Possible move from Clio 172 to 200 - now having second thoughts...

[Andrew_P]

Hello all,

First post from me after lurking for a couple of weeks reading up on 200s.

I have a lovely Phase 2 172 which I've owned for the last 4 and half years. It's in great nick, has a very easy life as my daily driver and is only on 70k miles. That said I fancy a change and after lots of reading and looking at various cars I've settled on wanting an n/a 200 FF with cup packs. The spec I'm after is Silver, Grey or Red with Recaros, Speedlines and less than 50k miles. Although there are a couple around, I've not yet had the chance to go and see one in the flesh as they're all miles away. However, all my research has come to a grinding halt on the subject of gearbox's. Now I know there's been tonnes of threads on here and elsewhere and I apologise for bringing up what is probably a boring subject. That said, I don't want to get bitten buying a new car and then down the line incurring a £1k bill for a new gearbox.

So my question is really, are the cars worth the risk? I'd be really interested to know if any new owners are constantly worried about it and if there are any warranties that would cover the gearbox or whether they'd be a waste of time. I take it that's it's completely pot luck if and when a 'box will go ie if I bought one on 50k miles it'd be out of 'the danger zone' It took my a while to arrive at a decision and now I'm not so sure!

 

[Pav]

welcome and hi..i think the gearbox issue may be a bit overrated tbh..there are some bad boxes out there in all fairness but if you test drive one and the box sounds sweet then you should be ok..
good luck finding your new baby:thumbup1:

 

[Legend@wheels]

The box its a question about luck most of them that i know very reliable ,but lets be honest the 172 boxes is made of choclate too so ..besides that? If you ask me i like your car and think is special and if its in good shape and low milage? Not easy to decide to sell it .if you can keep em both better .but if not? Hard decision [emoji16]

 

[DS197]

Welcome. Regarding the gearboxes, it depends on where you live. I imagine labour prices will be cheaper the further out you go from London/major cities. There was a chap on pistonheads who said a renault specialist near him would refurb the box and refit it for £550 or somewhere thereabouts.

There was a box that needed a refurb on here for under £200. Add another £150 for a refurb (i'm only guessing here, could be cheaper) and £300 to remove/fit the box, you're looking at £650. I don't see it costing £1000 unless you use a specialist around here. Even then it won't be that much as long as you're going to refurb your box and not buy a refurbed one.

I too was put off when I thought about buying the Clio as I spent half the value of my first car repairing it, but there are much worse cars out there. The gearbox is the only niggle on these that can cost some money. The engine is sweet as a nut and the cambelt costs i'm sure you're aware about owning a 172.

 

[Stephenvenning]

Tbh everyone goes on about the crunch in 3rd but the majority of the crunches are very minor and are at high rpm's, mine crunched for 2 years, didnt really bother me.

 

[chris1888-197]

HI mate I had a clio 172 phase 2 for 7 years and still miss it! (Wish I had kept it now) I have had the 197 for 4 years and absolute love it, regarding the gearbox mines got changed about 50,000 miles and it's now on 81,000 and to be honest I only got it changed cause I got it done through arnold clark auto care if it wasn't for that I could have lived with the original box was just a bit stiff to select gear from cold but after the car running for a couple of minutes it was fine. I would go for the 200 as I have had 172 and 197 and the 197 is a great little car puts a smile on my face every time I drive it lol. It is scary how good the 197/200 goes around corners and the Brembo brakes make a big difference. If you go for the 200 good luck with the purchase.

 

[montana]

In my opinion;

1*2's (ive had 2)
Pros
Slightly better mpg (around 34mpg in most cases)
Slightly more toys as standard (Xenons, alacantara,)

197
Pros
Epic handling out of the box, better than both my 1*2s which both had damper refresh and on Eibach (172) / Cooksport springs (182). Equates to better stability at speed too.
Epic brakes with Brembos as standard.
6 speed (helps on motorway).
Look better.

Dont let the internet scare you away from a 197 based on the gearbox/flexis/mpg etc. Do your checks when you view / drive to check all is in order and make your own mind up.Yes they are slightly slower than a 1*2 and give slightly worse MPG but IMHO the pros outweigh the cons.

 

[nutnutwelshman]

Gear box's is just down to luck buddy

 

[welshname]

I've recently made the move from a Monaco 172 which was mechanically brand new underneath to a 197.

The 197 is better in every single way. Literally there is no downside unless you're MPG watching which again isn't that bad in all honesty, the people that can't keep an average around the mid 20's have clearly forgotten it's a 6 speed.

My 172 was on cup shocks and cooksport springs, both brand new. The 197 is on H&R's and standard shocks. It's so much more compliant and less crashy.

 

[Antti O]

Be sure to test drive both standard and cup suspension, and take time to do it. Cup suspension is quite stiff. It depends which condition roads are where you live.

 

[Kent197]

Go for it pal... Never been in any of the old shapes, looks do nothing for me at all. 200 is a riot :hug:

 

[Jimmy]

I was in the exact same boat when it came to looking at a 197 - the scare stories on the internet made me worry about the gearboxes... The test drive will reveal all and after that (as many have already said), it is luck.

They are such good cars that it would be a real shame to pass up on one just because of a fear of 'box failure. There is always the possibility, however if you budget for that possibility then you will be buying a truly great car and one that will always put a smile on your face.

 

[Mattb_197]

It's nice to see people posting up who have owned both and offering their experiences of doing the same change. I remember when the Clio 197s first came out and the majority of 172/182 owners were slating them for not being as good... in reality they are a step up in a lot of ways. Better chassis, handling and road holding. Slightly more power from the engine and a few tweaks to improve the breathing, the brakes are far better and the interior is more modern. The downside is that they might not feel as raw to drive, but then I'm sure the 172/182 feel a bit soft compared to say a Clio Williams or GT5 Turbo. It's just the natural progression of things.

Every car has horror stories online, you always read about what goes wrong rather than what goes right. I'd never let anything put me off owning a car if I wanted it, just make sure you check everything over and research the common problem areas to avoid any nasty surprises. I love my 197 and can't see me selling it for years unless something goes catastrophically wrong. I've just had all the belts done along with the pulley and pump, plus a compression test and full health check and everything looks to be spot on so hopefully it'll serve me well.

 

[Andrew_P]

Thanks very much everyone and thanks for the warm welcome too I'll give it some thought and keep looking for suitably spec'd cars, but I'll admit I'm much happier now to go and test drive some with a view to buying. As I mentioned I love my 172 but feel it's getting on a bit and something a little newer would be great, even if it's worth keeping a bit of cash back for contingencies

A few people have mentioned Cooksport Springs, my car has them too and has done pretty much since they came out. Aside from sorting out the ride height, I think they actually improve the ride of the 1*2s. Can the same thing be said about the H&R springs for the 200 or do most people leave them standard?