EK9 or Clio 172

[Steve.O]

Hi.

I only joined the forum today and have just bought my 1st Clio 172 as a run around....

Clio has similar power to my EK9 and a bit more torque but is no way as much fun to drive!! The handling is much better in the EK9 maybe this is down to the LSD... but overall it is a great little car and you can have some fun with it and for the money i don't think i can go wrong!! ( touch wood ).

I might see some of you when there is a meet in North Wales!!

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

A 172 as a run around...? Odd choice for cheap motoring?

 

[Steve.O]

A 172 as a run around...? Odd choice for cheap motoring?

Ymm yeah i know but will be selling my EK9 soon though to free some money because i bought i bike about 2 months ago!!

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Id have kept the Ek9!

 

[Steve.O]

Yeah i wish i could mate! Got a bike and no car can compare to riding a bike... so the 172 will do me fine.... similar to the 9 well you know what i mean!

 

[imprezaworks]

Out of interest how do you find the overall performance between the two? Ive allways loved the ek9/dc2 but the price to buy has allways got me thinking, is it worth it?

Dan

 

[Steve.O]

Ymmm to be honest i dont think there is much difference.. The 172 has more tourque in lower rev range but once the ek9 hits the vtec its something else a animal!! Haha!!

The LSD in the ek makes a lot of difference to the handling it just sticks to the road when you put your foot down round corners..... and is more fun to drive! My ek was over £3000 more than the 172 and really performance wise they are very similar and to justify the £3000 just to have a better looking,better handling,more reliable and something rare i wouldn't pay that again haha!!

Having said that if i had £5500 and was to either buy a Clio 182 or a Ek9 i would 100% go with the EK9 hands down!!

 

[imprezaworks]

Honest enough to me mate. Its a pity their not the same price. Although i do love my little clio.

dan

 

[penfish4]

I'd much rather own an EK9 than a 172.

I have an Integra Type R DC2 as my track car and thoroughly enjoy it.

 

[z8jay]

EK9's are nice but unfortunately have the same 'fast&furious' tax as a lot of jap cars that aren't actually that special

ie; they cost more than they should do.

 

[Steve.O]

I would rather own a EK9 aswel haha and if i had the cash i would keep it mate!!

And as for tax its around the same as 172!

 

[ForceIndia]

And as for tax its around the same as 172!

He does mean actual tax fella, just that a chunk of the price for an ek9 is 'jap tax', ie people pay more than they are worth.

 

[Joeh]

when they hit v-tec theyre an animal???
a mouse maybe but..,...
no wonder there are a lot of v-tec just kicked in jokes flying around, personaly 'the changeover' just seems like more noise and not much more oomph all the way up to 9kish
if ever a car was over rated..... the ek9...

 

[jenic]

He does mean actual tax fella, just that a chunk of the price for an ek9 is 'jap tax', ie people pay more than they are worth.

But then surely that means they are worth that?

To me an antique plate is worth as much as the £5 one I got from ikea, but to other people it is worth a lot more.

Market decides price afterall

 

[Steve.O]

Everyone to there opinion but still the ek9 is a better car than the clio!!!

And maybe they are a little overpriced but what can you do? If you wont one you pay what they are going for!!

 

[Perry]

Everyone to there opinion but still the ek9 is a better car than the clio!!!

In what way though, surey it again comes down to personal opinion?

I know people who love them, but I can't bide the sight of them, I think they're horrible, boring run of the mill looking Jap cars.

I'm not a massive Renault fan or anything. I used to own and love Golf Gti's, but the 182 was the best compromise for me and after having owned one two years I can safely say I'm more impressed than I ever dreamt I would be.

So what makes it a better car - looks, reliability, price, running costs, rareness?

I think as always it comes down to your personal preference and what balance you prefer in all that.

 

[cliobritt]

£112 for 6 months road tax. Is that not cheaper than a 172?

 

[Perry]

£112 for 6 months road tax. Is that not cheaper than a 172?

He means 'tax' as in the extra you pay for it being a Japanese performance car etc - i.e. the status, reputation, rareness etc you get when you buy it*


*i think

 

[Turkish]

EK9 tax is sub £200 1*2 is £235

The fact they cost more is driven by a couple of things, the fact that they are rare due to never being officially sold in the UK unlike the EP3 (spits) that were sold in vast numbers here, the other being they're a cracking car with a cult following as a result.

People who moan about them because of the price or how they look (lets fact it the clio is no looker!) normally have never driven one and/or just have a chip on their shoulder in the same way all the PC owners will take any opportunity to moan about iMac's.

The EK9 is the better car in engineering terms, LSD, seam welded shell, double wishbone suspension. As for which is better for an individual will go down to what people like in terms of a driving experience.

Basically rather than sitting behind your keyboards spouting a load of BS assumptions go drive an EK9 THEN pass comment....

 

[ForceIndia]

I've only read one uk review of the ek9 in a decent uk magazine article (is not max power etc). It finished 5/6, only car they preferred it to is the mk4 golf.
Everyone I know that's had a go in one, all prefer the dc2, by a distance.
Seems that a lot of people like them as they are a cult car in the jap scene, and as with all things cult, the actual quality is secondary.

Shocking image as well for me, that gen of civic is very much the rude boy asians choice.

 

[ForceIndia]

The ep3 was a better engineered car than a 182/trophy. But not as good a drivers car. It's irrelevant to how enjoyable a car is to drive.
A 205gti is basic beyond belief compared to most hatches. Far better to drive.
All imo.

 

[Turkish]

Weirdly you just don't see EK's round here, the only ones aside from the beat up 1.4's you see owned by old people near me are one SiR which is tastefully modded and in good condition and one pre and post facelift EK9's one of which is tidy the other looks like it's had a hard life. I'm sure in london, birmingham, leeds etc there are plenty of really shocking Vti's knocking about to bring the image down though.

If they weren't any good they'd be worth nothing, hemorrhage value like a 1*2 and not be worth importing to sell even now.

 

[Perry]

People who moan about them because of the price or how they look (lets fact it the clio is no looker!) normally have never driven one and/or just have a chip on their shoulder in the same way all the PC owners will take any opportunity to moan about iMac's.

The EK9 is the better car in engineering terms, LSD, seam welded shell, double wishbone suspension. As for which is better for an individual will go down to what people like in terms of a driving experience.

Basically rather than sitting behind your keyboards spouting a load of BS assumptions go drive an EK9 THEN pass comment....

I dont need to drive one to know I dont like the look of them, thus wouldn't even contemplate owning one. They look like a typical Jap car to me - yeah they may be well engineered, but that's not what I thought about when I was a kid drooling at cars and it's not what makes my choices now, otherwise I'd be buying Volvo or something.

And as for the "clio is no looker" - again that comes down to personal preference.

I must have a chip on my shoulder then, eh?? God help anyone with a difference of opinon to you!

 

[Turkish]

Says the man who judges a cars worth by how he thinks it looks or the image it gives off?

Pretty closed minded to write a car off without actually having hands on experience with one if you ask me. Call me old fashioned but I buy a car based on how it drives not on what my mates, neighbours or passers by will think of it.

 

[Perry]

Says the man who judges a cars worth by how he thinks it looks or the image it gives off?

Pretty closed minded to write a car off without actually having hands on experience with one if you ask me. Call me old fashioned but I buy a car based on how it drives not on what my mates, neighbours or passers by will think of it.

Fantastic bit of generalisation and jumping in without a clue there, well done.

I judge on many things, I just know I dont like the look of them, so it's a non-starter. Quite where the f*ck you're got the rest of that I've really no idea.

It's called personal preference - we all have it, maybe you should try it?

 

[Turkish]

I dont need to drive one to know I dont like the look of them, thus wouldn't even contemplate owning one. They look like a typical Jap car to me - yeah they may be well engineered, but that's not what I thought about when I was a kid drooling at cars and it's not what makes my choices now.

From your own comments. Writing the car off with a brilliantly educated and thorough evaluation of looking at it and taking a dislike.

I applaud you, much like a woman who goes and picks a car based on it's colour or if it looks pretty. :clap:

 

[Tombo]

i had the vti's with a few items from the ek9 engine... and to be honest i found it very lethargic lower down but christ did it come alive around 5k, would litterally tear lumps out of the clio 172 i have but........ for all its engineering and following it is a fantastic car but never made me feel or smile as much as the clio does. after owning both i think id choose the clio every time.

 

[Perry]

From your own comments. Writing the car off with a brilliantly educated and thorough evaluation of looking at it and taking a dislike.

You say "Call me old fashioned but I buy a car based on how it drives" well call me old fashioned but appearance matters to me too and if you think something is dog ugly why bother when there's so much choice out there?

Just face it - you jumped in with two feet trying to defend something you clearly like, whilst dismissing the idea that people may have a little bit more balance than just how something drives.

It's about personal preference. I like the way my Clio looks and drives, so why then should I even look into a EK9 if it drives better, but I dont like the look of it so much? And what has that got to do with passers by, neighbours or whatever anything else you mentioned apart from petty point scoring on an internet forum?

 

[Perry]

I applaud you, much like a woman who goes and picks a car based on it's colour or if it looks pretty. :clap:

Is this the best you can do?

Rather than actually debate, you generalise and give analogies like that?

The use of smilies shows just how weak your argument has got that you have to suppliment it.

Seriously - people like different things, get used to it.

 

[Turkish]

Dog ugly is something I'd reserve for a Lada, this is not dog ugly

I'd call balance actually having some first hand experience of something rather than wading in and based on looks alone responding with

"don't like it"

Point scoring not in the slightest just sick of people on the internet stating "facts" or opinions on a cars (and any other subject they have no actual knowledge of) without opening the door let alone driving one.

 

[Tombo]

Is this the best you can do?

Rather than actually debate, you generalise and give analogies like that?

The use of smilies shows just how weak your argument has got that you have to suppliment it.

Seriously - people like different things, get used to it.

no fighting now, lets be gentlemen... i agree though it is all about personal preference and what makes you feel happy when you look out your window and see your pride and joy, and the way it makes you feel everytime you sit behind the wheel.

 

[Tombo]

i do love the way the clio drives but..... oh my that is beautiful IMO.

 

[Turkish]

The use of smilies shows just how weak your argument has got that you have to suppliment it.

That's nothing short of laughable. You have no argument whatsoever you have no hands on experience so I'd get a similarly educated response asking an African tribesman whether I should buy a Blackberry or an iPhone. So you'll forgive me if I ignore your opinion which is based on the square route of f**k all.

 

[ForceIndia]

Tbf looks come into any purchase, but are completely subjective, so I guess pretty void when comparing.

To prove the point, I met a 197 owner today that prefers the looks of the 200 .

For me, I can't think of a single reason to choose an ek9 over a dc2. And a lot that people put pictures up of, seem to roll around on silly camber and ride height, which for me defies the point.

But I drive a 200. So my opinions void really.

 

[Perry]

Dog ugly is something I'd reserve for a Lada, this is not dog ugly

I'd call balance actually having some first hand experience of something rather than wading in and based on looks alone responding with

"don't like it"

Point scoring not in the slightest just sick of people on the internet stating "facts" or opinions on a cars (and any other subject they have no actual knowledge of) without opening the door let alone driving one.

You just spoilt any argument you had by posting the second picture, pathetic....utterly utterly pathetic.

As it goes I dont like them much, but that first picture looks ok. But why post a picture if your 'balance' comes from the driving experience and you dont think looks matter? Have you not just defeated your own argument by posting a picture to show they can look good and thus you also judge them on how they look??

The mere idea anyone buys a car without thinking about how they look and if they like it is about as stupid as you can get.

 

[Turkish]

One exists? lol

I'll have to admit that I prefer the look of the 197 (R27 specifically) to the 200 but in all honesty I'd not buy either.

 

[Perry]

That's nothing short of laughable. You have no argument whatsoever you have no hands on experience so I'd get a similarly educated response asking an African tribesman whether I should buy a Blackberry or an iPhone. So you'll forgive me if I ignore your opinion which is based on the square route of f**k all.

My argument centers around personal preferences. Yours seemingly centers around trying to humiliate me, to make a point (which you are spectacularly faling to do). Then you actually post a picture of the said car, to show you actually judge on looks too.

And regardless of what said African had experience of, if he had cash in his hand and didn't like the look of one of them - he'd likely not test drive it, nevermind buy it.

 

[Turkish]

You just spoilt any argument you had by posting the second picture, pathetic....utterly utterly pathetic.

As it goes I dont like them much, but that first picture looks ok. But why post a picture if your 'balance' comes from the driving experience and you dont think looks matter? Have you not just defeated your own argument by posting a picture to show they can look good and thus you also judge them on how they look??

The mere idea anyone buys a car without thinking about how they look and if they like it is about as stupid as you can get.

That's your opinion, which frankly I couldn't give a toss about.

The picture was to illustrate that despite unlike you I don't place a lot of emphasis on how a car looks (like I say I never thought my 172 or 182 were overly pretty cars) that the EK9 is not an ugly car as you stated. It's no supercar but it's far from ugly, a long way from it although while that I'll grant is subjective I suspect the vast majority of people would view it as ok rather than ugly.

 

[Perry]

One exists? lol

I'll have to admit that I prefer the look of the 197 (R27 specifically) to the 200 but in all honesty I'd not buy either.

So looks matter now? I'm starting to get confused as you spin around.

 

[Perry]

That's your opinion, which frankly I couldn't give a toss about.

I never wanted you to give a toss about it though, I merely expressed my opinion as you did.

The picture was to illustrate that despite unlike you I don't place a lot of emphasis on how a car looks (like I say I never thought my 172 or 182 were overly pretty cars) that the EK9 is not an ugly car as you stated. It's no supercar but it's far from ugly, a long way from it although while that I'll grant is subjective I suspect the vast majority of people would view it as ok rather than ugly.

You posted the picture to show how it looked, proving that although you kick up a big fiss about it, you actually do place an emphasis on how a car looks, otherwise you would never have posted it.