Can the clio be replaced?

[nutnutwelshman]

My clio has just gone but my new Meg250 is just Fantastic better mpg and just as fun to Drive

 

[wingman]

An e46 M3 is hugely quicker than a Clio - anywhere and everywhere. I take your point about how different the cars feel but they are very different cars.

Anybody on this forum who is arguing against this is kidding themselves.

I own a 200 and an E46 330i - the 330i will outrun the Clio 200 on a straight and stay with it on the twisties too. An E46 M3 of the same age is a complete league above the 200. If the Clio 200 is a well sharpened tool, then the E46 M3 is an absolute weapon. But the running costs and general upkeep is something else.

So, now now children.

 

[wingman]

The BMW stated 0-60 of 4.8 is pretty hard to hit though unless you're an actual God. Most people settle with 5.0-5.3 as being about right for them. Top speed, well, whoop-de-doo, what sort of yardstick is that to measure how good a car is or isn't? Vauxhall make cars now that'd pull away from an M3 sat at it's limiter...

That whole paragraph is nonsensical.

By your standards, I guess us 197/200 owners will settle for around 7.3s for the 0-62 then?

Top speed is a useful and interesting yardstick for measuring a cars performance.

 

[GrumpyTwig]

Great another thread diving into "my 400bhp car is faster than your 200bhp car".

More people completely missing the point of enjoying driving, we don't live on a race track so it's not about how fast you get somewhere it's how much you enjoy the bit in between.

The GT86 must be a bag of ****e......

 

[Willis]

Nonsensical stuff...

How often do you...

A) Play Top Trumps?
B) Sprint from 0-60 in day to day or track driving?
C) Top end your car in day to day or track driving?


The M3 is a cracking car but it can't be compared to the Clio in terms of bang per buck because they're so massively different.

Have you actually read this thread from the start or did you just click on ''New Posts'' and skip to the boring bit about ze Germans?

So, the way I see it I have a few options:
1) Carry on selling up and buying an M3 (Sell clio + ~£6000 to get a good one)
2) Keep the clio and buy a second car (Economical diesel focus or similar ~£5000) but don't really have the space for 2 cars
3) Stop worrying about commute comfort and keep the 197, maybe treat her to some goodies + trackdays

OP is worrying about becoming bored of the Clio if it's main use is as a commuter car and fancied maybe a bit more power. But after driving an E46 M3, which we've all agreed is the best car since sliced bread because it's quick-ish on paper, he was left a little underwhelmed. Or, maybe not underwhelmed but not quite as convinced as he thought he would be about the difference between the M3 and the Clio IN THE REAL WORLD. So, rather than talking sh!t and trying to bamboozle people with numbers, do you have anything useful to offer the OP in relation to his query?

If he's not convinced that the M3 is a massive step up, or a justifiable step up when costs are considered then why are people even harping on about them still!?! If he thought the M3 was mind-blowingly good then he would just be signing on the dotted line and wouldn't be asking people for advice. It's been suggested that he either stop worrying about the commute and just enjoy the Clio as/when he can to keep his love for it. Or, maybe buy something more economical as a daily driver and keep the Clio to use as a track and weekend toy. Or, maybe even side step from the Clio into a similar car that is less hardcore but can still offer the occasional thrill when the mood takes him, such as a Focus ST or Mazda 3 MPS etc..

 

[Mardgee]

Put the damn handbags away, OP I would keep the clio.

 

[GREGSTERWIZ]

OP;

definitive answer - remortgage your house/ wife/ kids/ whatever ...

What you want is a Porsche 911 (996) Turbo S - the one with a 50 BHP factory upgrade over a standard 'bo.

I borrowed a mates for a couple of weeks once. Simply astonishing and very practical although I was worried when I saw a black Clio in my mirror once.

This car will **** on anything - M3's included. 4wd, 7 speed tiptronic.

End of thread. I'm off to bed. (to dream of modded Clio's).

 

[Willis]

OP;

What you want is a Porsche 911 (996) Turbo S - the one with a 50 BHP factory upgrade over a standard 'bo.

That's not a bad shout to be fair.

BUT, running costs might be a ''tad'' higher than the Clio!!!

 

[GREGSTERWIZ]

That's not a bad shout to be fair.

BUT, running costs might be a ''tad'' higher than the Clio!!!

Shhhh...... ceramic brakes (yellow Porsche calipers give the game away) are ....erm...... not cheap.

The kids at MaccyD's love 'em though.

Night.

 

[melvin1993]

3!

After I smashed my first 200 I started looking into other cars like ep3s fiesta STs 320i focus st corsa/astra vxr and others similar cars but I always went back to the clio 197/200 iv driven the fiesta focus and ep3 all nice cars but there's just something "special" about the Renault sport clio, I knew if I didn't get one again I'd regret not buying one and be stuck with some fat ford, I'd grit you're teeth and bear it. I do a 70 mile trip to work there and back every day in a clio cup200 and tbh I would change it for anything els, if you could buy the cheap run about but I wouldn't sell the clio personally you'd regret it in the long run

 

[Fernandez]

Personally I couldn't ever get a Porsche, although I do have a soft spot for the flatnoses of the 80's, its a kid thing.

The modern versions of the 911's are craking cars but I just can't get over the fact that the engine is in totally the wrong place which is why its taken Porsche over 20 years and modern electriconic trickery to finally get it right. 911's of old especially the turbos were notorious ditch finders.

That's just my humble opinion though and I'd never flame someone for having one in the same way I'd never flame someone for having an M3 which yes is an epic car but does still scream "cock"

 

[litchy]

Always a strange debate when you ask the opinions of a car on its own forum. Not sure you'll get the objectivity you're looking for.
*Disclaimer first "I love the Clio"

but...out the box, its a one trick pony. Does the trick very well but if I hadn't gone down the FI route, It would have been sold months ago.
First, its not the quickest. Anything outside of the twisties and any new family hatch will keep up with it. The Clio doesn't function in the real world. Its not a secret and if they're were that good, the resale values would be strong, and Mr Renault would have left well alone.

I got seriously bored with the Clio, and this idea that I have to drive it like I stole it, even when I was only going down the road, to buy my Sunday paper. At times I felt like a right kn*b. The Clio just feels like hard work.

Thank **** for SteC prolonging my love for the Clio......and if you think its difficult making your mind up, get it FI. Its the almost the complete car...and therefore almost impossible to walk away from.

 

[weebob]

Great another thread diving into "my 400bhp car is faster than your 200bhp car".

More people completely missing the point of enjoying driving, we don't live on a race track so it's not about how fast you get somewhere it's how much you enjoy the bit in between.

The GT86 must be a bag of ****e......

+1

This is all getting a bit silly chaps, the point is getting lost in the Willy waving.

 

[Foxspeed]

twice the power twice the cost....but twice as fast.....anic:

197/200 - for what you get and what you pay fun vs £££ sorry in my book they are unbeatable!!!!

 

[N0ddie]

Who says an M3 is quicker than a 200 on the track? If I could be bothered to upload my Knockhill vids from Thursday night (Which I wont be doing as the upload time is 600 minutes) then we'd see that statement isnt necessarily true :thumbup1:

 

[Mentalpen]

Going by what I read they're not as fun as the 197/200 but are probably better for every day. They're also still a bit expensive, when the prices drop another 2k ish I may well book a test drive. I did however look at R26Rs, the only thing putting me off is the practicality!

250 is just as much fun but there will be 1% of driving when you wished you were in a 197/200 but that has nothing to do with the 250 but more to the fact it isn't a poky N/A that takes ages to scream the knackers off it.

No turbo will ever reproduce that tho imo

 

[Chris_200CUP]

Who says an M3 is quicker than a 200 on the track? If I could be bothered to upload my Knockhill vids from Thursday night (Which I wont be doing as the upload time is 600 minutes) then we'd see that statement isnt necessarily true :thumbup1:

Clio punchs well above its weight on track, it were it belongs. Until been on track won't know how good your clio really is.

 

[GREGSTERWIZ]

Who says an M3 is quicker than a 200 on the track? If I could be bothered to upload my Knockhill vids from Thursday night (Which I wont be doing as the upload time is 600 minutes) then we'd see that statement isnt necessarily true :thumbup1:

Same driver/ same conditions = M3 win. Always.

Anyone got any links to say - Top Gear/ Evo lap times, for example ?

ps. Real world experience (having owned both) is that M3 is hugely quicker. No if's, no but's, no contest.

Sorry chaps but the Clio is not a quick car by M car standards. Good in the twisty bits ? Yes - and great fun - but missing 150 bhp (which is alot).

 

[litchy]

Everything is subjective* and also based on your own experiences and equally what you want from a car. Its not a one size fits all. Be happy with what you want from your car, but equally be happy for those who may want something different from theirs.

Back to the original question.....Is the Clio difficult to replace? Simple answer is "depends on why your selling it"

Lottery win = YES
'Like for Like'* (cost, handling, performance, fun) = IMO NO

M3 is awesome but not a direct replacement IMO.

 

[GrumpyTwig]

Same driver/ same conditions = M3 win. Always.

Anyone got any links to say - Top Gear/ Evo lap times, for example ?

ps. Real world experience (having owned both) is that M3 is hugely quicker. No if's, no but's, no contest.

Sorry chaps but the Clio is not a quick car by M car standards. Good in the twisty bits ? Yes - and great fun - but missing 150 bhp (which is alot).

Poor example give the Top Gear track is a power track.

Again you seem to be bringing the debate up about which is 'faster', if you read the OP again he doesn't care the word used is 'fun'.