MK1 Clio V6 230 Vs Mk2 Clio V6 255

[Iaing]

First of all I'd like to say hello. Im new to this forum as at present im a Scooby owner looking to change into a v6. I appologise in advance for the millions of questions im away to ask!

Have done a search on here and havent really found the answers im looking for so here goes.

So what are the main differences between the 230 and the 255. Apart from the obvious power what else is there? Speaking of which are the engine internals the same?

I've heard the 255 handles better, what does it have that the earlier v6's dont? Are they worlds apart or can the earlier v6's be set up to handle the same. I'e, coilovers etc.

How much and how often do these things need servicing and at what sort of cost?

Are they reliable / what common faults are there with them?

I believe tuning the v6 is limited due to space restrictions. Is this true?

Fuel consumption isnt really a worry as it cant be any worse than the Subaru.

Finally the burning question, is it worth spending the extra cash (3k on average) on the 255?

Thanks in advance

Iain

 

[MATT BLACK]

keep your scooby

 

[omranyk]

good idea matt

 

[Saner]

You will most likely get more answers to your questions on www.v6clio.net

But there are a few owners on here who should be able to help.

 

[Dash]

keep your scooby

What a way of getting new club members you have lol.

 

[TheJesus]

keep your scooby

pmsl

that's what we like Matt, a straight shooter! tbh I agree, the scooby beats it hands down in all departments apart from looks (unless it's a classic then it's a tough call personally...)

 

[Justin]

Welcome mate, any pics of your scooby?

 

[Mr Melon]

pmsl

that's what we like Matt, a straight shooter! tbh I agree, the scooby beats it hands down in all departments apart from looks (unless it's a classic then it's a tough call personally...)

He hasnt said what Subaru it is... pretty hard to come to that conclusion with out knowing that!

 

[al]

It might be a Justy!

 

[TheJesus]

He hasnt said what Subaru it is... pretty hard to come to that conclusion with out knowing that!

well unless it's a bug eye then. happy? lol

 

[MATT BLACK]

OK here is a sensible reply - the Subaru is the better car...FACT. The mechanicals are far more superior and have more potential for tuning. The clio V6 has an L7X engine which is an old unit that isnt very tuneable. For example a good friend of mine has just bought an 18 month old STi ppp and a guy called "Richard Bulmer" ( renowned tuner in the scooby scene ) has just remapped it to an amazing 360bhp 360lbft. He paid £19k for the car and £700 for the re-map. You cant get that sort of power from a V6 for that money - i know ive tried.

Servicing is extortionate - When i worked at Sunwin Renault in preston you would get charged the sum of £250 for a 1st service ( oil change and level check ) and then they would rip the car to pieces to try and find something else to charge you for - £237 + vat front discs and £195 + vat front pads ( ring a bell you V6 owners ) and its ok saying "well GSF do them for 10p but to keep an official Renault warranty you have to use Genuine parts - so theyve got you by the balls.

The handling - from my experience ( owned 2 ) there crap 255 & 230. A good 172 cup will see one off on a track day no problem.

Fuel consumption - 18 - 25mpg ( had it as low as 12mpg )

Is it worth spending the Extra ££££........one thing about the V6 is it looks the b****cks !! if you want a car to show off in the V is the daddy. If you want a fast road and track car keep the scooby mate.

Common faults...
1 - coil packs ( misfire )
2 - PK6 GEARBOXES ( Absolute crap box and renowned for going wrong ) they fit these in the Laguna 2, Traffic 1.9dci and megane - all have different codes and different design but there crap and implode for fun.

There are a few other minor problems but apart from that there ok - an Independant Specialist would be a lot cheaper on repair work.

If you do buy one take it easy accelerating out of fast bends.

 

[Mr Melon]

If hes thinking about a V6 then its right people warn him they arent as fast as they look but they are hardly slow, but I should imagine its the looks and the chance to own something unique thats drawn him to the V6 in the first place.

 

[cat171]

Quite a good topic this - as i'm prob looking to get either a scooby P1 or a mk1 vee in the next few months.

I was already in favour of the P1, this is sort of confirming my thoughts a bit more.

 

[edde]

There tunning potential but its not cheap I knwo someone who spending a fortune on his, 350hp or so I'd guess when its finished but the costs would push a scoobie to probably 500hp and the scoobie etc would be more reliable. Mike T on here has a 440hp or so superchraged one but the cost is massivly stupid. the box can be fix but again its not cheap Mike T runs a sequnchail one now I think from a race series but day to day it would be a pain probably the stock ones not to bad though depends like most things how you drive.

Engine differences are different head exhaust cat I think cams maybe its not huge realy.
Engine are realy the same.

The 255hp cars have different suframes i think and different track etc it depends hwo you drive though the Mk1's had a habit for biting hard when they went past the limit the Mk2's better but still depends how you drive. With enought money the V6 could be made to hande well but thats a a fair bit its not that bad though. The porblem is its a Laguna drove up the back of a Clio everythings from a Laguna.

Servicing rules are here its the same as the 172/182's
http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=107873

 

[Dash]

Reading on a Ford forum "Scooby/Evo owners are just boring loudmouths" I guess "v6 owners are simply weirdos"

It made me chuckle.

 

[Clio_V6_255]

Well I have owned both a modified scoob and now a V6 255.

Totally different cars. Take one for a test drive don't rely on others views. TBH far too much biased rubbish is spouted about the V6.

Have a look at one in the flesh, take it for a long test drive and you'll either love it or look for something else.

Peter

 

[Clio_V6_255]

OK here is a sensible reply - the Subaru is the better car...FACT. The mechanicals are far more superior and have more potential for tuning. The clio V6 has an L7X engine which is an old unit that isnt very tuneable. For example a good friend of mine has just bought an 18 month old STi ppp and a guy called "Richard Bulmer" ( renowned tuner in the scooby scene ) has just remapped it to an amazing 360bhp 360lbft. He paid £19k for the car and £700 for the re-map. You cant get that sort of power from a V6 for that money - i know ive tried.

Servicing is extortionate - When i worked at Sunwin Renault in preston you would get charged the sum of £250 for a 1st service ( oil change and level check ) and then they would rip the car to pieces to try and find something else to charge you for - £237 + vat front discs and £195 + vat front pads ( ring a bell you V6 owners ) and its ok saying "well GSF do them for 10p but to keep an official Renault warranty you have to use Genuine parts - so theyve got you by the balls.

The handling - from my experience ( owned 2 ) there crap 255 & 230. A good 172 cup will see one off on a track day no problem.

Fuel consumption - 18 - 25mpg ( had it as low as 12mpg )

Is it worth spending the Extra ££££........one thing about the V6 is it looks the b****cks !! if you want a car to show off in the V is the daddy. If you want a fast road and track car keep the scooby mate.

Common faults...
1 - coil packs ( misfire )
2 - PK6 GEARBOXES ( Absolute crap box and renowned for going wrong ) they fit these in the Laguna 2, Traffic 1.9dci and megane - all have different codes and different design but there crap and implode for fun.

There are a few other minor problems but apart from that there ok - an Independant Specialist would be a lot cheaper on repair work.

If you do buy one take it easy accelerating out of fast bends.

A lot of truth there but the servicing part is rubbish. Intervals on the V6 are longer and services are cheaper!

UK Scoob turbo's have a 6months service interval! I owned one for 3 years so know the intervals! The Vee is every year or 12K miles! Plus the Subaru maindealer services prices are MORE than the Vee at a Renault dealer. Subaru services were usually over £300. Renault approx £250(ish). Parts are more on the Vee cos its not a volume car.

Peter

 

[gonch]

Depends what your after mate, drive down the road for 5 miles and see 10 subaru's, we all know how many Vee's you will see, thats the difference, and lets be honest subaru's are not that nice too look at.
Run with the ugly crowd or be different ?
The subaru is a well built car no doubt but hang on i thought this was a clio enthusiast web site?, i suggest you defend a unique quality motor that renault had the balls to produce.

 

[edde]

A lot of truth there but the servicing part is rubbish. Intervals on the V6 are longer and services are cheaper!

UK Scoob turbo's have a 6months service interval! I owned one for 3 years so know the intervals! The Vee is every year or 12K miles! Plus the Subaru maindealer services prices are MORE than the Vee at a Renault dealer. Subaru services were usually over £300. Renault approx £250(ish). Parts are more on the Vee cos its not a volume car.

Peter

Matt used to work there he should know. I don't knwo what your on about he being wrong though I cannot see where he said its ever 6k etc.
12k serviving which is quite often IMO depends what your used to.

 

[steveV6]

Get a 1.2 16v Clio Campus........it's the way forward!!!!

 

[chunktrophy]

12k service cost me 105 quid plus 2 new wiper blades, get a price b4 they commit to the work!! its only a laguna engine after all!!!

going from a v6 to a trophy the v6 is far from a perfect car but every1 should own one at some point in there life!!! do it while you can, i think i may go back to a mk2 v6 at some point in the future!!

 

[Clio_V6_255]

Matt used to work there he should know. I don't knwo what your on about he being wrong though I cannot see where he said its ever 6k etc.
12k serviving which is quite often IMO depends what your used to.

As I said lots of good accurate stuff in the post BUT some was totally wrong. I'm not arguing about the info on the Renault. BUT the Subaru servicing is MORE money for each service and they are MORE often, both in time and mileage terms. Hence when comparing cars saying the Vee "Servicing is extortionate" is mis-leading. The subaru is more. I know I have owned them both.

I can't remember exactly but the scoob was every 7,500miles (or as stated 6months). Thats a killer! £600-£700 per year in servicing! The Clio on the other hand would be £250-£300.

Peter.

 

[John V6]

Having owned both of them and driven them over a many miles I can state that the V6 is a lot cheaper to run.

The service costs quoted above are far in excess of what I have had to pay every 12k for the V6.

Over coming up to 70k miles the average has been 30 m.p.g. due to the lenght of journies and mostly motorways.

The only real thing that has gone wrong are two coils and Renault replaced all of them the last time.

I am led to belive that there was a bad batch and it has been sorted.

The V6 is not a track car but is suited to the journies that I do and has covered the miles in a bit of comfort.

I have owned my V6 for the longest period of time of any of the cars I have owned over the last 52 years so that must say some thing. it is now 3.5 years old.

I seem to remember the SWcooby was a lot more to maintain, I know the service intervals have been changed since I owned mine, also it went through tyres at a rate of knots and also fuel. They are different cars, pays your money for which one you like and suits you the best.

 

[Jay]

I want a mk2 Vee.......

 

[SimonV6]

I would never buy a jap car, I have never forgiven them for the way they treated my grandad in WWII.......




Simon

 

[jongsr4]

Ive just got myself a scoob, after having a 172 Cup and a few Evos, and i can totally see the point of going for the V6 over the Jap saloons, sure they are very fast, stick to the road like anything but they have no character IMO of course, they do everything so well that they are kind of boring...all though for some reason ive owned 4 of them now lol (i keep getting drawn back to the power! and then miss the fun of the hot hatch...bit of a viscious circle really)

Dont get me wrong..the Jap saloons are great (especially the early Evos IMO) and are far quicker than the V6, but i expect you could probably have a lot more fun in the V6

 

[Clio_V6_255]

...As said average performance put it against an EVO (same catagory of car) it would get anialated........

"same category of car":S

One is a small hatchback. Mid engined. Rear wheel drive. 3ltr V6 N/A.
One is a mid-sized 4 door saloon. Front engine. 4 wheel drive. 2ltr inline4 turbo.

They are totally different cars!

Peter

 

[Englebert]

The EVO and the scoob are bigger icons than the V already.....

Also you will find there are 4 other that have the same if my maths are correct.

To be fair they are only iconic cars too uber geeks and 40 year olds who still wear baseball caps. A Ferrari wouldn't say "ooh, there goes a Soobaroo!", but they might look twice at a V6...

I personally wouldn't get either cars. I'd get an NSX. But i would say that :rasp:

 

[RobHardyUK]

The v6 is all about getting looked at, and being specialist. Its a enthusiasts car. Not just in terms of driving, but owning to.

 

[miketheman2k]

Let's put this simply:

• V6 owners can go to the Goodwood Supercar Breakfast Club.
• Evo/Scoob owners can't.

Debate that

 

[ant_v6]

I wouldn't quite go that far, it is no Ferrari. Interestingly though the Kosovans at the car wash I used in central London on Friday were calling it the 'Ferrari special'. It is a car that captures the imagination.

No question a Scooby is faster and much easier to drive. They just don't do it for me. I'm not knocking them though – if they float your boat then they are an amazing car.

The Vee is really good value now. A limited production, handbuilt, mid-engined sports car that can be had for £9k. The better respected MK2 start at around £15k and providing they are not driven hard are pretty reasonable to run; a service around £200. But you have to consider the other costs; back tyres at £188 each (mine manage 5,000 miles before they need replacing), fronts are not much better, brake pads £300 (£90 if you don't buy them from Renault), 3.0 petrol costs (I get 15MPG but have seen it go as low as 9).

Given that lot I still think they are a good buy for what you get. They seem to sit somewhere around the TVR area for me in terms of peers. Certainly more of a drivers car than things like the R32 or TT that were similar money new – it is a very specialised and passionate bit of kit.

They are not rocket ships but are quick cars and the handling, at least from my experience with the MK2, excellent. A rewarding car to drive on both road and track.

When I was buying mine I was considering both and think the 'pros' on the side of the MK2 tipped in its favour. Both cracking little cars though.

It is not all about outright speed. If it was we'd all be driving Mitsubarus. Although it really does escape me why anyone would want to stick 400BHP in a front wheel drive car? You'd have to be an utter halfwit.

 

[jongsr4]

Unfortunately I think that the Evo is the car that the (for want of a better word) chavs will give more respect, certainly i found that in my experience with them anyway.

but apart from that, its not about how fast each car is, its about the way it drives, the V6 will drive in a different way to the mitz/scoob, neither is better than the other in my opinion, they just do different things, if you judge it purely on performance then your gonna pick the evo/scoob no question but if you want something a bit different, with character and a nice engine note, then go for the V6

 

[Dash]

How about we ignore all the rubbish and answer Iains question? "what are the main differences between the 230 and the 255?"

 

[SimonV6]

Amazed how a new guy comes to a CLIOSPORT site to ask the main differences between a 230 and 255 Clio and gets 45 replies and 352 views of WHY NOT to buy a CLIOSPORT from an ex EVO owner who has never owned a 230 or 255.....pmsl at this place....


Simon

 

[ant_v6]

230
– Original car and as such has a bit more of a classic feel about it
– They are much cheaper to buy (as they are older)
– Mostly silver
– Has a question mark over its 'on the limit handling'
– Jenson Button had one

255
– Revised styling (arguably not as pretty)
– Better equipment and better interior
– More power (so is faster)
– Handling sorted out (although can still be a handful at the very limit to the inexperienced)
– Mostly blue
– Fernando Alonso had one

And for EVOgone
Mitsubaru
Faster
Lots of electronics
4WD
Looks like a Japanese saloon who's owner has a Halford's card
Popular choice with lots of others on the road to wave to
'Chavs' drive them

 

[davo172cup]

i love both cars and have not owned either! u have to think about wot u will mainly be using the car for? is it going to be just yourself and possibly one other or are u going to have 3-4 people in the car on a regular occation? currently i have a 172 cup and although it is very good i still find myself torn between changing to either a V6 of scoob/evo. im not looking at which one has the most street cred or which one goes the fastest because its not all about going fast,with the amount of police and cameras out there its prob not such a good idea to drive like an F1/rally driver, or wot people think of ur car!
to answer ur question, im not sure about the common faults have not owned either but i have driven both and can say that the 225 felt alot more planted on the limit than the 230, neather car is slow but the 255 did feel slightly quicker and held a corner better than the 230, but they both had amazing exhaust notes which brought a big grin to my face everytime i pushed down the accelerator, it depends on ur style of driving to which one u consider.
the the visual differences are nothing really as imo i think both the 230 and 255 look equally gorgeous!
take both for a decent test drive and see which one suits u best!

 

[jongsr4]

In 'real world' driving is there a noticable difference between the MK1 and MK2 V6?

 

[Dash]

In 'real world' driving is there a noticable difference between the MK1 and MK2 V6?

Not so noticable. Many MK 1 and MK 2 owners feel their car drives very similar to the MK 2. I found the MK 1 handled better at high speeds and the MK 2 sounds better at high speeds.

Great wee cars both of them.

 

[KarlosFandango]

I think the only time you will notice a difference in handling is when pushing. 90% time they will feel very similar.

 

[ukaskew]

This is shocking to be honest and does the club no favours. The guy is interested in a Vee, get over it, as CLIOsport members we should be here to help, but as it is I'd suggest heading over to V6clio.net. I always go back to the comment a certain Mr Clarkson made about the 255, "in my top 10 garage of all time, I'd have one of these, no question"