Clio 197

[Clio_f1]

Hi guys new to the forum
at present I have a mk5 golf gti dsg, I have owned loads of hot hatches in the past. One of them being a clio 182 and it was a great car but I'm thinking of owning a clio 197 and was wondering what sort of problems these car suffer from .
as I've been told the suffer with gearbox problems and other stuff to. I'm just trying to find ab bit about the car before I make the change and is it really worth it or just stick to what I've got.
thanks will

 

[Foxspeed]

welcome fella :thumbup:

 

[Foxspeed]

some info...

http://www.clio197.net/forum/showthread.php?19788-Clio-197-buyers-guide

 

[Clio_f1]

Thanks foxspeed
ive always liked the look of the clio and now my birds got her own car I don't need such abig car to be honest.
What are they like for performance and tuning can you get any more power out of the 2.0litre engine

 

[Rogue]

Welcome.

you'll struggle to get much more out of the NA engine without mega bucks.

Better off just getting a meg conversation and then you're good for about 350.

Supercharger is also available but you're probably looking at 5k for each.

Plenty of info around the forum in peoples build threads etc

 

[Clio_f1]

Thanks for the info any of you guys based around london area I'm based in westlondon

 

[Ashton]

Welcome to the site.

I have just gone the other way and sold my clio 200 for the New ETC Clio turbo

Mind you I'm loving it so far

 

[Rogue]

I'm in Romford. East London way

 

[beefychubbchubb]

Welcome along mate

the Clio is a different type of fun compared to a golf gti. It's a bit gutless at low rpm but when you get going down a nice B road there isn't nothing that touches it for the money IMO

 

[Ashton]

Amen to that

 

[Clio_f1]

Ok thanks guys sounds good what are the gearbox like do they suffer with problems

 

[beefychubbchubb]

Yeh gearboxes aren't the best. Mine was the older gear ratio one (they changed them half way through the R27 as in mine you are in 6th doing 70mph at 4000rpm) and I never had major issues other than some times struggling to get in to 3rd but otherwise it's a lovely gearbox. All though others will say different.

 

[Roy]

Welcome mate.Enjoy

 

[Clio_f1]

Thank you roy
what year is best for these car then where the gear box ratios changed

 

[beefychubbchubb]

The more experienced owners on here will tell you but I'm sure it was in the 200's on the r27 which is 57/58 plate all though I never had an issue to be fair.

 

[nutnutwelshman]

Welcome to the Family a Clio on a B road just bliss but px mine for a Meg250 cup iam just over by Heathrow

 

[Yiannis197]

Hello Will and welcome to the club.

You had an 182 in the past so I won't say a thing regarding how hardcore these cars are in comparison to your civilised golf
Expect a thirsty engine, no power/torque at the low revs (below 4k), silly ratios (to help keeping the engine on the boil for the above mentioned reason) and rattling. As a bonus you get no tuning options unless you have deep pockets!

If you are willing to live with the above then the 197/200 is a magnificent drivers car and a bargain for what it is! A small cheap hatchback with an excellent chassis.

Btw I'm sure you'll hear stories about faults, break downs etc, do not allow them to put you off. All cars have problems, it's not only the Clio!! Yes they have been cases with gearboxes and engines not delivering the 197bhp and steering racks and melting steering wheels and bubbling tailgates and slave cylinders and whatever. It's luck, like every single car out there...

Good luck with the search

 

[Clio_f1]

Cheers guys some great info there
i will start looking for one over the weekend and go for a test drive

 

[Phil_RS]

Btw gearboxes were changed in 2008 if I remember correctly.
I drive a 2008 F1 and I already have the longer 6th gear.
So buying one from before 2008 will mostly result in a short 6th gear and a 10kmh lower top speed.
If the car is from 2007 and has the longer gear it probably had the gearbox changed on warranty.

The gearbox truly isn't the greatest, but I never had problems with mine.
It can be quite annoying when it's cold but let the gearbox warm up and it will shift like a hot knife through butter.
And let me tell you that this little motor is more than alive over 5k!

You can always post the links of the cars you're looking at, some of them might be well known here (and maybe their faults too).

 

[steveR27]

Welcome, hope you choose the clio great little cars, personally never had any issues with the gear box and mines a 57 reg r27 with 60 ish thousand miles.