How did you choose your Clio
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
Having owned a 1.2 Clio I was always had praised for the car, handled alright and practical! but hadn't seen/done any research in the RS range...
Then on a week away to Le Mans one of my mates had just bought a 197 (see pic)! He hated the private plate that came with it as he thought it read "Clown" haha! Anyway 5 minutes of being sat in it I knew I had to have one!
Took me 2 years after that to afford one, and after always wanting a 200 in white, I ended up driving 2 hours to Crewe to view a LY... I wasn't filled with any enthusiasm, as on auto trader I wasn't a fan of the colour, but with 8000 miles on the clock was too good to ignore! Saw LY in person and I was sold, 2 years later it's just ticked over 40k and nearing the change of belts! Expensive ownership but I love these little things, wouldn't have it any other way!
Then on a week away to Le Mans one of my mates had just bought a 197 (see pic)! He hated the private plate that came with it as he thought it read "Clown" haha! Anyway 5 minutes of being sat in it I knew I had to have one!
Took me 2 years after that to afford one, and after always wanting a 200 in white, I ended up driving 2 hours to Crewe to view a LY... I wasn't filled with any enthusiasm, as on auto trader I wasn't a fan of the colour, but with 8000 miles on the clock was too good to ignore! Saw LY in person and I was sold, 2 years later it's just ticked over 40k and nearing the change of belts! Expensive ownership but I love these little things, wouldn't have it any other way!
A drive in my friends red 197 was what done it for me just loved the go kart feel . So the search began with not much knowledge on the cars to be honest i quickly came across alien green and knew straight away that it was the colour for me . I started with a budget of 5k which went straight out the window with AGs being made in low numbers . So after a bit of serching i came across a cup with speedlines , recaro seats and decent mileage it was more than i wanted to spend but i just went for it . I've now owned it for three months and done 350 miles in it and 165 of them was driving it homeThe sad thing is i planned to keep it for the best part of this year but i've just found out there is a good chance i may be loosing my job at the end of the month so sadly the clio might have to go as bills come first unfortunately
Sorry to see this. I hope things work out & you're able to keep the car.
Jimmy
Good cop
Them wheels still need a refurb though
Harsh. But true
I really can't wait to get that Anthracite-coloured monkey off my back!
Lucky, mine was only 75 miles away. I had a "list" of LY, about 2 years old, about 10k miles, lux and cup. I just kept looking on autotrader every morning, every lunch and every evening for about two weeks. Then I saw mine the morning it came on auto trader. As I read the spec it got better and better. It had everything on my "list"! The leather and front and rear sensors were a bonus! I'd already rang about a couple of others, but they wouldn't budge on price, or offer me enough for my 197.
Well, I've never been a French car fan. I've always had Mk2 golfs (over 10 in fact) and then a stint of Saab 9-3's great, comfy cars but very very dull.
Last year my brother sold his vx220 and bought a Megane 250 cup (ex press car, used by 5th gear in hot hatch shootout) I absolutely loved it and the way it drove. I then went home and had a look at the other renaultsport models on offer. I saw the Clio 200 and absolutely loved the look.
Two months later my parents went and bought an immaculate 200 cup in red with recaro's... I fell in love!!!
I decided I needed one, so off I went in search... saw a few nice ones but then my missus called off the search as we needed to buy a 2nd car (something practical for transporting the bin lid)
While I was at a dealer looking for a decent hatchback for the missus... I spotted a clio 200 in red tucked away at the back!
I went over for a look, it was stunning, cup pack, recaros, FSH and 46k on the clock.
I went away and talked my missus into the idea of having one, and took her for a drive. We both absolutely loved it. So we decided we would buy it.
The next day we planned to go back and sort out a PX with her old car... on the way we stopped off at a Skoda dealer (massive mistake) we walked out the proud owners of a brand new Fabia Monte Carlo in racing blue.
So it seemed I couldn't have the Clio...
A couple of months later I was browsing the bay and spotted a really really cheap 197 only 3 miles away...
It was cheap because it had failed it's MOT and needed ALOT of work.
I've never been shy of projects ( restored minis, golfs and other sheds) and bought a few bumped cars to sell on.
I went and had a quick look, the car was advertised for 2500, and at the time is was the cheapest advertised by 600... but the owner had described it as being mint just in need of some mechanical work like a ball joint and brakes.
Had a good look round and it was rough. Scuffed on every corner! Both swivel joints dead, tyres slick, track Rod ends dead, brakes dead. No history and timing belt was well well overdue. So the bartering began!
A few months later, I'm still looking out my window every morning and smiling from ear to ear!
I'm also a sucker for going out at midnight for "a pint of milk"...
Last year my brother sold his vx220 and bought a Megane 250 cup (ex press car, used by 5th gear in hot hatch shootout) I absolutely loved it and the way it drove. I then went home and had a look at the other renaultsport models on offer. I saw the Clio 200 and absolutely loved the look.
Two months later my parents went and bought an immaculate 200 cup in red with recaro's... I fell in love!!!
I decided I needed one, so off I went in search... saw a few nice ones but then my missus called off the search as we needed to buy a 2nd car (something practical for transporting the bin lid)
While I was at a dealer looking for a decent hatchback for the missus... I spotted a clio 200 in red tucked away at the back!
I went over for a look, it was stunning, cup pack, recaros, FSH and 46k on the clock.
I went away and talked my missus into the idea of having one, and took her for a drive. We both absolutely loved it. So we decided we would buy it.
The next day we planned to go back and sort out a PX with her old car... on the way we stopped off at a Skoda dealer (massive mistake) we walked out the proud owners of a brand new Fabia Monte Carlo in racing blue.
So it seemed I couldn't have the Clio...
A couple of months later I was browsing the bay and spotted a really really cheap 197 only 3 miles away...
It was cheap because it had failed it's MOT and needed ALOT of work.
I've never been shy of projects ( restored minis, golfs and other sheds) and bought a few bumped cars to sell on.
I went and had a quick look, the car was advertised for 2500, and at the time is was the cheapest advertised by 600... but the owner had described it as being mint just in need of some mechanical work like a ball joint and brakes.
Had a good look round and it was rough. Scuffed on every corner! Both swivel joints dead, tyres slick, track Rod ends dead, brakes dead. No history and timing belt was well well overdue. So the bartering began!
A few months later, I'm still looking out my window every morning and smiling from ear to ear!
I'm also a sucker for going out at midnight for "a pint of milk"...
Use to see a LY 200 driving around my town back some 6 odd years ago and followed it one night guy must of thought I was mental lol but he actually pulled over and I just said I wanted a proper look at it, told me loads about it so week after I went down to Renault test drove there demo one and then ordered one to spec I wanted and rest is history
matt9566
Paid Member
One day I decided I wanted a new car - I had a Peugeot 206 at the time, which wasn't in the best condition and it was always breaking down.
I figured out how much I wanted to spend, sourced the money and the search began.
I had no clue what I wanted, not in the slightest. In my mind I always thought I'd like an Audi or a Golf - I was 20 at the time and it seemed these were the cars everyone were driving. They were way out of my budget for anything with decent mileage, spec etc so I just started going to places like The Car People and just browsing at all cars.
One day I was looking at cars and my brother showed me a Clio Sport (now my car) which was only a few miles away. I didn't like the idea of a Clio tbh, I'd drove my cousins 2001 Clio 1.2 a couple of times and hated it. But I'd been searching for so long I agreed that we'd go look at it, turned up at JCT600 that day and there it was in all its glory, Ultra Red, Recaros, Cup spoiler, Twin Exhausts - Basically everything that 20 year old me loved.
I actually had no idea about the car, or the Renault Sport range for that matter, I didn't know what an R27 was or what Cup Chassis meant etc but I test drove it and loved it. I actually hadn't even sold my current car and they basically didn't want it in Px so I went home and thought about it, I was up all night wishing I'd put a deposit down and at 8:30am I was sat waiting for the garage to open so I could ring and place the deposit. I hadn't even checked insurance costs but I just knew the car was for me - at any price.
A few days later the car had been all prepped, got a lift to the dealer and signed on the dotted line. 3 years down the line and it still makes me smile every time I drive it and I always look back at it when I'm walking in the house. The best impulsive decision I've ever made.
I figured out how much I wanted to spend, sourced the money and the search began.
I had no clue what I wanted, not in the slightest. In my mind I always thought I'd like an Audi or a Golf - I was 20 at the time and it seemed these were the cars everyone were driving. They were way out of my budget for anything with decent mileage, spec etc so I just started going to places like The Car People and just browsing at all cars.
One day I was looking at cars and my brother showed me a Clio Sport (now my car) which was only a few miles away. I didn't like the idea of a Clio tbh, I'd drove my cousins 2001 Clio 1.2 a couple of times and hated it. But I'd been searching for so long I agreed that we'd go look at it, turned up at JCT600 that day and there it was in all its glory, Ultra Red, Recaros, Cup spoiler, Twin Exhausts - Basically everything that 20 year old me loved.
I actually had no idea about the car, or the Renault Sport range for that matter, I didn't know what an R27 was or what Cup Chassis meant etc but I test drove it and loved it. I actually hadn't even sold my current car and they basically didn't want it in Px so I went home and thought about it, I was up all night wishing I'd put a deposit down and at 8:30am I was sat waiting for the garage to open so I could ring and place the deposit. I hadn't even checked insurance costs but I just knew the car was for me - at any price.
A few days later the car had been all prepped, got a lift to the dealer and signed on the dotted line. 3 years down the line and it still makes me smile every time I drive it and I always look back at it when I'm walking in the house. The best impulsive decision I've ever made.
Chris
Bad cop
Turning into quite a story time on this thread - nice to see so many different ways/means people did to get there car!
Cheers mate good news the cars staying :excited:
@mr freeze Terrible news mate
Cheers mate all sorted now i'am happy as i didn't want to get rid of my pride and joy
Last edited:
Pav
Moderator
I remember seeing the clio cup race cars at the 2007 autosport show and falling in love, I knew I wanted one from then on but was not allways in a position to buy one. i'd just sold my house at that time and I could have bought a genuine cup car if i'd have been a little brave (or mad!) but I doubt I could have lived in it.
I kept wanting one after that but could not bring myself to sign on the dotted line, I had a test drive in a new cup road car in early 2009 but again bottled it late on (a new white cup, speedlines and recaro's £12.700 and could have been mine at the end of the week) they knew the 200 was coming.
Then in 2011 I was told I was getting made redundant after 12 years and I was offered a good redundancy package and I thought if I don't get one now i'll be a chicken for the rest of my days, so I began looking for one around sept but knowing I could not get one until the following January. I looked at 13 clios before finding mine, I looked at number 14 on way home from that one and number 15 the following day over xmas 2011.
Don't get upset but I didn't want a 200, not so keen on the front bumper so i'd set out to find the newest 197 cup I could but I wanted recaros and speedlines. I looked at 2 nimbus 197's that were relisted on the same day but the first one I travelled over 100 miles to test drive and the salesman took me down some country roads back to his showroom were I met an horse box coming the other way who squeezed past me (I was stopped) and his wheelnuts just clipped the rear bumper, so I didn't want that one :excited:
I considered buying a write off, I looked at a cat C car that had been repaired and in Manchester I looked at a white cup with zero options but he would not let me test drive it.
So I settled on a less that 3 year old 30k miles nimbus cup with aircon recaros and the speedlines, I've had it over 5 years now and I've loved every minute of driving it. not planning on replacing it either.
Here's to the next 5 years of ownership.
I kept wanting one after that but could not bring myself to sign on the dotted line, I had a test drive in a new cup road car in early 2009 but again bottled it late on (a new white cup, speedlines and recaro's £12.700 and could have been mine at the end of the week) they knew the 200 was coming.
Then in 2011 I was told I was getting made redundant after 12 years and I was offered a good redundancy package and I thought if I don't get one now i'll be a chicken for the rest of my days, so I began looking for one around sept but knowing I could not get one until the following January. I looked at 13 clios before finding mine, I looked at number 14 on way home from that one and number 15 the following day over xmas 2011.
Don't get upset but I didn't want a 200, not so keen on the front bumper so i'd set out to find the newest 197 cup I could but I wanted recaros and speedlines. I looked at 2 nimbus 197's that were relisted on the same day but the first one I travelled over 100 miles to test drive and the salesman took me down some country roads back to his showroom were I met an horse box coming the other way who squeezed past me (I was stopped) and his wheelnuts just clipped the rear bumper, so I didn't want that one :excited:
I considered buying a write off, I looked at a cat C car that had been repaired and in Manchester I looked at a white cup with zero options but he would not let me test drive it.
So I settled on a less that 3 year old 30k miles nimbus cup with aircon recaros and the speedlines, I've had it over 5 years now and I've loved every minute of driving it. not planning on replacing it either.
Here's to the next 5 years of ownership.
Chris
Bad cop
Cheers mate all sorted now i'am happy as i didn't want to get rid of my pride and guy
Good news
Years ago when I first began my Clio love affair I saw and fell in love with a RB 182 with stripes, thought I'd never own a car like it, wind on a few years and drove past a showroom with a RB182 sitting in the forecourt, went for a test drive in it and gave details never thinking I'd pass the finance stage, 30 mins later garage phoned me back, saying the cars mine if I want it, all came back clear. Went back in, signed the paperwork, and there it was. All mine. Added the stripes onto it and loved it.
Sadly the 182 came to a horrible end and wind on a few years again, after a Mini Cooper S and a Twingo RS 133, stumbled upon the Gordini I have now on gumtree and thought....here's my chance to get a genuine 'dini! Managed to persuade the Mrs into thinking along similar lines, so, phoned the garage, gave a brilliant deal on p/x for the Twingo, drove up to Aberdeen from Dundee, only to find out the exhaust had been replaced with a custom s/s job that didn't have any rear silencer and although sounded gorgeous....was just too loud. (Early starts for work and didn't want to annoy neighbours too much)
So the garage offered to take it to a s/s fabricator garage, got a rear silencer put in, drive back up the following week, (longest week on earth that was), swapped the Twingo, and drove back down in the Clio and loving it more and more every time I drive it.
Sadly the 182 came to a horrible end and wind on a few years again, after a Mini Cooper S and a Twingo RS 133, stumbled upon the Gordini I have now on gumtree and thought....here's my chance to get a genuine 'dini! Managed to persuade the Mrs into thinking along similar lines, so, phoned the garage, gave a brilliant deal on p/x for the Twingo, drove up to Aberdeen from Dundee, only to find out the exhaust had been replaced with a custom s/s job that didn't have any rear silencer and although sounded gorgeous....was just too loud. (Early starts for work and didn't want to annoy neighbours too much)
So the garage offered to take it to a s/s fabricator garage, got a rear silencer put in, drive back up the following week, (longest week on earth that was), swapped the Twingo, and drove back down in the Clio and loving it more and more every time I drive it.
My love affair with Renault mark started back in the mid 70's, my Father bought a R10 TL then every 2 years or so traded for other Renault's 12TL, 12Ts, R18 R9 so on so on.
Over the years I have owned many Renault's R12,R20,R5,R25,R9,R11,2XClioII,.
I've had many sporty cars also over the years but mainly Ford and Vauxhall and many years in the Kit Car scene owning a few Lotus 7 Replica's, Obviously a bit older now I wanted something a bit more practical but sporty. My first RS model was a Clio 182 some years back and was very impressed with it and kind of regretted selling it.
Fast forward a couple of more years and I'm hankering for another Clio at first looking for a 200, as it is for a second car basically a weekend toy it had to be mint low miler.
when looking around Renault Manchester had a 200T edc lux cup in LY with low miles, and as I was down that way the next week I popped in and had a look. Fell for it as soon as I clapped eyes on it, LY colour is amazing, and was a very fair price for a 2 year old car. Bought it that day and drove 160 miles home to Northumberland the next day:excited: .
Been mainly garaged since over the winter, so cant wait for Spring/Summer to come, will also be taking car to Le Mans in June.
Over the years I have owned many Renault's R12,R20,R5,R25,R9,R11,2XClioII,.
I've had many sporty cars also over the years but mainly Ford and Vauxhall and many years in the Kit Car scene owning a few Lotus 7 Replica's, Obviously a bit older now I wanted something a bit more practical but sporty. My first RS model was a Clio 182 some years back and was very impressed with it and kind of regretted selling it.
Fast forward a couple of more years and I'm hankering for another Clio at first looking for a 200, as it is for a second car basically a weekend toy it had to be mint low miler.
when looking around Renault Manchester had a 200T edc lux cup in LY with low miles, and as I was down that way the next week I popped in and had a look. Fell for it as soon as I clapped eyes on it, LY colour is amazing, and was a very fair price for a 2 year old car. Bought it that day and drove 160 miles home to Northumberland the next day:excited: .
Been mainly garaged since over the winter, so cant wait for Spring/Summer to come, will also be taking car to Le Mans in June.
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