Clio Renaultsport 200
Discussion
Hello all
I seek the wisdom/ knowledge/ experience of PH'ers on the subject of the Clio RS 200 because I know naff all about them and I usually don't go near French cars.
However, I like the look of them and they seem reasonable value. I'd be looking at a 10 plate onwards with low miles.
Any info would be appreciated, specifically concerning;
1) Performance/ handling/ MPG
2) Build quality/ reliability
3) Must have options (I know about the Cup chassis and most seem to have this)
4) Depreciation
5) Tax banding
Anything else you think I need to know about these cars, please feel free to tell me
Cheers.
I seek the wisdom/ knowledge/ experience of PH'ers on the subject of the Clio RS 200 because I know naff all about them and I usually don't go near French cars.
However, I like the look of them and they seem reasonable value. I'd be looking at a 10 plate onwards with low miles.
Any info would be appreciated, specifically concerning;
1) Performance/ handling/ MPG
2) Build quality/ reliability
3) Must have options (I know about the Cup chassis and most seem to have this)
4) Depreciation
5) Tax banding
Anything else you think I need to know about these cars, please feel free to tell me
Cheers.
Edited by Red 4 on Friday 23 March 18:49
Great little car.
Rev the arse off it and you will have much fun
25-30 mpg - NO BETTER NO MATTER HOW YOU DRIVE
Had a bog standard one for 2 years and it was superb.
My commute was a/b roads and could go at whateve speed I liked.
If you are going to use as daily driver on commute in typical busy town - Get something else !
Most folk say cup chassis & Recaros - personally don't think you need either of these - test drive first.
most important thing is the REV IT HARD !!!!
Rev the arse off it and you will have much fun
25-30 mpg - NO BETTER NO MATTER HOW YOU DRIVE
Had a bog standard one for 2 years and it was superb.
My commute was a/b roads and could go at whateve speed I liked.
If you are going to use as daily driver on commute in typical busy town - Get something else !
Most folk say cup chassis & Recaros - personally don't think you need either of these - test drive first.
most important thing is the REV IT HARD !!!!
Red 4 said:
Hello all
I seek the wisdom/ knowledge/ experience of PH'ers on the subject of the Clio RS 200 because I know naff all about them and I usually don't go near French cars.
However, I like the look of them and they seem reasonable value. I'd be looking at a 10 plate onwards with low miles.
Any info would be appreciated, specifically concerning;
1) Performance/ handling/ MPG
2) Build quality/ reliability
3) Must have options (I know about the Cup chassis and most seem to have this)
4) Depreciation
5) Tax banding
Anything else you think I need to know about these cars, please feel free to tell me
Cheers.
I own one so can answer most of your questions albeit from a biased perspective.I seek the wisdom/ knowledge/ experience of PH'ers on the subject of the Clio RS 200 because I know naff all about them and I usually don't go near French cars.
However, I like the look of them and they seem reasonable value. I'd be looking at a 10 plate onwards with low miles.
Any info would be appreciated, specifically concerning;
1) Performance/ handling/ MPG
2) Build quality/ reliability
3) Must have options (I know about the Cup chassis and most seem to have this)
4) Depreciation
5) Tax banding
Anything else you think I need to know about these cars, please feel free to tell me
Cheers.
1) Performance is adequate, 200 has more low down torque than 197 so is easier to drive at lower speeds. Above 5000rpm is where it gets interesting. Handling is second to none in it's sector (I tried most after owning a Twingo and kept coming back to the Clio). I average around 28mpg in mine on a mostly B-road commute. Motorway use will see low 30's. They are not particularly economical though you can add a few to the trip computer readout.
2) Build Quality & Reliability so far have been excellent. Don't go for the Renaultsport Cup, go for the 'full fat' and you get a much much better quality dash and more toys (Cruise & Climate as standard).
3) Mine is a special ed. (Which they do quite often and normally means better value for 'options') so has most things ticked. Renaultsport monitor (Lap times, g-readings, 0-62 etc. etc.) is fun for a bit, if a bit gimicky. Recaro seats are super comfy and supportive but can wear badly if not looked after. Bluetooth is great unlesss you have an iPhone - with my Galaxy SII it will automatically connect and resume the song that was playing last.
4) Depreciation is quite fierce on brand new ones, eases off after a year it seems. Early 200's are going for around the £10k mark so lost ~£6k in 3 years from new. Not too bad.
5) Can't remember the tax band but it's currently £245 a year.
matty_doh said:
I own one so can answer most of your questions albeit from a biased perspective.
1) Performance is adequate, 200 has more low down torque than 197 so is easier to drive at lower speeds. Above 5000rpm is where it gets interesting. Handling is second to none in it's sector (I tried most after owning a Twingo and kept coming back to the Clio). I average around 28mpg in mine on a mostly B-road commute. Motorway use will see low 30's. They are not particularly economical though you can add a few to the trip computer readout.
2) Build Quality & Reliability so far have been excellent. Don't go for the Renaultsport Cup, go for the 'full fat' and you get a much much better quality dash and more toys (Cruise & Climate as standard).
3) Mine is a special ed. (Which they do quite often and normally means better value for 'options') so has most things ticked. Renaultsport monitor (Lap times, g-readings, 0-62 etc. etc.) is fun for a bit, if a bit gimicky. Recaro seats are super comfy and supportive but can wear badly if not looked after. Bluetooth is great unlesss you have an iPhone - with my Galaxy SII it will automatically connect and resume the song that was playing last.
4) Depreciation is quite fierce on brand new ones, eases off after a year it seems. Early 200's are going for around the £10k mark so lost ~£6k in 3 years from new. Not too bad.
5) Can't remember the tax band but it's currently £245 a year.
Thanks very much for that info, you've answered pretty much everything I asked1) Performance is adequate, 200 has more low down torque than 197 so is easier to drive at lower speeds. Above 5000rpm is where it gets interesting. Handling is second to none in it's sector (I tried most after owning a Twingo and kept coming back to the Clio). I average around 28mpg in mine on a mostly B-road commute. Motorway use will see low 30's. They are not particularly economical though you can add a few to the trip computer readout.
2) Build Quality & Reliability so far have been excellent. Don't go for the Renaultsport Cup, go for the 'full fat' and you get a much much better quality dash and more toys (Cruise & Climate as standard).
3) Mine is a special ed. (Which they do quite often and normally means better value for 'options') so has most things ticked. Renaultsport monitor (Lap times, g-readings, 0-62 etc. etc.) is fun for a bit, if a bit gimicky. Recaro seats are super comfy and supportive but can wear badly if not looked after. Bluetooth is great unlesss you have an iPhone - with my Galaxy SII it will automatically connect and resume the song that was playing last.
4) Depreciation is quite fierce on brand new ones, eases off after a year it seems. Early 200's are going for around the £10k mark so lost ~£6k in 3 years from new. Not too bad.
5) Can't remember the tax band but it's currently £245 a year.
Revving the car won't be a problem
I've owned a couple of Honda S2000's and Civic Type R'sNeither will MPG, my Focus ST was averaging 23 MPG
My main concern was build quality. I haven't owned anything French since 1997 when I had a Citroen Saxo VTS which self destructed within about a year. Since then it's been jap or German with a brief forray into Ford ownership.
Thanks again.
Drove the 197, has without doubt the single worst gear selector of any car I've driven. Travel front to back is like a bus (about a foot), but 1-2 to 3-4 gate is about 3-4mm. Makes quick up and down changes a challenge.
It felt heavy (they're 250kg heavier than the mk2).
The rear diffuser does work, but with our bumpy b-roads you need a spoiler. If you hit a bump mid corner at speed the rear will break traction and try to put you in a hedge.
It felt heavy (they're 250kg heavier than the mk2).
The rear diffuser does work, but with our bumpy b-roads you need a spoiler. If you hit a bump mid corner at speed the rear will break traction and try to put you in a hedge.
annodomini2 said:
The rear diffuser does work, but with our bumpy b-roads you need a spoiler. If you hit a bump mid corner at speed the rear will break traction and try to put you in a hedge.
Would the spoiler really make that much difference? It's not exactly a Le Mans car we are talking about here after all!One other thing to mention is sometime in 2010 (I can't remember exactly when!), the engine was switched from Euro 4 to Euro 5 emissions. This didn't have an impact on power or tax band, but it did bring Renault's updated 'R.S.' badging to the front and rear of the car. On the front, an R.S. badge was added to the front grille and on the bootlid the individually lettered 'Renaultsport' badge was replaced with a similar R.S. one to the front.
Some owners of earlier cars have stuck these new ones on, but the way to tell for sure if the car is Euro 4 or Euro 5 is on a silver sticker inside the driver's door shut.
The Cup chassis and Recaros aren't necessary for your enjoyment of the car, but they are necessary for resale. I wouldn't touch a car without them. Wear on the base side bolster of the Recaros are very common, even after only a few thousand miles.
Some owners of earlier cars have stuck these new ones on, but the way to tell for sure if the car is Euro 4 or Euro 5 is on a silver sticker inside the driver's door shut.
The Cup chassis and Recaros aren't necessary for your enjoyment of the car, but they are necessary for resale. I wouldn't touch a car without them. Wear on the base side bolster of the Recaros are very common, even after only a few thousand miles.
Edited by David87 on Saturday 24th March 09:20
SmoothCriminal said:
Get yourself over to cliosport.net fella they have all the info youll ever need.
No! Cliosport is good for 172/182 advice but not 197/200. Go to www.clio197.net/www.clio200.net (same site).
Mastodon2 said:
annodomini2 said:
The rear diffuser does work, but with our bumpy b-roads you need a spoiler. If you hit a bump mid corner at speed the rear will break traction and try to put you in a hedge.
Would the spoiler really make that much difference? It's not exactly a Le Mans car we are talking about here after all!This is fine on a nice smooth track, but on our bumpy b-roads and pushing hard you lose your rear downforce. Which is the last thing you need when taking a corner at speed!
This is a problem as the downforce is also pulling the rear of the car down slightly, so as it raises over the bump, the downforce reduces, the car raises and increases the problem.
If you plan on doing spirited b-road driving either get one with a spoiler (their a factory option) or fit one.
annodomini2 said:
Basically the diffuser relies on the ride height of the rear of the car to work properly, if you change the ride height its effectiveness drops off quite dramatically.
This is fine on a nice smooth track, but on our bumpy b-roads and pushing hard you lose your rear downforce. Which is the last thing you need when taking a corner at speed!
This is a problem as the downforce is also pulling the rear of the car down slightly, so as it raises over the bump, the downforce reduces, the car raises and increases the problem.
If you plan on doing spirited b-road driving either get one with a spoiler (their a factory option) or fit one.
A Renault Clio producing downforce?This is fine on a nice smooth track, but on our bumpy b-roads and pushing hard you lose your rear downforce. Which is the last thing you need when taking a corner at speed!
This is a problem as the downforce is also pulling the rear of the car down slightly, so as it raises over the bump, the downforce reduces, the car raises and increases the problem.
If you plan on doing spirited b-road driving either get one with a spoiler (their a factory option) or fit one.
Don't spoilers only start to really become effective around 90mph? Great for a track but on a B road?
OP - http://www.renaultsport.co.uk is also a decent forum with owners and RUK themselves onboard in the discussions (and a bit more grown up than clionet)
OP - http://www.renaultsport.co.uk is also a decent forum with owners and RUK themselves onboard in the discussions (and a bit more grown up than clionet)
SmoothCriminal said:
No! Cliosport is good for 172/182 advice but not 197/200.
Go to www.clio197.net/www.clio200.net (same site).
Agree with the point about clio200.net.Go to www.clio197.net/www.clio200.net (same site).
However Cliosport is only good for spotty teenage chavs.
It is absolutely full of complete tosspots (Or it was two years ago - and I can't imagine it's improved at all
)annodomini2 said:
The rear diffuser does work, but with our bumpy b-roads you need a spoiler. If you hit a bump mid corner at speed the rear will break traction and try to put you in a hedge.
Waaahhhhhhhhhhhh!! You can always count on a quick read of GG thread to cheer up a boring saturday morning at work....Flanders. said:
A Renault Clio producing downforce?
That was my thought - happy to be proven wrong but it is a very small wing. I know it doesn't take much wing area to make a big difference to downforce but it's not exactly a Sierra Cosworth-esque wing in consideration here. Aside from that, it's hardly a low or particularly aerodynamically efficient car either, so I think the inefficiencies in other areas of the bodywork would cancel out whatever the wing could add. I can believe the diffuser does diffuse some air (again, how much difference a diffuser makes on a hot hatch is an interesting topic) but I don't think adding the spoiler would really make a big difference to cornering speed, even on track - just my opinion though, would be good to see a real test of the two setups back to back.I think perhaps fine-tuning of the suspension would get more gains by helping the car keep it's tyres in contact with the road more and prevent the rear end from lifting off over bumps in the first place.
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