may be worth a shout.

Edit: Just seen you are already in communication.
 
  Glacier White 200
We have an R27 with the old gearbox. At 70mph it sits at 3.5k and is almost silent.

Our old 172 Sport was louder than the R27 at 70mph.

The talk of unpleasant motorway driving in the 197 has simply been over exagerrated by people that have a dislike for the car.

Take it from someone who knows. The 197 is a beautiful car to drive simply because you can be a holigan or a grandad in it. It won't shake your bones or crash over bumps like the older models do and will cut into corners like you wouldn't believe.

Regarding the speed of the 197. Our car has nearly reached 10k and is fed a diet of V-Power and BP Ultimate. It pulls like a rocket and sounds absolutely superb. There is no difference in speed between this car and the 172 Sport except the 197 has less power below 2.5k (this can be sorted with a remap).

Don't buy a Cup, go for a 2nd hand 197FF as the extra bits count for alot in the long run. If you can try and get the Cup Chassis as it sharpens up the steering and will handle like no other hot hatch.

Only get advice from 197 owners.
 
  Golf 7R
^ Agreed^ The noise now is fantastic, the more miles are on the clock, and its loosening up nicely. The brakes/ grip / handling is sublime, and the car certainly gets attention. The standard seats really are brilliant and hold you in really well!
 
My 197's "old" gearbox was replaced under warranty with the new longer-ration 'box. There's an improvement in refinement at 70mph, but I always enjoyed the brassy exhaust note anyway.

Economy is near identical, as I don't spend much time on the motorway.
 
  Turbo LY R27
My 197's "old" gearbox was replaced under warranty with the new longer-ration 'box. There's an improvement in refinement at 70mph, but I always enjoyed the brassy exhaust note anyway.

Economy is near identical, as I don't spend much time on the motorway.

Thats interesting to hear, im always hearing from the 182 owners about how loud and bad my gearbox is:)

But they must no coz they are the experts lol (banter FTW)
 

Iridium

Honorary Member
ClioSport Club Member
  Former R27 & Mk1 V6 owner
Thanks for all the advice guys - and Alan, I will be back in touch once I have cash in hand :) What year reg/mileage is yours just as a matter of interest? Any chance of a link to a thread with pics just to get me dribbling ;)? Got someone quite interested in the Vee so company with a little luck I'll be good to go soon! It would have to be a Cup or an R27 as I really like the dark wheels heh - and the Cup suspension did actually feel quite a bit different. I never really thought it made much difference in the 182 (sorry...) but the Cup I drove yesterday was just utterley welded to the floor.

None of the options appeal to me really on the R27, it has aircon and Recaros, what else could I need hehe! I cruised at 90mph in 6th in the Cup for a little bit, so it was no doubt revving higher than the 'old' box would be and it wasn't loud - must just be 'cos I'm used to the Vee heh. Salesmen said he preferred the shorter top cogs as well.

I did make it kangeroo twice however - was that just me not been used to it?

With all this talk of noise and hard rides, bear in mind, I'm coming from a Vee with a K-Tec exhaust - it felt like a wafty Merc to me it was so comfy and quiet hehe!

Ideal spec would ne Nimbus, or Red - either used R27 or Cup, not that fussed although I suspect the R27 might be the better 'long term' prospect money wise.

Dan
 
Thanks for all the advice guys - and Alan, I will be back in touch once I have cash in hand :) What year reg/mileage is yours just as a matter of interest? Any chance of a link to a thread with pics just to get me dribbling ;)? Got someone quite interested in the Vee so company with a little luck I'll be good to go soon! It would have to be a Cup or an R27 as I really like the dark wheels heh - and the Cup suspension did actually feel quite a bit different. I never really thought it made much difference in the 182 (sorry...) but the Cup I drove yesterday was just utterley welded to the floor.

None of the options appeal to me really on the R27, it has aircon and Recaros, what else could I need hehe! I cruised at 90mph in 6th in the Cup for a little bit, so it was no doubt revving higher than the 'old' box would be and it wasn't loud - must just be 'cos I'm used to the Vee heh. Salesmen said he preferred the shorter top cogs as well.

I did make it kangeroo twice however - was that just me not been used to it?

With all this talk of noise and hard rides, bear in mind, I'm coming from a Vee with a K-Tec exhaust - it felt like a wafty Merc to me it was so comfy and quiet hehe!

Ideal spec would ne Nimbus, or Red - either used R27 or Cup, not that fussed although I suspect the R27 might be the better 'long term' prospect money wise.

Dan

A few pictures of Alans bus here:

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=255430&highlight=r27
 


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