Clio 200.. Much love!

[ColinG]

Mum and dad have had their 200 almost 2 years now and it's just turned 17000 miles... With the exception of a new gearbox under warranty it's been faultless, no squeaks or rattles inside, nice Bluetooth iPhone connectivity and a great solid feeling car,

I drive it now and again but yesterday got to take it to Newcastle and back, and at some point I think it hit me that I had to have one! What a bloody car, I've owned most forms of Clio inc 172 cup and 182 and obviously my v6's and this thing just was on fire yesterday, it's got much much faster as the miles have piled on and the non cup chassis is firm enough and handles brilliant on our crap roads!

The more abuse I gave it the more it seems to ask for, got back from Newcastle to Gretna in errrr quite a rapid time and felt such a buzz when i got out!

IMO anyone that says the 200 isn't as fun as a 182 hasnt given them enough of a chance, I think the 1.2 dynamique runabout might be on borrowed time lol,
There is a LY 200 on pistonheads for £9k anyone seen it? Seems too good to be true!

Sorry for the essay lol

 

[ColinG]

Oh and I'm looking outside at it, sitting on its 18's and more brown than glacier white, the dirtier it gets the more I love it haha, I'll get a pic!

 

[jayxx83]

A spirited drive can either make you love or hate your motor. Love the look of the 200.

 

[Harpham]

My old 200 was an awesome car. If you owned one for a year though, you'd understand why a lot of us have gone back to 1*2s. I don't miss my 200 one bit and i'm driving a f**king heap Ph1.

 

[Matthew]

If you owned one for a year though, you'd understand why a lot of us have gone back to 1*2s.

Why exactly?

Genuine question.

 

[Mr Burns]

I wish Honda and Renault would work together to make a hot-hatch.

Renault can't do build quality and Honda can't do charisma, a Clio built by Honda with a Honda gearbox would be sublime.

I loved my 197 and with the coilovers you could pretty much drive flat-out everywhere, shame it felt knackered compared to my 8yr old Civic I have now that has done twice as many miles.

 

[Chip-mk1]

SteBurns, thats why im putting a honda engine and box in my mk1.
Renault gearboxes are just abysmal, there really is no excuse for them to land us all with such rubbish on supposedly performance cars, such a shame as the engines are actually good, its just the boxes stopping you getting decent power and using it hard really.

 

[Harpham]

Off the top of my head:
- For everyday driving, too well built. 1*2 is much more fun to drive at lower speeds. I think to see the full greatness of 200, you have to track it.
- MPG in comparison

I changed for other reasons too. This was my initial "thinking of selling" thread: http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?603648-Thinking-of-selling-the-200...

I suppose alot is down to overall cost difference of owning both tbh. I now have no finance, can drive the car relatively hard and still get good mpg (lowest ive had is 36. I got 31mpg at best with the 200, driving like a granddad), my Ph1 is a shed that I no longer worry 'too much' about leaving anywhere (even at home I was paranoid with the 200) and the 1*2's are cheap to mod in comparison (I get bored of cars quickly if I don't do anything).

 

[Mr Burns]

SteBurns, thats why im putting a honda engine and box in my mk1.
Renault gearboxes are just abysmal, there really is no excuse for them to land us all with such rubbish on supposedly performance cars, such a shame as the engines are actually good, its just the boxes stopping you getting decent power and using it hard really.

Agreed, my 197 coped fine with 40k miles of abuse. However, the gearbox felt like it had done 200k miles.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Agreed, my 197 coped fine with 40k miles of abuse. However, the gearbox felt like it had done 200k miles.

The lack of a limited slip diff is a big shortcoming too, even honda dont often get this right, and vauxhall never do it either, its only really ford that seem to realise that the importance of them.
Renault do seem to know they exist though as they have used them in the R26R, seems daft to me the amount of other equipment like auto lights and xenons and auto wipers they put into a 172 and then dont bother with something as key as an LSD.
I guess they realise that you'll be even more likely to break the box if you actually have some grip, lol

 

[172Ben]

i LOL'd at the "other than a new gearbox its been faultless" HAHA.

Lovely looking cars though

 

[alanc1000]

Never had a go in a 200 but i like them now.

Faultless apart from a new gearbox aint good though, regardless of whether it was in warranty or not - that shouldnt be an acceptable thing to happen!

 

[Jordi17]

new gearbox after that amount of miles is terrible.

 

[Munson]

I've heard they go through gearboxes like normal cars go through brake pads.

No car is perfect, and I hardly drive a Maybach, but what f**ks me off about Renault is that they clearly don't care about the problems with their cars. There seems to be very little (if any) continuous product improvement over the lifecycle of the platform. In fact, they even carry over known issues into the next platform. To me, that means they also don't care about their customers, which is actually reflected in all my dealership experiences over the five years that I owned my heap. They make some great machines, but personally I'd really struggle to buy another Renault just on general principle alone.

It's like they're trolling their customers. Don't need spoiler. Got diffuser. Downforces. Buy spoiler anyway though. Threadbare seats = weight loss. Broken gearbox = character.

 

[Mr Burns]

I made several complaints to Renault UK regarding the gearbox and explained to them that my 197 was one of several Renaultsports I'd owned, and how I attended Renault meets and trackdays and was part of the community. Despite this they offered very little, bearing in mind my car was still under warranty. In the end I suggested that I sold it in favour of a Honda, and that was the last I heard from them.

 

[Munson]

The best quote I ever saw on here was "Hondas. Like Renaults but with more screws"

To this day, I PMSL myself each and every time I think of it. PMSL.

 

[JCC]

I've had my gearbox replaced under warranty by Renault too (after 10K) with absolutely no problems or questions asked about it, which shows they are clearly aware that they're a bit s**t in terms of quality/design. I'd expect they'll have bothered to sort it out for later 200s as surely having to replace so many is a constant headache financially for them?

Then again, possibly not when I've had my Recaro base replaced under warranty too, which has been a problem since the 197 and they've not bothered their arse to do anything about it.

 

[Scoot]

i LOL'd at the "other than a new gearbox its been faultless" HAHA.

Lovely looking cars though

Lol so did I my fellow JDM sl*t

 

[Munson]

I'd expect they'll have bothered to sort it out for later 200s as surely having to replace so many is a constant headache financially for them?

You seem to be forgetting that Renaultsport is a tiny percentage of their overall sales. A few gearboxes here and there in niche models will not trouble them. Obviously cheaper than developing decent mechanicals. But then again, this is why they are cheaper than the competition. You're basically buying a slightly dodgy product, and this is reflected in the price. Renault clearly know this, and are happy to continue doing business this way.

 

[Dan@M.A.D]

thoughts on this : http://www.autoselectcars.co.uk/ren...port-200-recaro-seats-in-chesterfield-1778567
Ive arranged to view on wednesday, Mileage is high which is my concern.

 

[jenic]

I've had my gearbox replaced under warranty by Renault too (after 10K) with absolutely no problems or questions asked about it, which shows they are clearly aware that they're a bit s**t in terms of quality/design. I'd expect they'll have bothered to sort it out for later 200s as surely having to replace so many is a constant headache financially for them?

Not really, they did it no questions asked because its under warranty and it failed. They couldn't not do it really.

When the 200's get to 4 years old and GB's start breaking Renault will gladly tell you where to stick it.

 

[Mr Burns]

They refused to even look at my gearbox, I think some of the problem is I'd bought it from a Car Supermarket (where I worked) and not from a Renault dealer. My friend who did buy from Renault was dealt with much better.

 

[Adam.]

Munson has hit the nail on the head imo/e.

 

[JCC]

You seem to be forgetting that Renaultsport is a tiny percentage of their overall sales. A few gearboxes here and there in niche models will not trouble them. Obviously cheaper than developing decent mechanicals. But then again, this is why they are cheaper than the competition. You're basically buying a slightly dodgy product, and this is reflected in the price. Renault clearly know this, and are happy to continue doing business this way.

Good point, never really thought of it from that perspective, suppose they'll always have people willing to put up with the niggles for the price they charge. Much like myself, I've owned 3 Clios so far and no doubt sometime in the future will own more.

They refused to even look at my gearbox, I think some of the problem is I'd bought it from a Car Supermarket (where I worked) and not from a Renault dealer. My friend who did buy from Renault was dealt with much better.

That's piss poor, though tbf that sounds more like the dealer being awkward than Renault themselves.

 

[Munson]

You know you've reached troll nirvana when people agree with you and don't get mad bro ;(

lol. These are not the droids you're looking for.

 

[JCC]

I'm not the fanboy type to get all handbags when people say Clios are flawed, they're french and pretty much broken in one way or another from the moment they leave the factory. That's not trolling, that's fact.

I've still loved all three. For my personal situation, and for the cash, I can't think of a better all rounder than my 200.

 

[Munson]

I'm not the fanboy type to get all handbags when people say Clios are flawed, they're french and pretty much broken in one way or another from the moment they leave the factory. That's not trolling, that's fact.

I've still loved all three. For my personal situation, and for the cash, I can't think of a better all rounder than my 200.

Agree. Mine was a f**king heap, but I loved it right up until the point I traded it in against my current shed. No keen driver can fail to fall in love with a Renaultsport.

 

[Jimbo_M]

If i had the money i would defo buy a 200, ultra red, cup pack, recaro's & speedlines...WIN

 

[Munson]

I think white with the anthracite pack is the best colour combo.

 

[Greeny.]

i LOL'd at the "other than a new gearbox its been faultless" HAHA.

Lovely looking cars though

Same LOL, only a slight issue!

 

[Jimbo_M]

I think white with the anthracite pack is the best colour combo.

Yes mate that is an awesome colour combo i must agree, i also have a soft spot for LY.

 

[172Ben]

Lol so did I my fellow JDM sl*t

Much love xx