Clio 182 - a keeper?

[User name]

After one of my pretty much annual "What should I buy" threads last year in which I was looking for a cheap but fun runabout while saving up for another interesting car, It was suggested by several members that I look at a Clio 182 "Full fat" not a Trophy.

I consequently bought a VERY cheap but fairly tidy example for the princely sum of just £500, and have been using it as a daily since!
The added bonus - Working AC!

It's needed a few bits doing, all just general wear 'n' tear - I've had to replace the front shocks and wishbones, new cat, next on the list is the belts.

Otherwise, a very fast little go-kart with no silly electronics getting in the way (you can turn off the ESP) , good on the motorway returning up to 40 mpg.

Last week, I started thinking maybe I should update... and went to look at a Clio 200 Gordini. The thing was huge, heavy, almost identical 0-60. I walked away, £5k better off.
Then I thought OK, lets look at a Twingo 133 - The thing was bigger than the Clio!!!! Walked away.


So the 182 stays. Its a keeper I think.

[User name]

Welshbeef said:

It is the modern day Pug 205 1.9 GTI
The only thing which stopped me buying one many years ago was that the steering wheel doesn’t adjust up and down so it was tight to my legs ... a shame as I really enjoyed its raw experiance

Weird... my wheel does! doesn't go in/out though.

[User name]

Welshbeef said:

Or get a second car and Sorn it. It’s value is way more than £500 to you and provides its properly maintained then there is no reason why it simply will not trundle on and on.

Surely changing the belts are similar to a monthly PCP On a modern day equivalent.

I would, but I'm out of space!!!
Lotus Elan in the garage, Mini turbo in the toy shed, half-prepped race Midget under a tarp, van on the street, Clio gets the only other available space.

If I have a warehouse it'd be full by now!!! so many cars I sold but wish i'd kept...

Oh and PCP... Hell no - I don't do cars on credit (or new cars), i get bored of them in a year and it gets awkward to shift a car with outstanding credit (been there) - I would never buy new, its like literally burning money.

[User name]

p4cks said:

They are very good cars for the money.

Also, the Twingo is built on a Clio chassis anyway so I'd never understand anyone who went for one of these over a 1*2, given the lack of HP

I genuinely don't understand what market gap the Twingo is aimed at now, when it first came out (early 90's-ish??) it was a small cheap boxy run-about, I remember seeing the MK1 a lot around Europe but not the UK.

The 133 is bigger than the mid-sized Clio, so what's it actually for??

Edited by User name on Monday 23 July 16:03