Which one? Clio 172 cup or mk1 MX5
Discussion
As title states please help
After months and months of thinking I’ve whittled my choices down to 2 cars, both have pros and cons, but I was wondering if you kind people would help me decide (I know this place is bias towards the mx5!)
In summary Im thinking:
172 cup
Pros:
Better for winter hacking,
Cons:
Build quality not amazing,
Cost more so will depreciate
MX5
Pros:
RWD
Go around corners like their glued to the road (maybe not so well in the winter)
Cheap as chips
Cons:
Convertible
Only 2 seats
Any one think of any thing else??
After months and months of thinking I’ve whittled my choices down to 2 cars, both have pros and cons, but I was wondering if you kind people would help me decide (I know this place is bias towards the mx5!)
In summary Im thinking:
172 cup
Pros:
Better for winter hacking,
Cons:
Build quality not amazing,
Cost more so will depreciate
MX5
Pros:
RWD
Go around corners like their glued to the road (maybe not so well in the winter)
Cheap as chips
Cons:
Convertible
Only 2 seats
Any one think of any thing else??
HairbearTE said:
172 cup is a joy to drive. No ABS is something that I actually prefer but i'm not sure that makes it a better winter hack! If you lock up in snow you become just a passenger, and even at 5 miles per hour it's unnerving..
I always remember the first time my ABS came on, I hated it! I was going to remove it from my 200sx project so maybe before that goes back on the road it'll remind me to take care. Although the main reason I was thinking MX5 was for the RWD as I wanted to practise with RWD before I get in 300bhp drift machine.
I just dont know.......
If you haven't had an open sports car before I'd go for the MX5. It's quite a difference from fast tin tops and they are good little cars.
If you've already got that out of your system I'd go for the Clio Cup. It's more versatile, more economical, almost certainly a sharper driving tool (every other fast Clio I've driven has been...) and the Cup feels that little bit bespoke. Based on 182 experience I'd expect it to feel quicker (and generally more frantic) too. The MX5 is great fun and feels very willing, but at no point does a standard example feel fast.
My advice: Try an MX5. If you've been in a hot hatch before then a Clio Cup will just be like that, but better. It's a pure distillation of the hot hatch formula - which does makes it rather special - but at the end of the day it's a hatchback with a big engine. An open sports car is quite a different proposition, and in the case of the MX5 you'll either love the wind-in-your-hair experience and the chuckability, and find it intoxicating, or you'll find the performance a bit underwhelming, and find it a bit tepid.
If you've already got that out of your system I'd go for the Clio Cup. It's more versatile, more economical, almost certainly a sharper driving tool (every other fast Clio I've driven has been...) and the Cup feels that little bit bespoke. Based on 182 experience I'd expect it to feel quicker (and generally more frantic) too. The MX5 is great fun and feels very willing, but at no point does a standard example feel fast.
My advice: Try an MX5. If you've been in a hot hatch before then a Clio Cup will just be like that, but better. It's a pure distillation of the hot hatch formula - which does makes it rather special - but at the end of the day it's a hatchback with a big engine. An open sports car is quite a different proposition, and in the case of the MX5 you'll either love the wind-in-your-hair experience and the chuckability, and find it intoxicating, or you'll find the performance a bit underwhelming, and find it a bit tepid.
Chris71 said:
If you haven't had an open sports car before I'd go for the MX5. It's quite a difference from fast tin tops and they are good little cars.
If you've already got that out of your system I'd go for the Clio Cup. It's more versatile, more economical, almost certainly a sharper driving tool (every other fast Clio I've driven has been...) and the Cup feels that little bit bespoke. Based on 182 experience I'd expect it to feel quicker (and generally more frantic) too. The MX5 is great fun and feels very willing, but at no point does a standard example feel fast.
My advice: Try an MX5. If you've been in a hot hatch before then a Clio Cup will just be like that, but better. It's a pure distillation of the hot hatch formula - which does makes it rather special - but at the end of the day it's a hatchback with a big engine. An open sports car is quite a different proposition, and in the case of the MX5 you'll either love the wind-in-your-hair experience and the chuckability, and find it intoxicating, or you'll find the performance a bit underwhelming, and find it a bit tepid.
I think you win the best answer prize! I've not driven an open sports car, although had a passenger ride around the Isle of Man in a Tusan, now that was fun! I think there's still a bit of youth left in me so a hot hatch is still appealing, not really had one before and its some thing I've always wanted to try. If you've already got that out of your system I'd go for the Clio Cup. It's more versatile, more economical, almost certainly a sharper driving tool (every other fast Clio I've driven has been...) and the Cup feels that little bit bespoke. Based on 182 experience I'd expect it to feel quicker (and generally more frantic) too. The MX5 is great fun and feels very willing, but at no point does a standard example feel fast.
My advice: Try an MX5. If you've been in a hot hatch before then a Clio Cup will just be like that, but better. It's a pure distillation of the hot hatch formula - which does makes it rather special - but at the end of the day it's a hatchback with a big engine. An open sports car is quite a different proposition, and in the case of the MX5 you'll either love the wind-in-your-hair experience and the chuckability, and find it intoxicating, or you'll find the performance a bit underwhelming, and find it a bit tepid.
I think the plan will be:
Clio for winter hacking and see how it goes, in the mean time (nearing summer) I'll give a sorted mx5 a go and see if it still ticks all the boxes.
Cheers guys, a great help in my time of need!
300bhp/ton said:
This should be easy. If you don't need to carry more than 2 people or haul anything bigger than a couple of soft bags get the sports car.
Unfortunatly there is the possabiity of having to carry bits and bobs for house renovating (not ike a couple of tonnes of sand, more like a sheet of plaster board and a couple of bags of cement) 
So te lacking boot space was a con to te mx5, where as the clio could get by with hauling a small load.p4cks said:
I've been fortunate enough to drive both. 172 Cup all day, everyday. Possibly one of, if not the best hatch ever. It also doesn't look to lairy/charved either.
MX-5, IMO, was bland.
This, although I'd hardly call the MX5 bland. MX-5, IMO, was bland.
They handle very well so long as you get a full geo set-up & have the right tyres on. Other than that, they are skittish, scuttle-shaking, leaky, rust & really quite slow POS.
The 172- IMHO, is a far better car. Some will go on about RWD, but to be frankfully honest, pipe dreams of drifiting & tail out antics at any speed above 20mph on decent tyres are just that. You'll have more tail out fun (on 3 wheels) in the 172, plus have a decent stereo, nice seats,actually be able to hold a conversation (without raising your voice) above 60mph & have a car that doesn't mist up in the cold from water ingress into the cabin.
No doubt the above will upset a few fan boys, but it's just my experience with two 5s- a JDM & a UKDM.
If you can find a Cup model, go for that- it's an awesome hot hatch.
OTOH, if you can find a supercharged 5, then that would be different matter all together
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