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Bluebeard
ClioSport Moderator
Whichever has fuel
As soon as my kids are a bit bigger, i'll be getting another. Fantastic cars imo.
Great on track, cheap to run, built well (for a renault) and good spec.
The only downside is the fuel. Its terrible for a warm hatch. If it was 230hp 2.0T I could understand it. As a family car though it will only cover 4k per year so fuel isn't really an issue.
Great on track, cheap to run, built well (for a renault) and good spec.
The only downside is the fuel. Its terrible for a warm hatch. If it was 230hp 2.0T I could understand it. As a family car though it will only cover 4k per year so fuel isn't really an issue.
ipodsandguns
ClioSport Club Member
GW X200 CUP
I love mine. I don't get to enjoy it like Id like to but I do love it.
Mine being a Cup it raises a few questions when Im driving co-workers and things about but FF interiors are a world better then the cup. Most don't believe it is a Clio as it swamps the mk2's.
Im really happy I got mine when I did on the £200 pcp deal, il be extending my finance.
I loved my 182 to bits but that was for different reasons. I used to love laying under it tinkering with coilover settings, tracking down underpriced speedlines and trying to get it to a better then factory standard.
It made so much sense to achieve this but starting with factory standard. Being a new car it has tamed me in a way as It has post early 2010 top mounts etc I cant go out and go mental with off the shelf parts that seem to cost nothing but cost lots in the long.
I put K-tec coilovers on my 182 they were £300 quid new or something but I didnt want to fit them unless I was fitting, new spacers, track rod arms, top mounts, new bolts and whatever else.
The cost of fuel for the 200 hit me harder then expected at first. In the 182 I wouldnt struggle to get 40mpg but the 200 is 30mpg on a good motorway run. only 10mpg, but at 25% it was an increase.
As most know Claire Mae also has one. She feel quite different about hers she hasn't had any problems with the car it just she doesn't drive it like she did her monaco. She drives this solely to commute to work and to uni. It does the job fine but not great really as the motorway is oh so dull.
I have Recaro's, She has standard seats. So many people sit in my seats and say 'oh these are so comfy!' but they arnt in my opinion. They hug me really well but there is little padding for a boney kid like me and i dread how they will feel 2 years later.
I love driving mine to and from work, To meetings up and down the A/M1 and thrashing it about on the B-roads. I don't do track days sadly as I know I will start throwing silly money into them so I cant really comment there.
Its a great all rounder, I truly love it and I'm rather proud to own it.
2011062618rotherhamminishoot by ipodsandguns, on Flickr
Mine being a Cup it raises a few questions when Im driving co-workers and things about but FF interiors are a world better then the cup. Most don't believe it is a Clio as it swamps the mk2's.
Im really happy I got mine when I did on the £200 pcp deal, il be extending my finance.
I loved my 182 to bits but that was for different reasons. I used to love laying under it tinkering with coilover settings, tracking down underpriced speedlines and trying to get it to a better then factory standard.
It made so much sense to achieve this but starting with factory standard. Being a new car it has tamed me in a way as It has post early 2010 top mounts etc I cant go out and go mental with off the shelf parts that seem to cost nothing but cost lots in the long.
I put K-tec coilovers on my 182 they were £300 quid new or something but I didnt want to fit them unless I was fitting, new spacers, track rod arms, top mounts, new bolts and whatever else.
The cost of fuel for the 200 hit me harder then expected at first. In the 182 I wouldnt struggle to get 40mpg but the 200 is 30mpg on a good motorway run. only 10mpg, but at 25% it was an increase.
As most know Claire Mae also has one. She feel quite different about hers she hasn't had any problems with the car it just she doesn't drive it like she did her monaco. She drives this solely to commute to work and to uni. It does the job fine but not great really as the motorway is oh so dull.
I have Recaro's, She has standard seats. So many people sit in my seats and say 'oh these are so comfy!' but they arnt in my opinion. They hug me really well but there is little padding for a boney kid like me and i dread how they will feel 2 years later.
I love driving mine to and from work, To meetings up and down the A/M1 and thrashing it about on the B-roads. I don't do track days sadly as I know I will start throwing silly money into them so I cant really comment there.
Its a great all rounder, I truly love it and I'm rather proud to own it.
2011062618rotherhamminishoot by ipodsandguns, on Flickr
The Boosh!
ClioSport Admin
Elise, Duster
With me cars out rule logic. Of I could afford a clio 200 I'd get one purely on the basis that I love them.
Screw residuals
Screw common sense
Screw fuel consumption
I'd buy one based purely on the soul the car has. Unless you have driven
One I doubt you would understand.
Screw residuals
Screw common sense
Screw fuel consumption
I'd buy one based purely on the soul the car has. Unless you have driven
One I doubt you would understand.
MarkCup
ClioSport Club Member
Just over 4k into ownership of mine now (non-cupped non cup with no options except parking sensors), and in no particular order my thoughts are;
MPG - manageable, accept it punches a bigger whole in the air, costs more fuel to get moving due to mass, and tweak your driving style accordingly, and you'll not suffer too much. Give it bootfulls everywher and you'll suffer lots.
Handling - On a par with the MkIIs, no better, no worse. Just as chuckable, just as adjustable. Seems like they're not as good as the earlier ones due to the increased grip, so to get the same experience, you need to up your pace/commitment.
Interior - positively light years ahead of the MKIIs, doesn't feel much smaller than my Focus, takes two kids in the back in seats/on boosters with ease, fit/finish and materials/textures make it a nice place to be. Gimmicky though it is, the gearshift/limiter warning beep is useful. Very useful.
Driving position - hello gear lever (no stretching), good standard chairs, reach adjustment on the steering wheel is a beautiful thing.
Gearbox - nice mechanical feel, doesn't like being rushed, very positive engagement. Short throw is nice.
Engine - feels really quite grunty low down despite the car's weight. I routinely overtake in 6th now I've learned where it works best. Seems to me like a lot of attention's been paid to tuning the noise of the car - below 2k it makes barely a sound, around 2.5k the intake and exhaust start growling a little, at 4k it makes proper noise, and from 5k upwards it's quite raucous, it encourages you to rev it hard. I'm now running 99 RON through it and it really seems to have strengthened the engine low down...has improved MPG a little too to offset the increased cost.
Brakes - stupendous, astounding, breathtaking, terrific, remarkable. Cost of OEM pads and discs from G172 on here is comparable or cheaper than OEM MKII replacements. Yet they perform the way they do. I really truly actually love them.
Pedal feel - good. May fit lines, may not, a few more trackdays will tell. Brake pedal was consistent throughout the day I did at Goodwood but I was going pretty easy on them.
Throttle response - woolly, very woolly at low revs. Seems to respond far better higher up. Am considering a Sprint Booster as a fix. This is genuinely the only negative I have about the whole car.
Suspension (Cup v non Cup) - only ever passengered briefly in a Cup which is/was good for me because when I first drove mine I wasn't expecting anything other than a good handling hatch. I can honestly say that there's not one single circumstance where Cup would win the day outright for me. On track it would be sharper definitely, keener maybe, but then for the next ?,??? miles before the next trackday it's got to trudge up and down the lanes and B-roads of West Sussex rattling the car and me to bits. As someone above said, the non-Cup on a lot of day to day surfaces will definitely have the edge/pace over the Cup as its grip is very very exploitable.
Back to back Cup v non-Cup review by Evo magazine here (this was a huge factor in my buying decision)... http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evolongtermtests/256042/renaultsport_clio_200_cup.html
So to sum up, get one.
Don't worry about the options unless bling floats your boat, really, none of it is needed. If you can be free on the suspension/chair/options front, the secondhand market is your friend as no one wants soft suspension (for girls only apparently) or standard chairs (wot, no recaros?), so when they come up, ridiculous deals can be done.
MPG - manageable, accept it punches a bigger whole in the air, costs more fuel to get moving due to mass, and tweak your driving style accordingly, and you'll not suffer too much. Give it bootfulls everywher and you'll suffer lots.
Handling - On a par with the MkIIs, no better, no worse. Just as chuckable, just as adjustable. Seems like they're not as good as the earlier ones due to the increased grip, so to get the same experience, you need to up your pace/commitment.
Interior - positively light years ahead of the MKIIs, doesn't feel much smaller than my Focus, takes two kids in the back in seats/on boosters with ease, fit/finish and materials/textures make it a nice place to be. Gimmicky though it is, the gearshift/limiter warning beep is useful. Very useful.
Driving position - hello gear lever (no stretching), good standard chairs, reach adjustment on the steering wheel is a beautiful thing.
Gearbox - nice mechanical feel, doesn't like being rushed, very positive engagement. Short throw is nice.
Engine - feels really quite grunty low down despite the car's weight. I routinely overtake in 6th now I've learned where it works best. Seems to me like a lot of attention's been paid to tuning the noise of the car - below 2k it makes barely a sound, around 2.5k the intake and exhaust start growling a little, at 4k it makes proper noise, and from 5k upwards it's quite raucous, it encourages you to rev it hard. I'm now running 99 RON through it and it really seems to have strengthened the engine low down...has improved MPG a little too to offset the increased cost.
Brakes - stupendous, astounding, breathtaking, terrific, remarkable. Cost of OEM pads and discs from G172 on here is comparable or cheaper than OEM MKII replacements. Yet they perform the way they do. I really truly actually love them.
Pedal feel - good. May fit lines, may not, a few more trackdays will tell. Brake pedal was consistent throughout the day I did at Goodwood but I was going pretty easy on them.
Throttle response - woolly, very woolly at low revs. Seems to respond far better higher up. Am considering a Sprint Booster as a fix. This is genuinely the only negative I have about the whole car.
Suspension (Cup v non Cup) - only ever passengered briefly in a Cup which is/was good for me because when I first drove mine I wasn't expecting anything other than a good handling hatch. I can honestly say that there's not one single circumstance where Cup would win the day outright for me. On track it would be sharper definitely, keener maybe, but then for the next ?,??? miles before the next trackday it's got to trudge up and down the lanes and B-roads of West Sussex rattling the car and me to bits. As someone above said, the non-Cup on a lot of day to day surfaces will definitely have the edge/pace over the Cup as its grip is very very exploitable.
Back to back Cup v non-Cup review by Evo magazine here (this was a huge factor in my buying decision)... http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evolongtermtests/256042/renaultsport_clio_200_cup.html
So to sum up, get one.
Don't worry about the options unless bling floats your boat, really, none of it is needed. If you can be free on the suspension/chair/options front, the secondhand market is your friend as no one wants soft suspension (for girls only apparently) or standard chairs (wot, no recaros?), so when they come up, ridiculous deals can be done.
Clio 220 Trophy
To save me writing it all out, I,ll just agree with eveything MarkCup has wrote, 12000 miles plus now on mine and still can,t wait to get behind the wheel , cup pack on mine, yes can be a bit stiff when running on some potholed roads but dont tend to notice it too much now,
Go Go and buy one
Go Go and buy one
172 Cup
Haha Will knows that sh*t, thats bang on what should be shown...email that to renault
lolz
MarkCup
ClioSport Club Member
To add, MPG facts for me thus far are;
Best - 42.1 mpg
Worst - 29.9 mpg
Trackday - 15.3 mpg
Average over 4,165 miles - 32.41 mpg
This is versus the 37-40 mpg I used to see in my Cup.
Best - 42.1 mpg
Worst - 29.9 mpg
Trackday - 15.3 mpg
Average over 4,165 miles - 32.41 mpg
This is versus the 37-40 mpg I used to see in my Cup.
Sir_Dave
ClioSport Trader
I can very much relate to this, which is half my problem i feel. It is very very easy to buy things for cars that are old, need a little tinkering/arent perfect condition. As you say, a few hundred quid here & there add up very quickly!! Off the top of my head i've spent about 2 grand on 'things' for the M3 and Trophy since September - purely because if i buy something, i do it properly, & end up replacing everything lol.
Last April the Trophy went in for alternator at £200, but came out £1500 later after having pretty much everything replaced
Thats not so bad, i reckon i'd get semi decent mpg out of it really. Considering im averaging just under 30 in the M3, whereas most people report figures of 23-24 ... pootling down the motorway at 70mph (slipstreaming BMW's in the outside lane) should be fairly efficient ...
To those not on the £200 a month scheme, would you be so kind as to pm me the structure/costings of your finance plan (if you have on). Need to work out whether it is better from a monthly perspective to go 18 months old, with a lower balloon payment, or brand new, with a subsequently higher baloon payment.
Rather amusingly, i saw two this morning on the way to work, dont think i've ever actually seen one before lol!!
LY Megane R26 230
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Dave I want first refusal on the trophy please! If not some of the parts!
Dave, I don't know if this has been suggested, but why not something like this?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/3664067.htm
Bundles of fun, massively cheaper than the 200 too.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/3664067.htm
Bundles of fun, massively cheaper than the 200 too.
£16k here - http://www.broadspeed.com/new_cars/Renault/Clio/25084/2_0_VVT_Renaultsport_200_3_door
Got me looking now.
Got me looking now.
They are nice cars but not as good as an R26 in my biased opinion.
Sir_Dave
ClioSport Trader
Traffic jam, front end hidden by other cars
lol. Of course ... could do you a good deal on an M3/Clio combo ...
Possibly not, but i dont like the feeling of boost (just reminds me of a Tdi), or the Meganes rear end, worse than the front of the 200 imho
Possibly not, but i dont like the feeling of boost (just reminds me of a Tdi), or the Meganes rear end, worse than the front of the 200 imho
Booooo
No doubt the Megane is a very good handling car but for me the power delivery makes it rather boring, lots of power early is great but at 6k it just dies which I know isnt Daves cup of tea!
Best cash price on the pair?
Possibly not, but i dont like the feeling of boost (just reminds me of a Tdi), or the Meganes rear end, worse than the front of the 200 imho
The power delivery is nothing like a diesel, there's no lag and it pulls to 6.5k and LSD is fantastic. And there is nothing wrong with the rear end when you're sat in it.
Wrong thread lol?
Saab 93 Aero Wagon
That Trophy will never leave the flock. Its like my Cup. It can't be sold or broke for parts.
Dave personally I think the time has come to subscribe. It will tick that daft company car requirement box you have and it will still scratch that trackday itch you'll ALWAYS have....just be sure to get out of my way..
Mike won't like it because he has the incurable version of the Bavarian bug he caught off you.....he's looking at E28 5's FFS.
Nick will egg you on because he wants the Trophy.
Dave personally I think the time has come to subscribe. It will tick that daft company car requirement box you have and it will still scratch that trackday itch you'll ALWAYS have....just be sure to get out of my way..
Mike won't like it because he has the incurable version of the Bavarian bug he caught off you.....he's looking at E28 5's FFS.
Nick will egg you on because he wants the Trophy.
330Ci (Fail)Sport
Dave, you're harder to read than any woman I've ever met, never saw a nearly new or a 200 as a consideration for you! I assume the finances make sense, regardless of how much you save with the monthly tinkering costs.
ps. Silverstone looks fantastic though! Just avoid the charver wing IMO. KTEC do a nice one.
Shhh :nono:
E28's are cool, fact! Same as all old bimmers, E21's, E24's, E9 3.0 CSL etc.
ps. Silverstone looks fantastic though! Just avoid the charver wing IMO. KTEC do a nice one.
Shhh :nono:
E28's are cool, fact! Same as all old bimmers, E21's, E24's, E9 3.0 CSL etc.
BMW F21 125d
First dibs on parts/swaps from your M3 to mine Dave....!
I'm on the fence, also a little confused, is the 330 the Mrs' car? Unless i've misread this your contemplating getting rid of 3 cars and getting 1 and being a 1 car household?
Long term commitments are all well and good, but you WILL end up buying something extra for the 200. Carbon Fibre, Interior bits, something will catch your eye, granted probably not straight away or as much as the M3 and T, but IMO I wouldn't add a cost figure for additions of £0 to your new calculations.
I'm on the fence, also a little confused, is the 330 the Mrs' car? Unless i've misread this your contemplating getting rid of 3 cars and getting 1 and being a 1 car household?
Long term commitments are all well and good, but you WILL end up buying something extra for the 200. Carbon Fibre, Interior bits, something will catch your eye, granted probably not straight away or as much as the M3 and T, but IMO I wouldn't add a cost figure for additions of £0 to your new calculations.
That 200 is gorgeous!!
Buy it, look after it as well as you looked after your 172 and in 4years I'll buy it off you for £3k
Buy it, look after it as well as you looked after your 172 and in 4years I'll buy it off you for £3k
Is the Silverstone the same "Mercury Silver" as the standard 200 colour or bespoke?
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Sir_Dave
ClioSport Trader
Nah, Sarah's got a TT, 330 is mine as well ... bought it for when i sell the M3 in the summer. Blame the internet & a few beers lol.
Havent really got anything on the M3 you could have anyway really - its 100% standard
Think im just naturally drawn to Clio's really, ever since my 1st RB one back in 2005. Was only 12 months old when i got it:
Same Mercury Silver.
Sir_Dave
ClioSport Trader
Well, a very interesting day today.
Got the specifics of my 'perfect 200' from richard1, ie Ultra Red normal 200, cup suspension, cup spoiler, black Speedlines, Recaros and carbon interior trim. Happy with the monthly payments, deposit, final payment, etc, so thought i had better drive one ...
Found one local to me, white, non-cup pack, & no-recaros, but thought it would give me a decent enough idea.
So, here's a little overview:
Looks - loved it, perfect proportions, like the vents in the front wings, rear diffuser, etc. Could imagine that with the black speedlines & cup spoiler it would look epic!! Upon closing the boot it was however evident that the clio's build quality/rattles havent really improved ... however, the car is clearer bigger than the 1*2 & a bit more grown up.
Interior - this is where is fell down, really fell down. The plastics are really cheap, thin cheap looking/feeling door cards, a dash that looked like an elephant's ar5e, a glovebox that was flimsy & didnt fit properly and a pretty naff plastic area around the handbrake, gearstick, etc. For me, the 1*2 seems better built, & certainly has a more 'plush' interior with alcantara door cards, seat trim, etc, most importantly, i expect a car designed in the 90's to be naff, not a modern hatchback! Yellow rev counter and relationship between the steering wheel/seat/pedals/gearstick was great though, along with the extra space.
The drive - gutted tbh. Over light steering (not sure if it is any heavier with the cup pack?!!?!?!) really ruins a car for me, & the 200's reminded me of the Ed30 that i had previously, but lighter. Very disappointing when compared to the Trophy, which offers a far more analogue helm. Clutch & gearbox however are superb, the former is considerably lighter, with the latter offering a really close/fast gate more akin to a CTR than the 1*2 it replaces. The engine, well again, a Honda similarity again, i found it similar to the FN2 CTR, smooth revving, easy to hit the limiter, BUT where is the 'kick' that you are waiting for/expecting? Put simply, it didnt feel particularly quick, although that is probably quite deceiving. Refinement was much improved over the 1*2 however.
So? Will i be buying one? Tbh unless somebody can confirm that the cup pack steering is heavier (as well as more direct) than the non-cup pack one, then no, i probably wont be. When asked by the salesmen for my honest opinion, i think he was quite shocked when i said that after that drive, i wouldnt swop my 182k mile Trophy one it, let alone the Trophy and the M3. Never been as gutted about a car to be honest :dapprove:
Someone please tell me the cup-pack steering is heavier like the 1*2? Please.
Thanks again to richard1, fantastically helpful as ever.
Got the specifics of my 'perfect 200' from richard1, ie Ultra Red normal 200, cup suspension, cup spoiler, black Speedlines, Recaros and carbon interior trim. Happy with the monthly payments, deposit, final payment, etc, so thought i had better drive one ...
Found one local to me, white, non-cup pack, & no-recaros, but thought it would give me a decent enough idea.
So, here's a little overview:
Looks - loved it, perfect proportions, like the vents in the front wings, rear diffuser, etc. Could imagine that with the black speedlines & cup spoiler it would look epic!! Upon closing the boot it was however evident that the clio's build quality/rattles havent really improved ... however, the car is clearer bigger than the 1*2 & a bit more grown up.
Interior - this is where is fell down, really fell down. The plastics are really cheap, thin cheap looking/feeling door cards, a dash that looked like an elephant's ar5e, a glovebox that was flimsy & didnt fit properly and a pretty naff plastic area around the handbrake, gearstick, etc. For me, the 1*2 seems better built, & certainly has a more 'plush' interior with alcantara door cards, seat trim, etc, most importantly, i expect a car designed in the 90's to be naff, not a modern hatchback! Yellow rev counter and relationship between the steering wheel/seat/pedals/gearstick was great though, along with the extra space.
The drive - gutted tbh. Over light steering (not sure if it is any heavier with the cup pack?!!?!?!) really ruins a car for me, & the 200's reminded me of the Ed30 that i had previously, but lighter. Very disappointing when compared to the Trophy, which offers a far more analogue helm. Clutch & gearbox however are superb, the former is considerably lighter, with the latter offering a really close/fast gate more akin to a CTR than the 1*2 it replaces. The engine, well again, a Honda similarity again, i found it similar to the FN2 CTR, smooth revving, easy to hit the limiter, BUT where is the 'kick' that you are waiting for/expecting? Put simply, it didnt feel particularly quick, although that is probably quite deceiving. Refinement was much improved over the 1*2 however.
So? Will i be buying one? Tbh unless somebody can confirm that the cup pack steering is heavier (as well as more direct) than the non-cup pack one, then no, i probably wont be. When asked by the salesmen for my honest opinion, i think he was quite shocked when i said that after that drive, i wouldnt swop my 182k mile Trophy one it, let alone the Trophy and the M3. Never been as gutted about a car to be honest :dapprove:
Someone please tell me the cup-pack steering is heavier like the 1*2? Please.
Thanks again to richard1, fantastically helpful as ever.
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