How do 197's take miles??

[Knuckles]

Regarding the looks, I think the 200 looks a lot more 'mature' than the 197

 

[Ged]

good few replies there, i think its how you drive it decides the mpg! Gearbox, well that seems hit and miss, and parts, meh, not that much that would be daftly expensive really..

i will probs up my budget and get something on finance if this is the case, i want a nice mint specd belts done 197... has to be better spec than my current mk3 otherwise in my head, its going a bit backwards...

i keep thinking of getting like a VAG 2.0tdi or something, but then i remember, i like driving with spirit and a vag car wont do that justice.

SO, think its going to have to be a 197 for me as the only other thing i wouldn't mind looking at is the new shape CTR, but, still the 197... i want! Totally agree with everyone that says the 200 looks worse than the 197, however it has grown on me... And maybe in a few years the 200 will be the shape to have!

 

[Ged]

Also ^^^^ as regards to maturity of the 200, im not mature, im buying a small french hot hatch to go nuts in occasionally...

 

[Mr Burns]

To summarise then... 197 = Great car, sh!te gearbox.

 

[Lee]

They hold up pretty well. I did 55k in my 197 Cup before chopping it in. It wasn't exactly a trouble free car though, but I suspect that was more it being a Friday afternoon car over anything else. The paint was crap from new (had two panels repainted!), they forgot some of the rubber bungs in the boot so it leaked, then the boot rusted and finally 4th gear went. All covered under warranty though. I'm sure there was something else, but I can't remember what.

Compared to most of my previous Clios, the 197 had a fairly easy life. Even the Recaros were barely worn, but that's probably because I used to get in and out properly!

As for the looks. I still think the front of the 197 looks better than the 200, however it does look dated compared to the the 200. The front of the 200 has some of the aggression that the 197 had.

The 200 is a noticably better drive though.

 

[Lee]

Warranty shmarranty, I took my 2yr old 197 to Renault complaining about the gearbox and they told me to f**k off. So I did, and bought a Japanese car.

If it had been 100% standard I don't reckon they would have turned you away. They did mine, no questions asked and that was just before it hit 3 years old.

You mean you bought a souless breadvan.

 

[Mr Burns]

Regardless of my opinions of the gearbox I'd still have another, nothing else has come so close to ticking all the boxes.

 

[gex23]

Owned mine since last August. In terms of driveability, i'd say it's superior to my old 172 cup - but nowhere near as exciting to drive.

It's getting part ex'd for an R26 later in the year.

 

[Mr Burns]

If it had been 100% standard I don't reckon they would have turned you away. They did mine, no questions asked and that was just before it hit 3 years old.

You mean you bought a souless breadvan.

Mine was standard, bar the coilovers, filter, remap, and rollcage!

Yes I have a souless Honda which I'm looking to change. Can't complain though, it drives like new without any squeaks or rattles with a lovely gearbox even after 80k miles. Shame it's as interesting as Songs Of Praise.

 

[Lee]

Mine was standard, bar the coilovers, filter, remap, and rollcage!

Yes I have a souless Honda which I'm looking to change. Can't complain though, it drives like new without any squeaks or rattles with a lovely gearbox even after 80k miles. Shame it's as interesting as Songs Of Praise.

That's standard round these parts. :approve:

I almost bought one instead of a 172 back on 03, then drove it! I almost traded the Trophy in for a facelifted one in 05, but then drove it. Sweet driving position, decent brakes, lovely gearbox but totally dead steering, and a ride which was just plain stiff.

 

[Mr Burns]

That's standard round these parts. :approve:

I almost bought one instead of a 172 back on 03, then drove it! I almost traded the Trophy in for a facelifted one in 05, but then drove it. Sweet driving position, decent breaks, lovely gearbox but totally dead steering, and a ride which was just plain stiff.

I've got three complaints regarding the EP3...

- Numb electronic steering.
- £270 tax and poor MPG.
- Numb electronic steering.

It's brakes btw.

 

[Knuckles]

To summarise then... 197 = Great car, sh!te gearbox.

Yup.

Ged. That's what I was getting at, the 197 looks like it should IMO, a fun, capable hot hatch

Also. Not that it matters to you, space wise they're a massive step up from the mk2... I'm just over 6foot and could comfortable stand (crouch) behind the recaros.

Although. As a family car Itd be shite. Is it just me whose recaros take some force to slide? With them right forward I still had trouble getting a box in the rear seats today lol

 

[Lee]

I've got three complaints regarding the EP3...

- Numb electronic steering.
- £270 tax and poor MPG.
- Numb electronic steering.

It's brakes btw.

Pedant.

 

[Mr Burns]

Pedant.

How come you're not at work anyway? It's not even midnight!

 

[Martin_172]

your as well with a car out of warranty anyway as the warranty is f**king useless. yes they cover all the common faults but problem is the useless idiots cant fit anything properly, so you get your correctly fitted broken part fitted with an incorrectly fitted working part, its no better!!

my last 2 clios have been in the dealership over 10 times for 3 problems and twice for servicing, on ALL ocassions the car has been handed back to me unsatisfactory and on some ocassions dangerous.

 

[not normal dan]

I'm not a fan of the non manufacture warrentys offered by outside companys. The dealership i used to work for as a mechanic used to sell them an the trouble my old service manager used to have with them agreeing to carry work an pay out claims. We used to have cars sat about for ages waiting for approval for work if at all.