Clio 197...good car?

[cagedmini]

Hi all, I bought a Focus ST a few months ago and it is using epic amounts of water, checked web found it to be a possible cracked cylinder liner = new engine required.
The garage was quite helpful and they took it back so i could exchange it for something else, there was only 3 cars i liked, 2007 Golf R32, 2006 Megane F1, and the 2007 Clio 197.
Due to insurance costs etc ive decided on the Clio! It was great to drive on the test, obviously slower but still fun.
Sorry for an essay but now to the point!
Anyone owned/driven one? are they any good?

[NateWM]

Only you can decide if it's any good. Take it for a test drive!

They are brilliant cars, but I would rather take the Megane.

[CooperS]

Surely the Megane would have been more like for like replacement, either way the clio is ok but fuel consumption sucks compared to a rs 182 and it felt gutless compared to.a rs 182....

[randomman]

Sod insurance, get the Golf. The Clio and Megane are both brilliant drivers cars but I don't think you will be dissapointed with a 6 cylinder soundtrack and an awd system.

(Seriously though all three are very differant, you need test drives.

[R300will]

Crap interior. Really crap. But great to drive, i test drove about 50 when looking at my next car and it if wasn't for the interior i would have had one. Great engine note and lovely handling, and nice looks.

[frosted]

I would go r32 just because it's extremely civilised and a nice place to be

[Mastodon2]

I would be going for the R32, assuming it's in good nick, the running costs cannot be that different to the Focus ST, and while it might not have the Terrier-like nature of the Clio, it has a brilliant engine and is a lovely place to sit. Horses for courses really, but if I had R32 money I wouldn't be driving a Clio, as good as they are.

[deadmau5]

I love my Clio F1. Test drive it on a good country road and I'm sure you'll be sold.

[The Nur]

Personally I would prefer the Golf but with those three cars it really is horses for courses.

Get a good drive of the lot of them and make your mind up then.

[fozzymandeus]

Lovely things. Get the garage to do the cambelt, it'll be due soon if it hasn't already been done. Water pump too.

[LuS1fer]

I think the 197 has great styling but would also be tempted by the R32. Only thing I've read about 197s is they may have gearbox issues on 2006/7 cars.

[Leptons]

I would be going megane out of those three. I drove a 197 last week. It felt gutless at anything below 6K rpm and the seats were poor. Good brakes though!

Bear in mind the golf will cost you £400+ a year to tax

[fozzymandeus]

Leptons said:

I would be going megane out of those three. I drove a 197 last week. It felt gutless at anything below 6K rpm and the seats were poor. Good brakes though!

Bear in mind the golf will cost you £400+ a year to tax

They are a delight to wring the neck of. Mine had the recaros which were good and supportive but had fabric made of crepe paper.

[oj121]

I do think the 197 would be bottom of my list out of the three on offer provided their are all of like for like condition.......

How can you not fancy the golf really? £400 for the year goes as very little over a year so dont let that worry you....

[cagedmini]

The golfs a definitive no! Cant afford the extra few hundred to insure it, its more than the ST too. Not sure on the meganes looks

[Steve H]

You couldn't give me the Golf, the Clio will make you smile each time you drive it and will likely be more reliable than the Megane. Buy it.

[Biscuit Bus]

I enjoyed mine (197 with cup suspension). Cracking handling, good looks, and a decent NA powertrain. Used a lot of fuel given the performance and wasn't massively quick in a straight line; needs winding up to get any real go, which can be tiring if you're not in the mood though.

I'm not sure it can be compared to an R32 though and even the Megane is a step up in size and performance. I reckon the insurance increase might be worth it if you were after an ST at first. Or just go somewhere else and get an ST.

[Sam.F]

Do you do a lot of miles?

I'd find the Clio's short gearing *very* wearing if I had to live with it for any sort of period on the motorway.

[oj121]

Cant afford a few hundred pounds a year? So £20 a month? You sure you can afford to run any performance car properly? Genuine question not a vieled insult.

[roystinho]

All depends what you want from it, the 197 is a great little car for blasting round country lanes and generally having fun in. If you can try get a R27 that has all the bells and whistles as standard (recaros and cup chassis being main ones)

If you have a bit more mundane driving, however, then the Clio can be tiresome on motorways or long trips. In this instance I'd go for the megane, but make sure it's a R26, again Recaros, cup chassis, a bit more power (230 not 225) and the all important LSD. Still fantastic fun, but a bit lessinvolved than the clio, car does a lot to help you.

Golf - well that just sounds epic. I'll confess to not driving one, but from reports they're a bit more nose heavy and wouldn't be as fast round the twisty roads or track as the megane. But does that matter? Lap times 0-60 etc generally don't matter, it's the whole package/experience. I imagine, mpg aside, it'll be the best cruiser out of those you have chosen too