Small, quick auto car - to replace my 182 Clio

[buzzer]

I have a bit of a problem with my left leg which is making it difficult to drive my 182 Clio... This is partly due to the fact it has a really heavy clutch (they all have...) but I am struggling a bit in other manual cars.

Can anyone suggest a replacement for the 182? it needs to be...

- Automatic (not DSG though - tried one and hated it, plus they are unreliable and a fortune to fix)
- Smallish car
- reasonably quick
- 4 seats

An Automatic 182 Clio would be the ideal.. if they made one!

Edited by buzzer on Friday 18th March 08:23

[insanojackson]

nissan juke 1.6 tubo 4x4 auto??? expensive though as will be brand new or very nearly brand new.

[WildCards]

1 series?

[JakesterUK]

What sort of budget? 2 or 4 seater?

[buzzer]

JakesterUK said:

What sort of budget? 2 or 4 seater?

budget is flexible... but £5 - £7k would be ideal

4 seats

[jbi]

insanojackson said:

nissan juke 1.6 tubo 4x4 auto??? expensive though as will be brand new or very nearly brand new.

this...

0-60 in 7.1 seconds, which is decent enough for this class of car

[rllmuk]

What car with DSG did you drive? It's important as Golf/Leon etc have 6 speed wet but Fabia/Polo/Ibiza have 7 speed dry and they are different.

[buzzer]

WildCards said:

1 series?

good call, Its on my list to go and drive one...

[buzzer]

rllmuk said:

What car with DSG did you drive? It's important as Golf/Leon etc have 6 speed wet but Fabia/Polo/Ibiza have 7 speed dry and they are different.

didn't know that, It was a golf...

[buzzer]

doogz said:

They don't.

That aside, Cooper S can be had in auto flavour if that's what floats your boat, personally i dislike auto's on small engines, you really need the torque to smooth out the gearchanges imo.

Well mine does, and every one I have ever driven has... and that includes several new ones between 2001 and 2005... Every Clio forum will confirm the clutches are heavy...

I to prefer manual BUT I HAVE BAD LEG!

[Wollcage]

my clio 182 had a pretty light clutch.

your dsg comments are awfully wide of the mark too.

[buzzer]

doogz said:

Calm down dear! First off, i owned a 182. The clutch wasn't as heavy as my A4, Impreza, or even our MINI.

Secondly, the "floats your boat" comment wasn't directed at you wanting an auto, it was because i didn't know if you'd entertain the idea of owning a MINI, they have a bit of a girly rep.

Touchy!

yea, sorry, I really dont want to have to sell the 182... but its killing me to drive it at the moment. I have even tried a new cable and gone to the trouble of lengthening the clutch pedal by 25 mm to make it lighter...

even our Corolla feels heavy these days...

[Scantily]

buzzer said:

yea, sorry, I really dont want to have to sell the 182... but its killing me to drive it at the moment. I have even tried a new cable and gone to the trouble of lengthening the clutch pedal by 25 mm to make it lighter...

even our Corolla feels heavy these days...

It was my impression also that all clios had heavy/stiff clutches, the one in my 1999 1.4 certainly is. Have read the same on many forums also, not sure why they'd design them this way considering they're a small city car.

[Papa Hotel]

I believe you're mistaken about DSG reliability.

What about an Alfa 147 selespeed?

[Cupramax]

buzzer said:

budget is flexible... but £5 - £7k would be ideal

4 seats

jbi said:

insanojackson said:

nissan juke 1.6 tubo 4x4 auto??? expensive though as will be brand new or very nearly brand new.

this...

0-60 in 7.1 seconds, which is decent enough for this class of car

[paoloh]

buzzer said:

WildCards said:

1 series?

good call, Its on my list to go and drive one...

Won't get a quick one for that money.

[VeeFour]

Papa Hotel said:

I believe you're mistaken about DSG reliability.

What about an Alfa 147 selespeed?

They break with annoying regularity.

[Beefmeister]

This:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Cooper S Auto. Next!




Or, just a couple of other suggestions:

3.2 V6 TT

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Leon 2.0 TFSi (golf Gti in different frock)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Edited by Beefmeister on Friday 18th March 09:01

[buzzer]

VeeFour said:

They break with annoying regularity.

What, the 147 or the DSG?

or both!

[dibblecorse]

I have just sold my A4 3.2 Auto and am now driving everywhere in the other halfs Mini Cooper (Non S) Auto, I have an artificial left kneecap so cant be ar**sed with manuals as they arent worth the pain, literally.

We will be buying a second car again soon and if we didnt already have one Mini, I'd happily add a Cooper S to the driveway, the Cooper is great, the gearbox is fine, its not so quick to set the world alight but my commute through the lanes is way more fun than the Audi was, not missing that at all and i thought it would be a real 'down trade' but honestly, its a great well built little car.

Go out and drive a couple, also the 1 Series is a good shout, i'm going to be looking at those too as I'm not allowed a Mini .... she thinks it'll look cheesey, lol