Car buying advice

[hye_boy]

Hi all, just joined the forum. Used to own a valver back in the day. What a great car that was, probably the most fun car i've owned.

I currently own an E90 320si. Bought the car after reading many reviews of how good they handled. Mines a lemon tho with something wrong with the steering which i've tried to get fixed but no dealer or indy has a clue. Anyway sorry to rabbit on, might go for a test drive in a 200 cup the weekend and wanted some advice about going from a beemer to a clio, anyone done this? My head is saying 130i, but heart is clio as i know how good the valver was.

Thnx, Rob

 

[iAndy]

I've had about 5 Beemer's and still have a 320i Cabrio as a toy. Current main car is a 200FF with Cup Pack and I am totally 100% over the moan with it. Don't regret making the change at all. Ya have to push the clio to get it really into its prime but once ya in the high rev's it just comes to life and loves to be thrown about

 

[nicknameless]

I've had the 130i and now have a 200.

If you can get over the RWD pureist mantra the 200 is far more fun for the average driver on UK roads and on a track (which I only found out recently with my how slow attempt ).

I found the 130i (m sport) to be lacking suspension wise for UK roads, especially with the run flats. Then you swap out run flats and turn in suffers, then you try M3 steering arms and then etc. etc. until you sit in a renault cup suspension setup that beats all of that hands down IMHO.

That 3 litre beamer engine is a classic though.

 

[clewsey]

Hi all, just joined the forum. Used to own a valver back in the day. What a great car that was, probably the most fun car i've owned.

I currently own an E90 320si. Bought the car after reading many reviews of how good they handled. Mines a lemon tho with something wrong with the steering which i've tried to get fixed but no dealer or indy has a clue. Anyway sorry to rabbit on, might go for a test drive in a 200 cup the weekend and wanted some advice about going from a beemer to a clio, anyone done this? My head is saying 130i, but heart is clio as i know how good the valver was.

Thnx, Rob

Shame that you had issues with the 320si. I'd say drive them both to see what suits you best. They are very different cars. Dependant on your mileage/general use, the 130 will be a more comfortable option, will be less raw than the 200 cup. However, the 200cup will be more fun on the right road (and no runflats!) Now if it was a 1M, that's an easier choice :thumbup1:

I've typically do low mileages in my 200 cup as it's a second car (only 14k in nearly 3 years) and I have to say if it was my only car I'd need something more comfortable (getting old!).

In terms of chassis, I've had a 120d and whilst it's a very good handling car, the Clio shows it a thing or two in this department.

Good luck choosing!

 

[hye_boy]

I've had the 130i and now have a 200.

If you can get over the RWD pureist mantra the 200 is far more fun for the average driver on UK roads and on a track (which I only found out recently with my how slow attempt ).

I found the 130i (m sport) to be lacking suspension wise for UK roads, especially with the run flats. Then you swap out run flats and turn in suffers, then you try M3 steering arms and then etc. etc. until you sit in a renault cup suspension setup that beats all of that hands down IMHO.

That 3 litre beamer engine is a classic though.

Thanks for all the comments guys, specially the above because it answers a question that i already sort of knew the answer too. Yes it is a shame about the si as in a way it's like the clio. Engine is n/a, revs to 7.5 and is supposed to be a junior m3. It was quite fun before it broke, but as the message above states the beemer suspension just ain't right for our roads. Bmw should be shot for putting these hideous tyres and configuring the suspension for it too. He's right about the turn in too, i took rfts off and its just not as sharp.

Well you know what i think i'm gonna give the 130i test drive a miss. One more question.. is the 200 cup as much fun as the valver, if any of you have owned one or a willy that is lol

 

[hye_boy]

Can i just add to this in saying, does the steering weight up nicely on the 200 cup so it gives lots of confidence at high speed?

 

[M88KE C]

The 197 and 200 weight up really well... Bit dull at low speed but much better when you push on... I had a Cooper S and would say that this would eat it alive in the twisties

 

[DrDx]

I had a Clio RS197 that I cherished and I loved it!

I fancied something better built that was more suitable for a long drive to/from work. I ended up in a beautiful blue BMW 325ci M-Sport which was a great example of it's type but I kept that for about 9 months after some big bills!

I now have a Clio RS200 FF with Cup Pack which I love... I rest my case...

 

[M88KE C]

I had a Clio RS197 that I cherished and I loved it!

I fancied something better built that was more suitable for a long drive to/from work. I ended up in a beautiful blue BMW 325ci M-Sport which was a great example of it's type but I kept that for about 9 months after some big bills!

I now have a Clio RS200 FF with Cup Pack which I love... I rest my case...

I had a 320d M Sport that the wife is now going to drive... And I am exactly the same. The Beemer is very well built but ultimately boring. The MINI Cooper S was a good compromise of German build quality with better handling but not powerful enough... I prefer the quarkiness of the Clio and the way it gathers pace once above 5k ish revs.

 

[nutnutwelshman]

I've just been down to Wales at the weekend 503 miles a blast in too the Black mountains .And the Brecon Beacons just made me smile my RS200 cup just fantastic can't wait to go down again .well that's the way it makes me feel

 

[hye_boy]

The 197 and 200 weight up really well... Bit dull at low speed but much better when you push on... I had a Cooper S and would say that this would eat it alive in the twisties

Can you elaborate on a bit dull? My beemer is hydraulic and i remember the valver being hydraulic. The valver wasnt variable i seem to remember and nor is my beemer. I actually like the feeling of a variable leccy system, cus the beemer is so heavy at low speed.

 

[M88KE C]

It's just light like a town car pal. Doesn't feel weird at all just very light then as soon as you're on the move it feels much better to drive than anything else I've owned or driven - and that's a lot of cars!

 

[hye_boy]

It's just light like a town car pal. Doesn't feel weird at all just very light then as soon as you're on the move it feels much better to drive than anything else I've owned or driven - and that's a lot of cars!

Cheers mate! Hopefully gonna test one today

 

[hye_boy]

Right!! had a go in a black 200 today. Firstly the drive, steering felt quite meaty and direct. Then as i picked up the pace had a lovely tight feel to it, felt like virtually no body roll. Could feel that it had better pickup than my beemer. Didn't really get to thrash it tho as it was the quickest test drive in history and to much traffic All in all i'm happy about the drive and had memories of the valver all those years ago flooding back. So have decided this is defo going to be my next car. Felt the box had a short throw compared to my so called m-sport box. Found the pedals a bit far apart but will get used to that in no time

I won't be buying the one i test drove tho as when going into fourth it made a funny noise underneath the gear leaver, the glove box lid had a gap on the right side like it wasn't shut properly. When closing the passenger door, the pull seemed to move before the door came to you. Steering was off center, with large chunk taken out of near side wheel! Was there only one style of black paint? cus the one i saw a few months ago in black had a metal flake this seemed really dull like it was a solid colour. It had anthracite wheels, red calipers so assume that was a cup?? Price was too much as well £11,000 59 plate with 17k.

 

[hye_boy]

Found that metallic was extra, so the garage was trying to con me. she said it's because the car wasn't in sunlight as to why you couldn't see the metal flake :rofl

 

[M88KE C]

Found that metallic was extra, so the garage was trying to con me. she said it's because the car wasn't in sunlight as to why you couldn't see the metal flake :rofl

Weirdly my steering is slightly off centre although I think its a relatively easy fix. Only one black so far as I'm aware

 

[hye_boy]

Weirdly my steering is slightly off centre although I think its a relatively easy fix. Only one black so far as I'm aware

Noticed on auto trader that some black cars are advertised as metallic and some as solid??

 

[M88KE C]

Noticed on auto trader that some black cars are advertised as metallic and some as solid??

Just ask for plenty of pics,but I think you'll find they are the same, although someone more knowledgable may correct me!:blink: