Had my 182 5 days now now so Ill throw in my two penorth.
I also drove the Honda CTR and the Mini Cooper S but plumped for the 182 as I think its a better all round package and much better value. Also the 182 IMHO looks miles better. I got a great deal too - I went to my local dealer and showed them the best internet price for a UK car and they beat it by £300 and they had one in stock - in the colour I wanted with both Cup packs. It would have been rude not to buy it! From first enquiry to OTR in five days (sorry if youre waiting for delivery - it is worth the wait though).
Compared with my BMW Coupe (part exchanged) the ride (with Cup Suspension) is a bit firmer and more jiggly but the payback in grip, cornering adjustability, grip, fun, grin factor, grip etc is well worth it - did I mention the grip? Its fantastic!. A to B the 182 is really fast - before the BM I had a Lancia Integrale Evo (aka money pit) and the 182 is right up there with it as a ground eating machine. The acceleration beyond 5K is excellent and the induction/exhaust noise that accompanies makes the whole blast through the gears addictive. And because the Clio is small its difficult not to indulge in cheeky small-gap overtakes. The brakes are excellent too - a corollary of the low(ish) weight I guess.
Top gear (the ratio not the magazine or TV programme) is a bit low and motorways feel a bit buzzy but its a good excuse to take the scenic route and exploit the handling (and excellent grip!).
Build quality so far seems ok although I seem to have the usual clunks etc. Its really useful to know through this forum that they are to be expected but I reckon we should be pressuring the dealers to sort them out. If its any consolation to those frustrated by the niggles the 182 is much better than the new 51 plate Mini Cooper my wife had. It was a POS and eventually had to be rejected - self opening windows/doors, pulled to the left (suspension leg twisting apparently although BMW told me it was the road camber), squeaky seats that wouldnt return to position, misaligned door trim, different curvature (magnification) door mirrors, dodgy boot lock etc etc to say nothing of the wheezy gutless Brazilian built power plant. I feel better now - having got that off my chest!
The only real downside to owning the Clio Ive noticed so far is the attention it gets from ****heads in bodykit Corsas/Fiestas/Saxos. I want to get one of those LED signs the police use in their patrol cars Back off you t**ser...
I wont go on any further as its all been said elsewhere in the (excellent)forum. The enthusiam shown here demonstrates what a great car the Clio is - Long Live King Clio
