My 197 Test Drive

[al]

The kind folks at Harratts Renault in Wakefield let me go out for a little thrash in their 197 demo car today.

The car was black with a "few" options on it and had done 2000 miles so then engine should be well on it's way to being "run in".

All in all, it was an excellent car to drive although the steering did feel a little "gay" even compared to my 1.6.

Overall power was good, probably helped by the 6 speed box that unfortunetly felt a little bit too clunky, and I was forever chaning gear, TBH though it didn't quite feel as good a drive as a 172.

The handling was pretty good and the brakes we're s**t hot although i'm not sure how balanced they are being as I managed to get the back end out a bit under braking :S which a bit of opposite lock sorted

The salesman told me that Renault weren't allowing ANY discounts and would only be building 3000 per year. He said he'd got a black one ready to go from Renault in a couple of weeks with MP3 player, but at £16,500 I declined his offer!!!

It's a fantastic car i'll give it that and a completely different beast to the current/last RS but for the price they are asking, it's just way too much.

Ta, Al.

P.S. Pics to follow.........and I owned a Scooby in it!

 

[sw1]

You can get loads of discounts, broadspeed give a £1700 off. I specced one up with everything on apart from metallic paint and tinted windows for 16.6K, over 18K at the dealers.

Same as as uk-car-discount and drive the deal, I have also used drive the deal to buy a MK V golf GTi, brilliant service with massive discount.

These places are all UK cars

 

[Gaz]

 

[al]

You can get loads of discounts, broadspeed give a £1700 off. I specced one up with everything on apart from metallic paint and tinted windows for 16.6K, over 18K at the dealers.

Yep, I knew that Just showing typical dealer bullshit

 

[sw1]

Nice, I have seen one in red and love it, might get one but not from a dealers

 

[al]

I'd advise a test drive first

 

[Gaz]

The back seats were hard and a lack of surport also, i was chucked around alot, on the plus side there was plenty of head and knee room even for my 6ft body.

 

[al]

I was chucked around alot.

Yeah sorry!

 

[seb]

i was offered one for 14.6k form my local dealer. still too much imo.

 

[sw1]

Thats not bad, I only want it as a work runner and I think it's quite a resaonable price wit the discount, I have a 172 at the mo due to driving 80 miles a day, chopped in my MK V golf GTi due to the mileage I was putting on it.

Was going to get the new TT but driving a 28K car 80 miles a day will kill the value plus I have just brought a new house, the 197 like my 172 looks like a fun little car at a reasonable price IMO.

I am 29 though so I respect my situation may be different to a lot of people on here financially. It's cheeky how they have made a lot of 172 standard features options.

 

[seb]

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=153674

my thread on my experience of the 197 and the rpice i got.

 

[al]

It's cheeky how they have made a lot of 172 standard features options.

I think thats the bit that really bugged me!

 

[sw1]

Yep but it's still a good spec compared to VW and BMW, I have first hand experience or their options list robbery.

I've had two 172's now as so called temp car but alwasy end up keeping them as they are so great.

First time got shot of 1.5 year old BMW 325ci sport convertible, was amazed out how good the clio was, the options I got on the clio for free cost over £1800 on the BMW

And now I have a black 03 plate.

I thought the 197 looked awesome and is amazing value for money, I don't thrash them really just like to get out fast on roundbouts etc so i'm happy with the performance stats on the 197.

 

[al]

I wouldn't call the 197 "value for money"

The Meggy 225 is

 

[sw1]

A guy at work has a black one at it looks really good actually. Do you know if the new renaults have better build quality. Did you like the 197 build quality when you drove it?

 

[Gaz]

I was in the back and there were some rattles from the plastics already.

 

[al]

A guy at work has a black one at it looks really good actually. Do you know if the new renaults have better build quality. Did you like the 197 build quality when you drove it?

The build quality was MILES better!! Still a couple of rattles tho.

 

[rich[182]]

Was at wakey harrats last week, only saw the red one in the showroom though, salesman told me they'd def do discounts too

 

[al]

The black on was round the back in the yard.

Which salesman did you speak to? I was with Mike (I think)

Said that if Renault caught a dealer giving discounts they would have there 197 privilages removed :S (hmm.... dealer BS?)

 

[Gaz]

I just think Renault salesman just talk s**t some times

 

[tameracingdriver]

Its a Renault. You can guarantee they will be discounted in the end. £16k is too much for a 2-litre Clio with nothing special about it particularly (unlike say, a Trophy).

 

[Gaz]

Very ture

 

[al]

Its a Renault. You can guarantee they will be discounted in the end. £16k is too much for a 2-litre Clio with nothing special about it particularly (unlike say, a Trophy).

Depends on wether its true of not that they're only making 3000 a year.

Althought I wonder how many 182's they made per year?