New to the clio sport whats best to buy

[Sportscarmad]

Hi all I'm Chris I have a Clio 1.1 2008 Ripcurl wanting something sporty good ish on fuel but fun

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

Hi all I'm Chris I have a Clio 1.1 2008 Ripcurl wanting something sporty good ish on fuel but fun

Hi mate welcome along. Are you thinking of sticking with a Clio? Or something else?

 

[Sportscarmad]

Hi mate welcome along. Are you thinking of sticking with a Clio? Or something else?

Love my clio tbh just a bit slow lol iv heard the 197 and 200 etc have lots of faults and some say a nightmare to own so if there is a model less prone to problems that's great iv had many other cars inc a cooper s and a John Cooper works vauxhauls etc now a Clio and for the room and the big boot and nice drive you can't get better for cheapness I don't think

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

Love my clio tbh just a bit slow lol iv heard the 197 and 200 etc have lots of faults and some say a nightmare to own so if there is a model less prone to problems that's great iv had many other cars inc a cooper s and a John Cooper works vauxhauls etc now a Clio and for the room and the big boot and nice drive you can't get better for cheapness I don't think

The 197 and 200 are quite thirsty for the performance they offer. If you don't mind going a touch older then a good 182 will offer all the fun you need, and will do 35-40mpg+ when needed

 

[Sportscarmad]

The 197 and 200 are quite thirsty for the performance they offer. If you don't mind going a touch older then a good 182 will offer all the fun you need, and will do 35-40mpg+ when needed

That's good I don't mind I mean a Cooper s does about 37 a JCW does about 30 mpg my current Clio I drive it at 50 all the time well on roads 50/ mph and over I'm getting 550/ miles to a tank its the 55 litre fuel tank works out at about 47.6 mog or something lol

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

The 197/200 aren't as bad as some make out. Mine averages around 33mpg, which isn't bad for a 190-odd bhp 2.0-litre car in reality. The 172/182 is a bit better on fuel, as it's a tiny, light little thing, but the 197/200 is a nicer every day car in my view, as it's a bit bigger and nicer inside.

I think it's all about what you want really. If you want something small and raw, the 172/182 is the one to go for. If you want a bit more of an all-rounder, but still something that is a good drive, go for the 197/200.

You can't go wrong with either really though

 

[Coops Mk1]

Personal choice thing too, the 197/200 drive better really but imo the interiors are hideous and running costs are higher. I've run my 182 daily for 8 years now and wouldn't even consider changing to another Clio. If I wanted a more grown up drive, I'd buy a saab

 

[Sportscarmad]

Personal choice thing too, the 197/200 drive better really but imo the interiors are hideous and running costs are higher. I've run my 182 daily for 8 years now and wouldn't even consider changing to another Clio. If I wanted a more grown up drive, I'd buy a saab

How many miles do you think these 182 and 197 and 200 engines are good for before there classed as done and knackerd as most these cars for sale have like 80,000 plus miles on them which I'm not sure is High for the engine as seems weird that there is a lot of them for sale with that many miles on them is that when they start going wrong etc

 

[Coops Mk1]

Mines on 213k original engine and gearbox and runs a treat still. Use it daily and occasional trackday so I'd say zero worries provided looked after and maintained well

 

[Sportscarmad]

Mines on 213k original engine and gearbox and runs a treat still. Use it daily and occasional trackday so I'd say zero worries provided looked after and maintained well

213 BMW told me when I had my cooper s in 2014 the engine was good for around 200.000 miles then they advise a new one

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

My 172 was on about 145k when I sold it. It still drove fine. They seem to take the miles ok if they're looked after.

 

[Sportscarmad]

So daft question but what are the main problems or things that go wrong with the 197/200

 

[New2RS]

I took a ride in a members car last year, it was a 172 showing over 270k on the clock. Pulled like a train. He’s a very good mechanic but if you know a very good mechanic there’s no reason you can’t do the same.

 

[Sportscarmad]

I took a ride in a members car last year, it was a 172 showing over 270k on the clock. Pulled like a train. He’s a very good mechanic but if you know a very good mechanic there’s no reason you can’t do the same.

What are the common problems or things that fail the most with the 197 /200

 

[New2RS]

What are the common problems or things that fail the most with the 197 /200

Sorry mate, I don’t know anything about mk3 Clio’s. Still working the mk2’s out

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

The main additional thing with the 197/200 is the twin pivot front suspension. This means there are some extra ball joints in the front end. To have these replaced by Renault is very expensive (about £1k per side), as they replace the whole hub, but you can buy the ball joints seperately and have them fitted by a specialist. I think it's about £350 per side if I recall correctly, but it's not something you're going to be doing often, so I wouldn't worry too much personally. The rest of the suspension is all pretty reasonably priced. You can buy all the suspension bits from Renault Parts Direct and they're not really any more expensive than for a 1*2.

The other big thing is the gearbox, which can wear synchros. This was a big deal when the cars were new, as it happened at pretty low miles in some cases. Mine crunches into third a little if you really rush the shift but, in normal use, it's absolutely fine. There are plenty of people out there that can sort it. It's a well known problem and still gets a bit of attention, but it is worth remembering that the gearbox in the 1*2 isn't all that good either. My 172 Cup had exact same crunch into third gear when driven hard.

I guess front brake consumables are a bit more, as you have bigger discs and four-pot calipers, but they're not that bad in my experience. The cam belt is quite expensive to have done, but that's the same on the 1*2, and they are a bit more thirsty due to the short gearing, but I don't think the cost thing is quite as dramatic as some would have you believe.

I've had both a 172 Cup and a 197, and I wouldn't go back to the 172 now to be honest, not for a road car anyway.

 

[Coops Mk1]

I definitely wouldn't run poverty spec mk2 daily like a cup. Need climate, cruise and auto stuff imo. Wouldn't be without it all now