Greetings PH. Megane 225/clio 182/197 Advice plz
Discussion
Alright lads. First time poster here, anyway im Brett, currently we have an Audi A6 as our family car but i have around 4-5 Grand spare that id like to use to buy myself something to get out of the house in once in a while.
My choices are clio 182, clio 197 or one of the Megane 225s.
I however know absolutely nothing about these cars and i find theres massive amounts of conflicting information about them on the web so i thought id come here in hopes of getting some help.
Ideally i want something thats reliable, don't want to be in the garage with it more than on the road. Id like to be comfortable in the car too and as such with all hot hatches, id like it to be pretty exciting to drive too.
With the megane, i know theres phase 1 and phase 2, if there much of a difference? would you have a lower miles phase 1 over a higher miles phase 2? would you consider the 175 diesel edition? and what about the clios, is the 182 better than the 197? and what about the quality in general of these cars? interior/engines ect
Any advice you lads can give me in reguards to what might be best would be great, thanks so much.
My choices are clio 182, clio 197 or one of the Megane 225s.
I however know absolutely nothing about these cars and i find theres massive amounts of conflicting information about them on the web so i thought id come here in hopes of getting some help.
Ideally i want something thats reliable, don't want to be in the garage with it more than on the road. Id like to be comfortable in the car too and as such with all hot hatches, id like it to be pretty exciting to drive too.
With the megane, i know theres phase 1 and phase 2, if there much of a difference? would you have a lower miles phase 1 over a higher miles phase 2? would you consider the 175 diesel edition? and what about the clios, is the 182 better than the 197? and what about the quality in general of these cars? interior/engines ect
Any advice you lads can give me in reguards to what might be best would be great, thanks so much.
My 172 was bought at 70k with full (really full) history and recent belts and never went wrong at all in the two years I had it.
My megane was on 80k in immaculate condition with a boat load of receipts and lots of awesome mods and extra power and has cost me thousands in the year ive owned it.
Ive had the two extreme ends of tge spectrum. The meg has a much longer list of common faults ranging from crap electrics to oil pissing out of the turbo, shonky injectors and crap coils.
Timing belts are the big one for both as its an expensive job - even at an independent specialist. Parts are generally quite expensive and difficult to fit, the megane is worse than the Clio in this regard.
At about 70k things seem to start breaking on the megs - front suspension, clutches engine mounts etc. If it all happens at once your looking at a couple of grand (and youll be due belts at 72k if theyre not already done for age reasons)
Driving wise theyre very different cars, the Clio is a quick, fun toy with bags of Cheeky character, the meg is much more serious with more grip, more power and more stability, its a captivating drive on a good road at a good speed but a little out of its element at 30mph in the suburbs.
Of the two the meg is more liveable for me - it has more space for kids, bigger boot and in my case over 300 horsies to drag it along, its better on the motorway due to having a 6th gear as well. That said, The 172 remains the most amusing car ive owned (beating the meg, a mk1 mx5 and a classic sti-ra to the post)
Ive not driven a 197/200 so cant comment - probably the best looking on your list and im sure very capable.
My megane was on 80k in immaculate condition with a boat load of receipts and lots of awesome mods and extra power and has cost me thousands in the year ive owned it.
Ive had the two extreme ends of tge spectrum. The meg has a much longer list of common faults ranging from crap electrics to oil pissing out of the turbo, shonky injectors and crap coils.
Timing belts are the big one for both as its an expensive job - even at an independent specialist. Parts are generally quite expensive and difficult to fit, the megane is worse than the Clio in this regard.
At about 70k things seem to start breaking on the megs - front suspension, clutches engine mounts etc. If it all happens at once your looking at a couple of grand (and youll be due belts at 72k if theyre not already done for age reasons)
Driving wise theyre very different cars, the Clio is a quick, fun toy with bags of Cheeky character, the meg is much more serious with more grip, more power and more stability, its a captivating drive on a good road at a good speed but a little out of its element at 30mph in the suburbs.
Of the two the meg is more liveable for me - it has more space for kids, bigger boot and in my case over 300 horsies to drag it along, its better on the motorway due to having a 6th gear as well. That said, The 172 remains the most amusing car ive owned (beating the meg, a mk1 mx5 and a classic sti-ra to the post)
Ive not driven a 197/200 so cant comment - probably the best looking on your list and im sure very capable.
Poopipe said:
Driving wise theyre very different cars, the Clio is a quick, fun toy with bags of Cheeky character, the meg is much more serious with more grip, more power and more stability, its a captivating drive on a good road at a good speed but a little out of its element at 30mph in the suburbs.
Of the two the meg is more liveable for me - it has more space for kids, bigger boot and in my case over 300 horsies to drag it along, its better on the motorway due to having a 6th gear as well. That said, The 172 remains the most amusing car ive owned (beating the meg, a mk1 mx5 and a classic sti-ra to the post)
My R26 was an absolute machine to drive, it was pretty immaculate and in the 12 months I owned it I carried out loads of the expensive jobs ie belts, rear brakes etc. The grip for a FWD car is insane, to really enjoy it your need to regularly visit good B roads or track days which I never really did and was mainly driven for my 3 mile commute. I ended up selling for a MK7 Fiesta ST due to the cheap lease deals.Of the two the meg is more liveable for me - it has more space for kids, bigger boot and in my case over 300 horsies to drag it along, its better on the motorway due to having a 6th gear as well. That said, The 172 remains the most amusing car ive owned (beating the meg, a mk1 mx5 and a classic sti-ra to the post)
As mentioned, they're very different propositions.
The Clio 182 is a naturally aspirated car than handles extremely well but to get the most from it requires wringing its neck a little. That's no bad thing, it just depends how comfortable you are driving the car at 5,500rpm and above. The youngest 182 is 10 years old and might feel dated but if you fin a well-maintained one there's no reason it will be any trouble at all. Buy on condition not mileage!
The Clio 197 is bigger than the 182 and has a reputation for being slightly thirstier. The best plan is drive both variants and see what you think.
The Megane 225 is turbo-charged, bigger, more comfortable, more modern, easier to go much faster in, capable of carrying loads, and generally a very good all-rounder. The Megane R26 230 is also worth considering if you decide a Clio isn't grown-up enough.
In your shoes with an A6 to do the leg work I'd consider a 172 Cup for raw thrills, a 182 Trophy for a bit of exclusivity, or a regular 182 in the middle-ground.
Good luck
The Clio 182 is a naturally aspirated car than handles extremely well but to get the most from it requires wringing its neck a little. That's no bad thing, it just depends how comfortable you are driving the car at 5,500rpm and above. The youngest 182 is 10 years old and might feel dated but if you fin a well-maintained one there's no reason it will be any trouble at all. Buy on condition not mileage!
The Clio 197 is bigger than the 182 and has a reputation for being slightly thirstier. The best plan is drive both variants and see what you think.
The Megane 225 is turbo-charged, bigger, more comfortable, more modern, easier to go much faster in, capable of carrying loads, and generally a very good all-rounder. The Megane R26 230 is also worth considering if you decide a Clio isn't grown-up enough.
In your shoes with an A6 to do the leg work I'd consider a 172 Cup for raw thrills, a 182 Trophy for a bit of exclusivity, or a regular 182 in the middle-ground.
Good luck
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