Interesting to see the good ole Escort Cosworth get a mention in this thread... Ive had 2 of them (small & big turbo), and that said, I really dont understand what all the commotion is with the handling of the V6 mk1. Comparing it to the esc cossies (in the dry at least) its every bit as good at handling - and mines with standard suspension! I must admit, in the wet the cossie was awesome, and although Ive not had any traumas in the vee, I do think that to give it some in the wet is probably asking for trouble!
Before this turns into the usual 182 v/s V6 arguement, I will say this... The V6 does take some time to get to grips with. My ex had a 172 and anyone could jump into it and take it fast as it was an easy car to drive fast. The V6 is a different beast. Unless youre familiar with rear engine / RWD setup, then its going to feel odd at first, and wont give you the confidence in corners of a front engine FWD car, but believe me, once you have got your head around it, youd think long and hard before buying a FWD car again..., as its simply fantastic to go round tight bends with the throttle open instead of having to ease off on the approach!
I would personally choose the V6 over a 182/CUP/Trophy any day. They will depreciate and be worth £5k or less within 2-3 years, whereas the V6 will still fetch £10k or more - mark my words.
Given the choice against a *mint* Esc Cosworth, would be a very very difficult decision, but like has been said, the Clios are 5 years old, the Escorts 10-12, so finding a minter is very hard, most have dubious histories or have been badly abused and modified.
To answer some of your other questions:
Tuning potential - V6 not much without LOTS of money spending - Escort Cosworth - HUGE tuning potential - but from my experience this comes with a knock on impact on reliability.
Servicing Costs - V6 - £130-150 for most services, Escort Cosworth - £200-350.
Reliability - My V6 has had CAT & Coil pack problems. My big turbo Cossie had ECU, Immobilisor, Water Ingress & Drive-shaft problems, the small turbo had turbo boost trouble and damaged cats. All in all, these cars (Clio or Escort) are not cheap to look after, and you should always budget for repair & servicing costs, though again the V6 being newer should present you less problems.
Fuel Economy - Im getting 27mpg from the V6, the Cossies in standard guise used to give me about 29mpg.
[Edited by 137699 on 31 August 2005 at 5:22pm]
