Clio 220, Caterham 7
Hi all!
I'm a member at Meganesport.net and currently have a Megane 250 Cup.
I track the Megane as often as I can manage but it's not a cheap car to run thanks to the size of the tyres (£200 a corner) and it's no lightweight either (so the tyres don't last long and neither do the brake pads!). Mostly though, it's my daily driver and if I had a bump on the track I'd be stuck without a car for a while! My mrs is dying to drive on trackdays with me (she's playing passenger at the moment) so I was thinking a Clio would be a pretty good car to run as a trackday car?
I'm by no means a mechanic, I can change pads, oil ect but anything more would be beyond my knowledge, so anything major would have to go to my local Renault garage. I'm not intending to mod the car, but I will be removing the rear seats and fitting a bolt-in rollcage (so I can refit everything if I sell).
I'd love a 200 in a few years time, but they're just a bit too expensive at the moment. 182's seem to be the best bargains (3.5k for a nice example), but how do the brakes hold up on track? I've noticed the 197 (non Cup) can be had for about 7k too - and by all accounts the brembo's are pretty decent on them? Would a 197 be slightly lower maintenance than a 182 given the age difference?
Bearing in mind my mrs is pretty unexperienced (she's done a supercar experience and we go karting a fair bit, but thats it really), I'm looking for a car that's got pretty predicatable handling and that's easy to catch if you give it a little too much - the Megane is great like this but again it's my daily drive and I'd be stuck without it! Would the 182 or 197 fit the bill here?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I'm a member at Meganesport.net and currently have a Megane 250 Cup.
I track the Megane as often as I can manage but it's not a cheap car to run thanks to the size of the tyres (£200 a corner) and it's no lightweight either (so the tyres don't last long and neither do the brake pads!). Mostly though, it's my daily driver and if I had a bump on the track I'd be stuck without a car for a while! My mrs is dying to drive on trackdays with me (she's playing passenger at the moment) so I was thinking a Clio would be a pretty good car to run as a trackday car?
I'm by no means a mechanic, I can change pads, oil ect but anything more would be beyond my knowledge, so anything major would have to go to my local Renault garage. I'm not intending to mod the car, but I will be removing the rear seats and fitting a bolt-in rollcage (so I can refit everything if I sell).
I'd love a 200 in a few years time, but they're just a bit too expensive at the moment. 182's seem to be the best bargains (3.5k for a nice example), but how do the brakes hold up on track? I've noticed the 197 (non Cup) can be had for about 7k too - and by all accounts the brembo's are pretty decent on them? Would a 197 be slightly lower maintenance than a 182 given the age difference?
Bearing in mind my mrs is pretty unexperienced (she's done a supercar experience and we go karting a fair bit, but thats it really), I'm looking for a car that's got pretty predicatable handling and that's easy to catch if you give it a little too much - the Megane is great like this but again it's my daily drive and I'd be stuck without it! Would the 182 or 197 fit the bill here?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!