newbie advice

[stinka]

hello folks

well basically my mrs has £5k to spend on a car and a 98 punto 60s to p/x

after looking at a few motors im trying to convince her and myself to take the clio route namely the 172 route

now i spent 9 years as a VAG technician before i left the trade and became a joiners mate and ultimately a joiner

so im used to solid and reliable vw's. i had a 98 golf 3 gti and it lasted 5 years of total rape and abuse..... my question is would a 2003 clio have good reliability

how can u guys convince me that a 172 is da motor to have ?

also do they handel well, i found vw quite boring in handeling and one of the best FWD cars i drove was a 106 gti as it was so easy to promote lift off oversteer :evil:

also as they make 170 bhp how do they perform to the similarly powered mk3 golf vr6 ?


any help and sugestions appreciated

cheers

 

[Ian_182]

I had a 172 on an 02 plate and an 05 182 and they were both faultless.

That took up about 3 years of my motoring

 

[Markyx2cuk]

myself and a few friends all hav either 172's or 182's and hav had the cars for different durations!! none of us hav had any problems tbh!! u do get the normal problems ( exhaust at between 30 & 35k ) but other than that they hav been really relaible!!

the VW's are very very reliable but i also find that all the over engineering that goes into them makes them a very numb drive!!! i honestly think u wont enjoy the drive on a golf compared with a 172 or 182!!

 

[domdom172cup]

I have an 03 clio and had no problems with it. and also handling is great and also faultless. i drove a golf vr6 and found it boring compared to mine

 

[Timmay]

cant fault mine at all

 

[16vMK2 to 172Sport]

I've gone from driving mk2 golfs to my 172 - i have to say i love the golfs, probably still slightly more so then clios. However, i have to say that the Renault Sport Clio range is probably the ONLY other hot hatch i'd think about getting into. IMO the mk3 golf was always the worst gti VW made, and they slightly improved on it by throwing in a 2.8 V6 lump (the VR6, which your contemplating). So from going from a mk3 Golf gti to a 172 will always be, IMO, an even easier transition then what i had when coming out of a mk2 Golf gti.

They way i see the situation is i'd rate the folling cars in terms of the 'fun factor':
1. Clio Sport
very close 2. Mk2 Golf Gti 16v
3. Mk3 Golf VR6
4. Mk3 Golf Gti
And in terms of outright performance, put the VR on a par with the Clio.

The 172 out performs my old valver in most departments, more power, smoother, sharper handling, quicker 0-60 (around 1sec quicker) etc etc. When compared to a mk3 VR they are vertually identicle in performace - however, the clio leaves it for dead in terms of handling and fun of driving. Where the VR might be better is long motorway journeys, defo more of a cruiser.

Regarding the reliability, its simple..... you'll be getting into a FRENCH car!!! Even though mine has been faultless so far (touch wood), and many talk of reliable modern Renaults, a French car will ALWAYS be more unreliable then it's German equivalant... pretty much fact!

 

[stinka]

thanks for the coments and advice so far

hopefully she'll be getting a 172, going to see one at a garage in cannock on sat as she wants to chop her punto in

and ive got big plans for it

im thinking itg maxogen first

then eibach springs and spax/avo adjustables

then £1550 gdi 197 package: hello impreza beater.....maybe :approve:

i cant wait TBH

(note to self: remember its her car not yours :dapprove: )

 

[Ian_182]

Vr6 is a cruiser tbh.I had 2,they were well built but didnt handle as well.After 80 my modded one was faster than my 182.Just a filter and exhaust

 

[bomber]

how can u guys convince me that a 172 is da motor to have ?

i've come from a 300bhp SkylineGTR to a Clio 172, the clio still puts a smile on my face when the roads are empty. the only thing i miss is the switchable 2/4wd and S6 engine ...... need any more convincing

 

[jimbo666]

see you on saturday stinka!

 

[bomber]

see you on saturday stinka!

ha, i guess it worked. good luck both of you :rasp:

 

[porky]

you would be better off selling the punto private because i doubt you would get 500 quid in part x

 

[stinka]

see you on saturday stinka!

cant wait mate