Natural replacement for 197/200?

[litchy]

What's the natural replacement for 197/200? Practical stuff aside like the need for bigger car etc, given you can get either car cheap as chips at mo, not as easy as you'd think to replace and the idea that you have to spend another 10-15k on top either speaks volumes about the quality of clio or the lack of quality cars out there.
Like 265 and 200t but not enough to justify the additional cost. If I put reg snobbery to one side, if most were honest, the 197/200 are equal to them in so many ways.

 

[Fernandez]

As you full well know the Clio especially when modified is quite a weapon that mixes with a lot of far more expensive machinery.

There are however quite a few replacements for the Clio that dont need to break the bank. The Elise for example is a cracking car, not practical in the slightest, very difficult to live with and not as quick of the line as my old megged 200 but the driving experience make it a car that's so much more than the Clio could ever be.

You also have the Cayman of which early examples can be had pretty cheap nowadays, running costs are not too bad either with insurance quotes coming out at £150 lower than the Clio for me.

Moving up in base price you have M3's, Evo's and C63's but then you are in a totally different territory in running costs.

The thing you have to remember Wilson is that you've got a very special Clio that only a handful of others have something similar. I sometimes think I shouldn't of got rid of mine but I've never regretted moving on. Doesn't matter that the Clio was quicker off the mark because that's not the only measure that you define a car by. I saw a video on Facebook last week of an highly tuned Audi A3 destroying a Ferarri 458 on a motorway but at the end of the day the Audi A3 was just that, an A3 that was blisteringly quick in a straight line. It'll never have the drama and sense of occasion that a Ferrari gives is driver and the Ferrari will drop a Supermodels knickers quicker than an Audi ever will.

Guess what I'm saying is there are plenty of cars out there that can replace the yellow one that'll nit break the bank or break your heart with regret.

 

[MikeLYR27]

Buy an evo 9! Easily get 400bhp, 4wd, big car. Usable in all conditions. Handle great.

 

[Rogue]

I think you have limited options with the spec of your car. If you was coming from a standard Clio, it'd be easy.

Don't think you can get the sense of bum squirming unless you spend big.

 

[-Eddie-]

I guess im the odd one out so far, as in I haven't supercharged or dropped a Meg lump into my Clio.

When I paid the last of my finance off, I was almost instantly looking for something to change for. I had looked at Megane 250/265, M3, S3 and even a Z4M coupe as a replacement. All fantastic cars in their own right but my problem was the resale or trading in value of my Clio. I would easily have had to finance another £10k+ and then obviously add my own touches to the car aswell.

I know I'll buy another car someday, but it might be when the value of the 197 is so low that I'll hold onto it and maybe buy one of the above (maybe except the Z4M as they are going up nicely in value.)

 

[litchy]

I guess im the odd one out so far, as in I haven't supercharged or dropped a Meg lump into my Clio.

When I paid the last of my finance off, I was almost instantly looking for something to change for. I had looked at Megane 250/265, M3, S3 and even a Z4M coupe as a replacement. All fantastic cars in their own right but my problem was the resale or trading in value of my Clio. I would easily have had to finance another £10k+ and then obviously add my own touches to the car aswell.

I know I'll buy another car someday, but it might be when the value of the 197 is so low that I'll hold onto it and maybe buy one of the above (maybe except the Z4M as they are going up nicely in value.)

I agree. Mr F and Rogue was talking about mine, it's always gonna be an annonomly. I think your right Eddie but when your right the check, that list doesn't look so strong. Aside from the 250/265, the other examples can look really tired even at 15k. There can have moon miles on them too. People say it's easy but there's many who have changed since owning the clio are on their second or third car in 18mths since. Mr F, I'll give you 12 months in the Cayman.

Yes, there are more powerful cars out there but even a well set up 200 is a hard package to beat.

 

[TB Rich]

If you don't need 4 seats it's quite a bit easier, stuff like an Elise, S2000, 350/370Z, Z4MC, Heck even a mk3/3.5 2.0 MX5 tuned to 200bhp would be sweet. Z4MC and 370Z quite a bit more cash but the others aren't.

However if you need 4 seats though like I expect many of us do, then yeah it's a much harder decision. One I've tried many times to answer but never can!
I really don't see things like a Meg as moving the game on, dynamically the Clio is very good and very involving (just lacks straight line pace)- so IMO it takes a different class of car to warrant a change, i.e E92 M3, Evo X. Without making that kind of jump onwards, stuff like a Meg is a sideways move tbh. But yeah those are much more expensive cars to buy and maintain. Maybe a Golf MK6 R would be a decent move? - Dynamically very different and certainly rapid with a remap, cheap to run too.

 

[-Eddie-]

You're right, and so many who have owned a 197, bought something else then bought another 197/200 or stepped into the Megane.

Having driven a 320bhp Megane and loved it, I can only imagine the smile id have driving a Clio with around the same power!

 

[litchy]

You're right, and so many who have owned a 197, bought something else then bought another 197/200 or stepped into the Megane.

Having driven a 320bhp Megane and loved it, I can only imagine the smile id have driving a Clio with around the same power!

It's a big smile I must admit. Sadly work and wife are pecking my head about the car so eventually I'll have to change - 4 door M3 I'm guessing but I must say very reluctantly....

 

[litchy]

If you don't need 4 seats it's quite a bit easier, stuff like an Elise, S2000, 350/370Z, Z4MC, Heck even a mk3/3.5 2.0 MX5 tuned to 200bhp would be sweet. Z4MC and 370Z quite a bit more cash but the others aren't.

However if you need 4 seats though like I expect many of us do, then yeah it's a much harder decision. One I've tried many times to answer but never can!
I really don't see things like a Meg as moving the game on, dynamically the Clio is very good and very involving (just lacks straight line pace)- so IMO it takes a different class of car to warrant a change, i.e E92 M3, Evo X. Without making that kind of jump onwards, stuff like a Meg is a sideways move tbh. But yeah those are much more expensive cars to buy and maintain. Maybe a Golf MK6 R would be a decent move? - Dynamically very different and certainly rapid with a remap, cheap to run too.

Golf is such a great car although with a proper spec is nearly 40k. Secondhand in a few years will be a bargain I guess.

 

[-Eddie-]

The used car market here in a few years will be flooded with Mk7 Golf R. They are virtually giving them away on lease deals at the minute. I must say I had thought of an Edition 30 for a while but as mentioned it's difficult to find a low mileage example.

 

[TB Rich]

Golf is such a great car although with a proper spec is nearly 40k. Secondhand in a few years will be a bargain I guess.

You must be thinking Mk7 mate, Mk6's when I looked a few months ago about £23k for a very nice low mileage 1/2 owner car. Whilst the Mk6 isn't built on the MQB chassis, nor does it have a gen5 Haldex - at £20k/ish it's a lot of car for the money and they look awesome too.
Mk7 on the other hand looks like a dogs dinner vs the mk6, and 4 exhausts, I mean what's that all about! 1 for each cylinder? lol!

 

[Rogue]

Next version of the Meg RS might be worth a look...especially if you need a 4 door.

It'll still be crap inside though.

 

[Yiannis197]

I have to admit that MK6 Golf Rs are great cars indeed, however V8 M3s are in the same price range more or less...Running costs is a different thing altogether of course.

If I had your car I wouldn't even consider the Megane Wilson, simply no reason at all.

 

[TB Rich]

I have to admit that MK6 Golf Rs are great cars indeed, however V8 M3s are in the same price range more or less...Running costs is a different thing altogether of course.

If I had your car I wouldn't even consider the Megane Wilson, simply no reason at all.

That's just the thing, the Golf is the sensible choice, E92 M3 is the one you lust for though! Thing is the amount half of us spend on our cars, would probably cover the running costs an M3! Just need to save enough capital to not need a massive loan too.

 

[Fernandez]

That's just the thing, the Golf is the sensible choice, E92 M3 is the one you lust for though! Thing is the amount half of us spend on our cars, would probably cover the running costs an M3! Just need to save enough capital to not need a massive loan too.

So true but then we'd still want to mod it.

In all truthness even if I had a La Ferrari it'd still get something done to it to make it quicker/louder etc

 

[TB Rich]

So true but then we'd still want to mod it.

In all truthness even if I had a La Ferrari it'd still get something done to it to make it quicker/louder etc

So true, and it always starts with wanting it louder!!

 

[litchy]

Like I said, it's amazing when you decide to change how quickly your list of so called great cars diminishes. Especially when your paying maybe 10-15k on top of your clio for the privilege. Sounds ok but after about a couple of months, you realise you your stuck with what you got cause if like me you want to improve what Bm, Audi or Vw have done, you be paying crazy money. Can you imagine how much a super sprint is for an M3?

 

[Rogue]

Modifying is a mugs game. We all know that.

We do it anyway though.

When I sell the clio, I'll be dropping out of the modifying game altogether and just get something I enjoy to drive. I'd rather spend 20k on a car that will retain some value than do what I've done with the clio basically.

 

[Paddy_R]

I bought the Clio to get out of the modifying game, still managed to modify it a bit anyway lol.

Recently bought a classic subaru Impreza. One owner from new, all receipts etc and NO modifications at all bar a WR Sport (by Prodrive) performance and styling pack fitted when new. plan on keeping it that way too. Keeping the Clio too though as a daily driver.