New member - debating between a 330i beemer and a Cliosport 182

[Medic-one]

Hello guys, new member here.

I've currently got a Mitsubishi 3000GT (plently of mods, running just over 500 BPH) and a boring 1.0 liter Vauxhall Corsa, which is the misses car.

But i'm kinda fed up with both.

I've had GTO's for over 4 years now, and had a great time with them, they're twin turbo, 4wheel drive, and very fast, but also very heavy, and have a lot of electronics that can and will go wrong. My current one has been off the road quite a few times recently which means i'm having to use the misses boring corsa.

We've recently bought our first house and now that i finally have a garage i will be selling the GT and buying the TVR chimaera i've always wanted, which will be our weekend/fun car.

I also want to change the corsa for something a bit more fun to drive, which would then be our every day "run around" car, and i've been looking at either a BMW E46 coupe (330i) or a Cliosport 172/182.

I like the look of the 182 better then the 172 because of the exhaust pipes, so the 182 would be my first choice.

Does anyone on here drive both a beemer and a 182 by any chance and can tell me a bit how they differ in day to day usage, or if not, how are people finding a 182 for day to day use ?

I live a 10 minute walk away from work, and the misses commutes to London by train (and never actually drives, she's probably driven her corsa twice in the last 3 years) so we don't need to use the car for commuting.


The GT (or TVR in a few months) will be the fun/weekends away car, but i also want something a little bit fun to drive around town and to the shops etc. You guys recon a 182 would be suitable for that ? I have to admit i've never even sat in one, so would love to hear some driver experiences. Ta!

 

[Brian]

Hello and welcome from the ClioSport Admin Team

 

[Mar172]

Welcome mate a nice 3000gt you have

 

[welshname]

Welcome. Lots of people on here have had a 172/182 and then have gone on to 330 ownership. A lot have then gone back to 172/182 ownership so I'm sure there will be someone willing to give you some advice.

 

[Saner]

Quite a few members have had both, hopefully they will see this!

 

[sbridgey]

I've had a e36 328i and a 172. So not exactly what your after but I'd buy a 172/182 if I were you, they are much more fun and more Eco

 

[Mr Burns]

182 sounds ideal on your situation dude, and they're great on fuel too compared to cars of the same spec.

 

[Bluebeard]

A 330ci is a great car, i've had a few, but it isn't fun. At all. Great for cruising, great for lots of stuff but it's too big and too heavy to be proper 'fun'.

In your situation, i'd have a clio. Tbh, I can't think of a situation where I wouldn't have a clio.

 

[AdDaMan]

And for me, if i had a TVR in the garage id defo have a 330 over a 182 for the week. No question.

 

[Filippo]

I can see your dilemma. Both really similar cars. Have you thought about a Volvo V70 too? Or maybe a Smart Car?

 

[W M Autos]

I've owned plenty of bmw's e46's and e36's and driven many more and can honestly say the e46 is one of the most boring to drive. They look good, are good value for money and very reliable but you never really get excited when driving them. Even the m3's don't feel that fast to be honest as they're just too heavy.

I currently have a 46 cabriolet and my clio cup so I'm not being biased.

 

[AdDaMan]

I can see your dilemma. Both really similar cars. Have you thought about a Volvo V70 too? Or maybe a Smart Car?

LOL!! Both similar cars? are you mad?

 

[chris_p]

330 is a great everyday car, all round good car but doesn't excel in the fun department. It's a good cruiser.

The 182 is fun to drive if you like to use revs and thow it around corners, it has very sensible costs all round. They can be frustrating if you've previously had more torque and the build quality is fairly poor.

A good compromise is a bmw z4 3.0 tbh. It's shares the merits of both cars, yet none of the downfalls. Not a perfect car as it's not the last word in practicality, but if you don't need rear seats and don't mind the low driving position they're a superb car.

 

[Filippo]

LOL!! Both similar cars? are you mad?

Sarcasm my boy. Quite obvious too.

 

[AdDaMan]

Oh. My bad.

 

[Medic-one]

Welcome mate a nice 3000gt you have

Cheers! Despite it's problems i do love this car, and have had so much fun with it over the years.

As well as part of the GTO UK club i'm a member of a couple other clubs as well and enjoy going to events/hoons etc.

I've had a e36 328i and a 172. So not exactly what your after but I'd buy a 172/182 if I were you, they are much more fun and more Eco

I did look at a few e36 ones (all 328i convertible, as i don't like the coupe that much) but the misses says we don't need to convertibles (tvr and the 328i i showed her), and that's when the idea of the E46 coupe evolved.

A 330ci is a great car, i've had a few, but it isn't fun. At all. Great for cruising, great for lots of stuff but it's too big and too heavy to be proper 'fun'.

In your situation, i'd have a clio. Tbh, I can't think of a situation where I wouldn't have a clio.

Cheers for that! It's fun i'm after!

And for me, if i had a TVR in the garage id defo have a 330 over a 182 for the week. No question.

May i ask, just out of curiosity why you'd have the beemer, is it mainly for comfort ?

Like i said, i can walk to work, and the misses takes the train, so this car will be mainly used for my 1.5 mile commute to work when it rains and to do the weekly shopping.

I can see your dilemma. Both really similar cars. Have you thought about a Volvo V70 too? Or maybe a Smart Car?

We got V70's at work, and apart from being good in a straight line with your foot down, they're not that exciting to drive, they feel big and heavy.

330 is a great everyday car, all round good car but doesn't excel in the fun department. It's a good cruiser.

The 182 is fun to drive if you like to use revs and thow it around corners, it has very sensible costs all round. They can be frustrating if you've previously had more torque and the build quality is fairly poor.

A good compromise is a bmw z4 3.0 tbh. It's shares the merits of both cars, yet none of the downfalls. Not a perfect car as it's not the last word in practicality, but if you don't need rear seats and don't mind the low driving position they're a superb car.

I did look at the Z4 briefly, but the chimaera is a two seater as well, so we'd rather have at least 1 other car that can fit a couple more people in.

But reading through most of the comments so far, i think a 182 is the car i'm after.

It'll be fun to drive and thrown around corners, easier to drive for the misses as it's the same size as her corsa, we can fit people in the back, and groceries in the boot.

I think a 182 will be a great replacement for the boring 1.0 corsa we have, and still be practical alongside the tvr.

So all i need to do now is sell the corsa and find a nice blue 182....

 

[Tim.]

I drive an E46 330i, albeit in Touring guise, and I've also got a 182 Trophy.

It's pretty much all been covered but the two are totally incomparable. The Beemer wafts along in sixth gear and the smooth delivery of the straight six gives smiles, and so does the noise, but it's more of a smug smile of comfort rather than the teenage grin I get when I drive the Trophy. The Clio in comparison is a pretty raw driving experience - lovely handling, an engine which likes to be revved, and a chassis which gives back what you put in. I'm sure it's equally happy to be the runabout, but mine is a pure weekend car.

The thing is, I think you might be surprised owning both the Clio and a Chimaera. Sure, the TVR will give you immense aural pleasure, but the enjoyment you'll get from a spirited drive in a 182 might have you deciding which car to take out for a drive for a few more seconds than you think.

Enjoy it when you find one.

 

[McGherkin]

1. 3000GT > Clio/BMW. Love them.

2. Personally I'd choose the BMW (Well, I'm more of a Merc man but that's irrelevant), because the TVR is what you want for fun, and you need a practical car for the rest of the time. The Clio is a good all rounder so if you didn't have the TVR I'd suggest it, but if you are looking to have seperate cars for seperate purposes then the BMW is a better daily.

 

[Medic-one]

I've made my decision and decided to go for the Clio instead of a beemer. I think it will be a great little car alongside my GT and in a few months alongside the TVR.

I've just joined the club as a paid member as well and will start looking for a nice blue 182 now! :race: Cheers for all the input guys.

 

[DanH7]

I've made my decision and decided to go for the Clio instead of a beemer. I think it will be a great little car alongside my GT and in a few months alongside the TVR.

I've just joined the club as a paid member as well and will start looking for a nice blue 182 now! :race: Cheers for all the input guys.

I think you've made a good choice, as a newly paid member also I say hi and welcome. I'm on the look out for a Blue/Black 172/182 but on a tight budget.

 

[Darren S]

I've made my decision and decided to go for the Clio instead of a beemer. I think it will be a great little car alongside my GT and in a few months alongside the TVR.

I've just joined the club as a paid member as well and will start looking for a nice blue 182 now! :race: Cheers for all the input guys.

Well done on the choice! Are you going for the arctic blue 182 or the racing blue 182 Cup? Or even, the uber-rare petrol blue?

I know Essex is a long way from Scotland - but if you can make it up there with your new purchase, you'll get a real sense of what they are about. I did a road-trip right to the northern tip of Scotland a few years back with a mate of mine. I went in the 182, him in his 172. Superb holiday - great roads too - and neither car put a foot wrong.

D.

 

[Tim.]

I know Essex is a long way from Scotland - but if you can make it up there with your new purchase, you'll get a real sense of what they are about. I did a road-trip right to the northern tip of Scotland a few years back with a mate of mine. I went in the 182, him in his 172. Superb holiday - great roads too - and neither car put a foot wrong.

Is your trip documented anywhere? I'd love to read more about it if it is.

 

[Darren S]

Is your trip documented anywhere? I'd love to read more about it if it is.

There you go, m8!

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...t-of-blatant-Clio-pic-wh0rage-)&highlight=run

D.

 

[Tim.]

There you go, m8!

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...t-of-blatant-Clio-pic-wh0rage-)&highlight=run

D.

Good man Bobby D

 

[Snake182]

Welcome to ClioSport and good choice

 

[Chip-mk1]

BMW much more comft on long journeys, and I guess a better image, 182 far better on fuel.

Depends what matters to you.

For country lanes or trackdays its not comparison IMHO

 

[Medic-one]

Well done on the choice! Are you going for the arctic blue 182 or the racing blue 182 Cup? Or even, the uber-rare petrol blue?

I know Essex is a long way from Scotland - but if you can make it up there with your new purchase, you'll get a real sense of what they are about. I did a road-trip right to the northern tip of Scotland a few years back with a mate of mine. I went in the 182, him in his 172. Superb holiday - great roads too - and neither car put a foot wrong.

There you go, m8!

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...t-of-blatant-Clio-pic-wh0rage-)&highlight=run

D.

I didn't even know there were 3 kinds of blue! I think i prefer the lighter blue over the dark one.

And a Scotland trip has been on the cards since i've bought my first GTO about 5 years ago, just never got to it. Love the photo's and still want to do it one day, though not sure in which car yet...

BMW much more comft on long journeys, and I guess a better image, 182 far better on fuel.

Depends what matters to you.

For country lanes or trackdays its not comparison IMHO

I've got a weekend car for the longer journey's, the Clio is just gonna be used to get to the local shops and occaisional the 5 minute drive to work. If i'd had a long daily commute i probably would have gone for the beemer.

 

[l33th3tr33]

1. 3000GT > Clio/BMW. Love them.

2. Personally I'd choose the BMW (Well, I'm more of a Merc man but that's irrelevant), because the TVR is what you want for fun, and you need a practical car for the rest of the time. The Clio is a good all rounder so if you didn't have the TVR I'd suggest it, but if you are looking to have seperate cars for seperate purposes then the BMW is a better daily.

I'll see if I can dig out the photos of my dads old one, he chopped it in for the landy, very cool car.

 

[hdsn555]

There you go, m8!

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...t-of-blatant-Clio-pic-wh0rage-)&highlight=run

D.

What a great read! would love to do something like this! never been past carlisle.

 

[t0mmy]

I've had a e36 328i and a 172. So not exactly what your after but I'd buy a 172/182 if I were you, they are much more fun and more Eco

As above, I've had a E36 328i and now own a 172 Cup, before this owning a Williams to add to the pot.

The BMW looks awesome, is smooth as silk to drive, feels executive, built like tanks and are fast in the top end but personally, excitement never comes into it unless you go drifting. However that is another kettle of fish entirely.

The fast Clios on the other hand are almost the opposite, there will be a new noise every week.. something will always be wrong with it wether it is minor or not, the interiors are plastic and to the point rather than luxurious living rooms like the beemers. However they are the most fun I have had in a car, fast with great handling, best looking hatch personally.. a car that you have to 'get to know', and you will, because you'll be fixing/modifying it all the time.

Overall, if it is largely not needed for commuting get the Clio, as that was built for fun. The BMW was built for a businessman getting to meetings.

I love my 172, get one.

 

[Corby G]

There you go, m8!

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...t-of-blatant-Clio-pic-wh0rage-)&highlight=run

D.

Just looked at this, Lovely roads. I want to do something like this soon!

 

[McGherkin]

I'll see if I can dig out the photos of my dads old one, he chopped it in for the landy, very cool car.

Good boy.

There's a fella in work with a Starion Turbo too, well jel.

 

[Medic-one]

I love my 172, get one.

Got this 182 last week

 

[t0mmy]

Got this 182 last week

Looks mint!

Race ya.

 

[Medic-one]

Race ya.

Only if i can bring my GT, so i'm sure i'm gonna win

 

[AdDaMan]

Did you buy it from Sebastian Loeb?!

 

[Chip-mk1]

Did you buy it from Sebastian Loeb?!

I thought that too when I saw the plate, lol.



Nice car

 

[Medic-one]

Did you buy it from Sebastian Loeb?!

No the previous owner was called "Deb" so i assume Oeb stands for Deb...

She has taken that plate with her though, so i've just got a normal reg at the moment.

 

[ParisPeach]

Another essex person put your name down for the southend meet end of the month.