Puma 1.7, Clio 182 or Mk 2 MR2 - which would you have?
Puma 1.7, Clio 182 or Mk 2 MR2 - which would you have?
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Discussion

PompeyPaul

Original Poster:

519 posts

204 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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Ford Puma 1.7, Renault Clio 182 (with cup pack) ot mk 2 Toyota MR2 - if you could have any of these for a daily drive, for having run on B roads and a future trip to the ring, which would you have?


Which will be the best quality to live with day to day. Which would put the biggest smile on your face?

Assume all are practical enough too.

Advice and comments from current and previous owners of the above will be read with interest!

Paul

trickywoo

13,468 posts

251 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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The deux.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

211 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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There's only one sports car listed, so that is the best. It'll be the most fun, the most rewarding and the most special. The MR2 isn't a hooligans car and will reward a smooth driver more. But putting the top down will make it an enjoyable car even at 30mph.

If you need the seats then the Puma looks 100x better than the Clio. I do concede the Clio is faster and has a good reputation, although I think it's pace often over inflates it's handling and fun factor.

For me the better looking coupe would always triumph over the shopping cart.

Vocal Minority

8,582 posts

173 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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A well looked after MR2 will put the others into the middle of next week re: quality.

Bill

56,869 posts

276 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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Of those, I don't honestly know. I've only driven an MR2 and it was a bit soft and "GT" for me (coming from a mk1). If it was me I'd be considering the MX5 too given the well-trodden upgrade path to FI...

chris182

4,228 posts

174 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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I would rate the Clio much above the Puma (as good as everyone says it is), the puma just doesn't do it for me at all. The Clio is also the fastest and as a daily driver would be my choice (it was in fact). That said, I can totally see the appeal of open top, mid engined hooning as well. It would be a tough choice for me between the Clio and the MR2, but I would go with the Clio because I like it so much.

There is a huge number of threads on all three so I'm sure owners opinions won't be hard to come by.

B Huey

4,881 posts

220 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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I had the 1.7 Puma and it wasn't particularly quick.

thetapeworm

13,176 posts

260 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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I've had the Puma and the MR2 but not the Clio, I enjoyed owning both but they are very different cars.

The Puma is a car you can thrash and drive at 100% without too much comeback other than smiles and the need to back off now and again, try that in the MR2 and it might test your reactions a bit more, having said this the limits are higher and there is less warning when getting near them.

I owned the MR2 (Turbo) for the longest and had it as my only car, the Puma was bought to compliment another car (a Supra) and keep the miles down on that, in reality it completely replaced it for a while because I enjoyed driving it so much.

All you can really do is try to drive all three and see which works for you, your lifestyle and needs may be quite different to mine but if faced with the same choice now I'd probably have another MR2.


Contigo

3,122 posts

230 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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Clio for sure, the Puma was always an awful car and the MR2 is really dated now.

hairykrishna

14,311 posts

224 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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Can't you get an MR2 turbo for Clio 182 money? That, all day long.

Frik

13,657 posts

264 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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Contigo said:
...the Puma was always an awful car...
Brace yourself!

ikarl

3,872 posts

220 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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MR2.....tremendous car for the money

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

211 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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doogz said:
Is the MR2 an NA one? Or a turbo?
opps I thought it said Mk3....

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

211 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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Contigo said:
Puma was always an awful car
how so?

Johnnytheboy

24,499 posts

207 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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B Huey said:
I had the 1.7 Puma and it wasn't particularly quick.
I've had a 182 (Trophy) and a 1.7 Puma.

The Clio would walk all over the Puma.

Can't comment on the MR2 but at least I've narrowed it down to two!

r1ch

2,948 posts

217 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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Easy one for me, Clio 182, loads better than the Puma.

RobCrezz

7,892 posts

229 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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The MR2, the most rewarding.

TOENHEEL

4,501 posts

248 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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If you really want rear wheel drive get the the Mr2 otherwise the Clio. Never understood the over the top hype surrounding Pumas even after driving one. God awful interior and rust for fun oh and they aren't even particularly quick.

Edited by TOENHEEL on Friday 13th April 12:33

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

276 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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Contigo said:
Clio for sure, the Puma was always an awful car and the MR2 is really dated now.
Hmmm... Let me see... Mid engined, RWD 2 sweater, vs a souped up family hatchback?

Is it really that much of a difficult choice to make? The 3SGE is a rear engine, (and the turbo makes it even better), is a great little car. It is a lot more GT than the MK1, but then again, it was never going to be as light as the Mk1. Storage is good, the seats are excellent, (one of the most comfortable cars I've sat in), and the power belies the decent pace it can have, (a tad faster than an NA MX5 in my experience, but more rewarding to drive, again IMHO). Still a good looking car in my opinion.

Hoygo

725 posts

182 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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The Puma is not fast as the two other cars and should not be compared with them,is a nice ,quick shopping car,but nothing like a MR2 or Clio 182,Clio would be faster than a MR2 most of the time but i guess haven't driven a MR2 don't know which is more fun.