Looking to buy a 197

[nutnutwelshman]

Tony I feel your being taken for a ride

Hi All.

I'm in the market for a 197 and have fancied one of these for some time.

I've driven most hot hatches in my time and I'm coming from several years of owning Honda's, namely Type R's.

I've currently got my eye on a 2007 197 F1 edition, which has 89,000 miles on the clock, but will have the timing belt, service and MOT done prior to sale and the dealer is wanting £5K on the nose.

Valuations say this is pretty average, so the dealer isn't asking for too much, but I am a little bit put off by the higher mileage (I'm a bit of a mileage snob!).

I'm going to look at the car on Friday, but from the pictures it looks absolutely immaculate and well cared for .... full service history, recent discs and pads etc.

Would that mileage put any of you owners off? Perhaps a biased question! lol.

If there were any gearbox issues on the test drive then I assume these would be fairly evident when shifting?

Cheers

Sorry but what a load of COCK if the belts are due it's not your problem ask for £400 OFF if I were you

Hi All.

I'm in the market for a 197 and have fancied one of these for some time.

I've driven most hot hatches in my time and I'm coming from several years of owning Honda's, namely Type R's.

I've currently got my eye on a 2007 197 F1 edition, which has 89,000 miles on the clock, but will have the timing belt, service and MOT done prior to sale and the dealer is wanting £5K on the nose.

Valuations say this is pretty average, so the dealer isn't asking for too much, but I am a little bit put off by the higher mileage (I'm a bit of a mileage snob!).

I'm going to look at the car on Friday, but from the pictures it looks absolutely immaculate and well cared for .... full service history, recent discs and pads etc.

Would that mileage put any of you owners off? Perhaps a biased question! lol.

If there were any gearbox issues on the test drive then I assume these would be fairly evident when shifting?

Cheers

 

[Benno]

Hi Tony, glad you're in the market for one. This is tidy but I think £5k is way overpriced. I paid £2600 for mine with 85k on the clock, granted it is a little untidier and not an F1, but I don't think that solely doubles the price of one.

Be careful with your dealer rights, ESPECIALLY as the car is already modified. If you were to go ahead and get it, you should go round the car with the dealer and a fine toothed comb, list every modification no matter how small and get them to sign it as well as you, take a copy and let them have a copy. First thing they will do to wangle out of warranty work is say you've modified the car so the warranty is invalid. Make sure they can't get out of it. If you have proof you bought it with the modifications and the dealer was happy to sell it to you like that, you've got them by the balls so to speak..

If you could pick it up for under £4k belts included, I think you'd be on the money..pardon the pun.

 

[Tony T]

Thanks all for the advice - very much appreciated.

As much as I really like the look of the F1 in that advert I've decided not to go view it.

I've emailed the dealer saying I think its too high a price and offered far less so I'm expecting a rejection email tomorrow

I joined the Clio197 Facebook group (not sure whether that's affiliated with this forum) and had a couple of members message me about their 197's that they are selling.

Most do seem to have been modified in some shape or form (not necessarily a bad thing) so I'm exploring these cars with the owners just now.

I do like the look of the one that Micha linked.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classi...tm_content=Skimbit, Ltd.&utm_term=Performance

But it's a big distance away from me unfortunately and I am reliant on either public transport or parents to help get me to see cars as my other one has sold.

 

[Arch]

I will have my 2008 197 for sale in about 6 to 8 weeks currently on 63k miles. Bought it recently with the intention of turning it into a full track car but decided to go down a different route as this is just too nice. Will come with brand new front and rear grooved discs, new pads, new drivers side rear calipers, new Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres and drivers side upper and lower ball joints replaced. Has recaros and cup spoiler and is very tidy.
Also in Glasgow if that's where you are.

 

[Deer_Dodger]

Hi Tony and welcome along. I’m sure this was for sale when I bought my R27 in May. I bought the first one I saw, so never went to view I’m afraid. I would suggest it’s right at the top of the price range, bar mint or decently modified examples.

Just as a word of warning, they are not particularly cheap cars to run considering they are reasonably cheap cars to buy. Their bespoke suspension parts are expensive to buy, just as costly to fit and as has previously been mentioned, belts and pulleys MUST be changed at the correct intervals to avoid possible catastrophic engine damage. A cheap or expensive car can ending costing quite a bit if it needs any of the above. Whilst I’ve gone a bit OTT with mine, I’ve almost spent the purchase price again on mine in 5 months of ownership and it cost about the same as this one.

Having said all the above, they are amazing cars to drive and worth every penny!

 

[Tony T]

Cheers for the reply.

I've decided against the F1 in that advert and I'm buying a car from a Clio197 member not far from me.

It isn't an F1, but has had lot of money spent on it already, has done 64K miles and I've budgeted for a timing belt change from Rentec in Edinbrugh.

I'm using the car to commute, so the MPG will be interesting, however I used to commute to work in a highly modified Type R FN2 which was giving me 16MPG at the time, so even if I hit 25 MPG then I'll be a happy man.

 

[Barney626]

Cheers for the reply.

I've decided against the F1 in that advert and I'm buying a car from a Clio197 member not far from me.

It isn't an F1, but has had lot of money spent on it already, has done 64K miles and I've budgeted for a timing belt change from Rentec in Edinbrugh.

I'm using the car to commute, so the MPG will be interesting, however I used to commute to work in a highly modified Type R FN2 which was giving me 16MPG at the time, so even if I hit 25 MPG then I'll be a happy man.

I reset my MPG meter when I got the car (About a month ago) and have been blasting it around 80% of the time I have been in the car. It's showing 25.6MPG for me.

 

[Micah]

Driving in a normal fashion in my 200 returned 29-30mpg, and that's with some spirited driving when I was on country lanes

 

[Tony T]

Awesome! I worked out my petrol budget for work based on 25 mpg, with normal to spirited driving. Then the rest of my petrol budget for crazy ass driving lol.

 

[Marsch]

I've averaged 19,6 mpg since I bought it. Drove about 3k miles with it so far. But that's with really kicking the head in on the Autobahn and some country roads a couple of times. Normal swimming in city traffic with early shifting or cruising on some country roads can give you 26 maybe 29 but that's really driving ballet. Pushing it will give you something around 13 average or so I'd imagine. When I really pushed it the display showed something like 28L/100km (8,5 mpg) which is...ehm, quite impressive.

 

[Pav]

they are famous for not doing well on petrol

 

[DS197]

If your commute is stop start driving around town expect sub 18 mpg

 

[Chris]

If your commute is stop start driving around town expect sub 18 mpg

Yup this!

I did that for a few weeks in my 197 whilst I was doing something slightly different and I was getting under 20... A bit of open road high twenties - low thirties though.

 

[J90RDN]

Think you've made the right decision Tony, and I'm sure you'll enjoy your new purchase when you get hold of it.

 

[Tony T]

Thanks All.

My commute is 3 miles motorway and 2 miles urban, with a few stop/starts, I'll aim not to drive too spirited on the commute and see how I get on - ideally would be 25 MPG.

Then save the more spirited driving for other occasions. I've upped my petrol budget anyway, so fingers crossed I don't burn through it.

I'll post up some photos once I have the car, like I say, she's had a lot of money spent on her already, with modifications such as Toyo Manifold, Scorpion Exhaust, H&R springs, short shifter, induction kit etc.

She had a cambelt change in 2013, so she will be due on in 2018?

Either way I'm going to get her into Rentec for a cambelt change and to also refit the catalytic converter as it's currently decatted.

Unless anyone knows somewhere Glasgow way that is as good / reputable as Rentec for the work?

Cheers

 

[Johnny 99]

Either way I'm going to get her into Rentec for a cambelt change and to also refit the catalytic converter as it's currently decatted.

Unless anyone knows somewhere Glasgow way that is as good / reputable as Rentec for the work?

Cheers

@LOCKE?

 

[Sean197]

Thanks All.

My commute is 3 miles motorway and 2 miles urban, with a few stop/starts, I'll aim not to drive too spirited on the commute and see how I get on - ideally would be 25 MPG.

Then save the more spirited driving for other occasions. I've upped my petrol budget anyway, so fingers crossed I don't burn through it.

I'll post up some photos once I have the car, like I say, she's had a lot of money spent on her already, with modifications such as Toyo Manifold, Scorpion Exhaust, H&R springs, short shifter, induction kit etc.

She had a cambelt change in 2013, so she will be due on in 2018?

Either way I'm going to get her into Rentec for a cambelt change and to also refit the catalytic converter as it's currently decatted.

Unless anyone knows somewhere Glasgow way that is as good / reputable as Rentec for the work?

Cheers

Rentec in Edinburgh did my megane engine conversion for me. Took 3 months to complete versus the original quote of 2 weeks, and I only got them to complete it when I threatened to turn up with a trailer and tow it away to finish it myself.
Later when I took it to RS Tuning in Leeds to have it mapped they found a list of faults as long as your arm (including oil leaks - engine and gearbox, and shoddy wiring) and commented that I was lucky the car hadn't caught fire. I would say it looked like a fucking 5 year old had done the work, but that would be grossly unfair to 5 year olds. Luckily they fixed the faults for nothing.

In June I used SWR in Stirling and couldn't fault them, I'll definitely use them when I build my next Clio.

 

[Tony T]

Rentec in Edinburgh did my megane engine conversion for me. Took 3 months to complete versus the original quote of 2 weeks, and I only got them to complete it when I threatened to turn up with a trailer and tow it away to finish it myself.
Later when I took it to RS Tuning in Leeds to have it mapped they found a list of faults as long as your arm (including oil leaks - engine and gearbox, and shoddy wiring) and commented that I was lucky the car hadn't caught fire. I would say it looked like a fucking 5 year old had done the work, but that would be grossly unfair to 5 year olds. Luckily they fixed the faults for nothing.

In June I used SWR in Stirling and couldn't fault them, I'll definitely use them when I build my next Clio.

Interesting.

I've never used Rentec before and based my choice of all the various reviews, Facebook ratings etc.

I'll look up SWR. Also open to other suggestions!

 

[MILLMOOR1975]

Thanks all for the advice - very much appreciated.

As much as I really like the look of the F1 in that advert I've decided not to go view it.

I've emailed the dealer saying I think its too high a price and offered far less so I'm expecting a rejection email tomorrow

I joined the Clio197 Facebook group (not sure whether that's affiliated with this forum) and had a couple of members message me about their 197's that they are selling.

Most do seem to have been modified in some shape or form (not necessarily a bad thing) so I'm exploring these cars with the owners just now.

I do like the look of the one that Micha linked.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201709209485836?radius=1500&make=RENAULT&minimum-badge-engine-size=2.0&price-to=6000&maximum-badge-engine-size=2.0&postcode=me46uw&sort=mileage&advertising-location=at_cars&model=CLIO&transmission=Manual&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&page=3&polaAffiliate=isis&utm_source=RoEye&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=HELP&utm_content=Skimbit, Ltd.&utm_term=Performance

But it's a big distance away from me unfortunately and I am reliant on either public transport or parents to help get me to see cars as my other one has sold.

****For Sale link removed by moderator**** If you wish to advertise your car on the site you must be a paid member, as per the site rules. Cheers

 

[LOCKE]

SWR in Stirling would be your nearest specialist mate.