Why your clio?
- Thread starter beefychubbchubb
- Start date
About this time 3 years ago, there were a few articles about the 200 being the best bang-for-buck hatch around (long time subscriber to Evo).
I'd been saving for a new car and went to test drive one and was really impressed with how it drove. Not so the flimsy glove box lol.
Now, I'd always preferred two seater open tops especially RWD - at the time I was on my second MR2 Roadster, so instead of getting a new Clio I got a 5 year old. 2nd hand Elise 111R which really was my dream car.
Fast forward a couple of years of having the Elise as my daily drive, we bought a new house with a double garage. At that point I had a 05 1.6 Clio (I needed a cheapish runaround to use for my job in Portugal - now I was back working in the UK.) so the Elise became the weekend toy and I run the Clio as a daily drive.
Of course, after the Elise the Clio felt a bit of a come down, so after a few months I raided the savings again and went for the original spec of 200 I wanted a few years ago, albeit a 2nd hander. LY, Recaros, cup chassis and few other bits and bobs that weren't as important.
It's amazing how many people comment on the 200 on the driveway - I feel like dragging them to the garage and say "Nevermind the hatchback - look at that!" Lol
Best of both worlds though, the 200 is a great daily drive and passes the 'take the long way home' and 'turns back to look at as walking away' tests.
And on the (rare) occasion when the sun comes out I can still get my roof-off RWD thrills.
I'd been saving for a new car and went to test drive one and was really impressed with how it drove. Not so the flimsy glove box lol.
Now, I'd always preferred two seater open tops especially RWD - at the time I was on my second MR2 Roadster, so instead of getting a new Clio I got a 5 year old. 2nd hand Elise 111R which really was my dream car.
Fast forward a couple of years of having the Elise as my daily drive, we bought a new house with a double garage. At that point I had a 05 1.6 Clio (I needed a cheapish runaround to use for my job in Portugal - now I was back working in the UK.) so the Elise became the weekend toy and I run the Clio as a daily drive.
Of course, after the Elise the Clio felt a bit of a come down, so after a few months I raided the savings again and went for the original spec of 200 I wanted a few years ago, albeit a 2nd hander. LY, Recaros, cup chassis and few other bits and bobs that weren't as important.
It's amazing how many people comment on the 200 on the driveway - I feel like dragging them to the garage and say "Nevermind the hatchback - look at that!" Lol
Best of both worlds though, the 200 is a great daily drive and passes the 'take the long way home' and 'turns back to look at as walking away' tests.
And on the (rare) occasion when the sun comes out I can still get my roof-off RWD thrills.
GrumpyTwig
"the troll hunter" with added boost!
I had a dCi Clio and a Triumph Street Triple R, figuring sooner or later I was going to either kill myself or be killed on the bike I decided to chop both in and get a better car.
I looked at all the options and a few 182s, they were all dogs and I got quickly annoyed trying to find a decent one. I looked at fn2 type r's but they were all overpriced, underspecced and looked like irons.....
So on a whim passing Harrats Wakefield I'm not one to walk straight up to the salesman, had a proper nosey around and walked 'around back'. Lo and behold I see my car sat there and well... that's it, a week or two later I handed over my dCi and a brown envelope and drove away.
Nearly 3 years later it actually annoys me how much I still enjoy it, hours neigh months of procrastination about swapping it for something else and I'm finding it hard as I know I'd miss the french POS!
I looked at all the options and a few 182s, they were all dogs and I got quickly annoyed trying to find a decent one. I looked at fn2 type r's but they were all overpriced, underspecced and looked like irons.....
So on a whim passing Harrats Wakefield I'm not one to walk straight up to the salesman, had a proper nosey around and walked 'around back'. Lo and behold I see my car sat there and well... that's it, a week or two later I handed over my dCi and a brown envelope and drove away.
Nearly 3 years later it actually annoys me how much I still enjoy it, hours neigh months of procrastination about swapping it for something else and I'm finding it hard as I know I'd miss the french POS!
Fernandez
Gold Member
Quite simply i wanted a brand new car. Never had a new one before and although you lose quite a bit once you drive away I wanted something that was new.
My requirements were that it had to be fairly quick, look good but most of all be very engaging and fun to drive.
I tested every hot hatch going. The Mini Cooper S, felt really quick but the handling was pish, it also had that estate agent feel to it but my first ever car was an origional 1275 GT Mini and that was epic, the new mini wasnt so it was bined.
Next up was the Seat Ibiza Bocannecra, The interior was very nice, prob the best of all the cars in the running but the flappy paddle gearbox was a huge disappointment. The car felt like a robot and down changes took 3 weeks. I did like the car though but I told the salesman I couldn't make a decision until i'd seen a white one, I was a cash buyer and ready to buy. Unfortunately for them they failed on customer service and after repeated failed phone calls to them requesting a white one I lost all desire to own one.
The Corsa VXR was fun to accelerate in but it screamed Chav so I walked away from that one.
I'll not even bother with the other cars I tried, Fiat Arbath, Alfa Mito Cloverleaf, Skoda VXR etc etc
When I first laid eyes on the Clio it was simply the best looker, upon driving it I was hooked. The rev hungry engine, the cup chassis handling, Recaros and yellow interior pack sold it to me...
Never looked backed and I'm still in love with it 3 years later even though its more expensive than a wife...
My requirements were that it had to be fairly quick, look good but most of all be very engaging and fun to drive.
I tested every hot hatch going. The Mini Cooper S, felt really quick but the handling was pish, it also had that estate agent feel to it but my first ever car was an origional 1275 GT Mini and that was epic, the new mini wasnt so it was bined.
Next up was the Seat Ibiza Bocannecra, The interior was very nice, prob the best of all the cars in the running but the flappy paddle gearbox was a huge disappointment. The car felt like a robot and down changes took 3 weeks. I did like the car though but I told the salesman I couldn't make a decision until i'd seen a white one, I was a cash buyer and ready to buy. Unfortunately for them they failed on customer service and after repeated failed phone calls to them requesting a white one I lost all desire to own one.
The Corsa VXR was fun to accelerate in but it screamed Chav so I walked away from that one.
I'll not even bother with the other cars I tried, Fiat Arbath, Alfa Mito Cloverleaf, Skoda VXR etc etc
When I first laid eyes on the Clio it was simply the best looker, upon driving it I was hooked. The rev hungry engine, the cup chassis handling, Recaros and yellow interior pack sold it to me...
Never looked backed and I'm still in love with it 3 years later even though its more expensive than a wife...
Last edited:
^ This ^
At the time i owned a heavily track/fast road 106 on the verge of being turbo'd or the likes.
Was driving too and from cambridge (70 miles a day) and the car just became tedious. Perfect for quick blasts out but using day to day was just annoying.
Test drove a few diesels and they were just too far away from what the 106 was, id have ended up driving it into a tree on purpose for some excitement.
Popped to the Renault garage to see this 200 that EVO mag raved about. Took a Gordini out. Salesman drove first, asked the misses if she was a nervous passenger then gave it hell hanging the back end out on corners and green light shifting every gear. My turn, and i loved it. Perfect mix of sensible and fun.
Looked at a few second hand and with APR rates at the time, i managed to get a brand new perfect spec one for the same payments as a year old one that i would have had to compromise on spec.
I bought my 200 Cup because it was the only car that fitted what I want from a car at the moment.
I have a history of cars that are regarded as good drivers cars, Elise S2 (K-Series), DC2, DC5 and a Trophy. But I had to do some grown up stuff for a few years like a mortgage and house renovation. So I was left with a company focus for 4 years until last October when I bought my RB 200 Cup.
Circumstances with my job left me in the position to buy a car that only had to do a 6 mile drive a day and the occasional site visit. So I needed a car that had to seat three every now and again (rear seats have still not been used!) and a boot. I did consider an R26.R but the lack of rear seats put me off, Mini GP again no rear seats and another DC2 but these do look dated now. So it had to be the Cup with Recaros and no other options were on my wish list. The car is brilliant and I don’t regret making the choice. And until I can justify a Caterham run as a second car it will be staying. There seems to be no current hatches now on the market that tick any of the boxes that I like in a car as I am not a fan at all of gadgets in a drivers car. I even dismissed a couple of Elises that had electric windows!
I have got a trip planned to Snowdonia (Triangle) in the Cup over Easter and cant think of car for the money that I would rather be doing it in.
I have a history of cars that are regarded as good drivers cars, Elise S2 (K-Series), DC2, DC5 and a Trophy. But I had to do some grown up stuff for a few years like a mortgage and house renovation. So I was left with a company focus for 4 years until last October when I bought my RB 200 Cup.
Circumstances with my job left me in the position to buy a car that only had to do a 6 mile drive a day and the occasional site visit. So I needed a car that had to seat three every now and again (rear seats have still not been used!) and a boot. I did consider an R26.R but the lack of rear seats put me off, Mini GP again no rear seats and another DC2 but these do look dated now. So it had to be the Cup with Recaros and no other options were on my wish list. The car is brilliant and I don’t regret making the choice. And until I can justify a Caterham run as a second car it will be staying. There seems to be no current hatches now on the market that tick any of the boxes that I like in a car as I am not a fan at all of gadgets in a drivers car. I even dismissed a couple of Elises that had electric windows!
I have got a trip planned to Snowdonia (Triangle) in the Cup over Easter and cant think of car for the money that I would rather be doing it in.
I got mine because I finished my apprenticeship after 5 years and wanted a brand new car, most likely the only new car i'll ever have.
Rather pay the bit extra and have it exactly to my spec Can see me keeping this for a very long time, until I can afford something like a 1M, cayman R etc.
Rather pay the bit extra and have it exactly to my spec
Can see me keeping this for a very long time, until I can afford something like a 1M, cayman R etc.I got mine because I finished my apprenticeship after 5 years and wanted a brand new car, most likely the only new car i'll ever have.
Rather pay the bit extra and have it exactly to my spec
Because you spent a week following mine around Europe and thought "damn thats sexy" ?
I was never a big fan of the 172/182, thought it a bit too small for me.
When the 197 came out i thought it looked good/ok but not hooked, i had a mortgage at the time so it was a no no.
Then i saw the race cup version and thought that was for me, i was doing a lot of track days with my alfa 145 so wanted one.
It was nearly two years ago, mortgage free and redundancy looming i realised i could have one so grasped the bull by the horns and got (nearly) the car i wanted, a 197 cup.
I like it so much i also bought a cup racer shell to build the car of my dreams and i've just bought another clio (damaged) to help build my next track day car. a megane powered cup racer. :lol:
When the 197 came out i thought it looked good/ok but not hooked, i had a mortgage at the time so it was a no no.
Then i saw the race cup version and thought that was for me, i was doing a lot of track days with my alfa 145 so wanted one.
It was nearly two years ago, mortgage free and redundancy looming i realised i could have one so grasped the bull by the horns and got (nearly) the car i wanted, a 197 cup.
I like it so much i also bought a cup racer shell to build the car of my dreams and i've just bought another clio (damaged) to help build my next track day car. a megane powered cup racer. :lol:
Its a amazing little car 'out the box'. Bought it as a project and it became like having a mistress. Love driving it especially as now has the power to go with 'that' chassis. I'll be sorry to see it go
I first saw a 197 outside my school. It was a LY R27 with cup spoiler and it would drive past every day, looking pretty damn awsome... I was only about 14 at the time, but I decided it was my realistic dream car lol. Then in Aug 2011 while sitting in hospital after ****ing my knee on a longboard, did a cheeky insurance quote on a 197 and realised I could finally afford the insurance. Joined the forum, did the research and bought one off Steve about a 8 months later!
Also, I swear there's some kind of fate with that illusive R27 I used to see. I didn't see it for 5 years after I left that school until the day I drove into my local town to withdraw the cash for my R27. Then I didn't see it for another 10 months until the day I drove into my local town to withdraw the cash for my 200 cup. What are the chances?!
Also, I swear there's some kind of fate with that illusive R27 I used to see. I didn't see it for 5 years after I left that school until the day I drove into my local town to withdraw the cash for my R27. Then I didn't see it for another 10 months until the day I drove into my local town to withdraw the cash for my 200 cup. What are the chances?!
Last edited:
I used to hate the mk2 clio, i was always a saxo fan. I'm not a chav btw! I had an MG TF at the time, and wanted a change, something more practical. I wasn't really sure what i fancied until the now husband mentioned a RS Clio to me. Dad has been a Renault fan since he was a boy so he also liked the car. I had a look online to see what was around in my price range, and went to view one. After driving one i knew i wanted one. So 4 years later i still have the 197. I have thought about changing it for something 5 door (as i now have a little girl) but nothing really stands out at what i can afford, well apart from the new RS Clio.
I had an MG TF at the time, and wanted a change, something more practical. I wasn't really sure what i fancied until the now husband mentioned a RS Clio to me. Dad has been a Renault fan since he was a boy so he also liked the car. I had a look online to see what was around in my price range, and went to view one. After driving one i knew i wanted one. So 4 years later i still have the 197. I have thought about changing it for something 5 door (as i now have a little girl) but nothing really stands out at what i can afford, well apart from the new RS Clio.
