What do you think - Clio to buy or not to buy?

Poppy9

I'm thinking of buying one of these. Good price for new car me thinks.

Pros?
Cons?

Mado

Poppy9 wrote:

I'm thinking of buying one of these. Good price for new car me thinks.

Pros?
Cons?

You have my blessings as long as it's not that Fiat toadmobile multipla....:rotfl:

Poppy9

Mado wrote:

........... as long as it's not that Fiat toadmobile multipla....:rotfl:

Is that a Pope mobile ?

DavidHM

Pros: well equipped, quite stylish, quite safe

Cons: three doors only at this price, not the most modern car on the road, not that quick or economical, not very spacious and has unreliability problems. Must have the timing belt changed at 5 years/60k as it has a reputation for early failure.

A Fiat Panda would be even cheaper, with air con and five doors (!) and more spacious.

A Kia Picanto would be about the same money, have five doors and more space but it's not as pretty or as safe in a crash but it is likely to be more reliable.

A Peugeot 107 would be cheapest to run on insurance, fuel and tax and although it's more basic, it's only £5,495.

For all that, the Clio is quite a charming, compelling mainstream car whereas the others, for all their strengths, do feel a bit more "budget" than it does and so I wouldn't rule it out, but you definitely have alternatives.

Poppy9

Cons: three doors only at this price, not the most modern car on the road, not that quick or economical, not very spacious and has unreliability problems. Must have the timing belt changed at 5 years/60k as it has a reputation for early failure. Agree 3 doors is the downside, I currently have a 5 door Corsa. I don't have young children (DD12) so getting in the back is not so much a problem now. It is a second car and doesn't need to be quick as I only have a 4 mile round trip to work. OH will use it sometimes to for getting to work - bit further but easier to find parking space. Not intending to keep for 5 years, two max.

A Fiat Panda would be even cheaper, with air con and five doors (!) and more spacious. Didn't like the Panda

A Kia Picanto would be about the same money, have five doors and more space but it's not as pretty or as safe in a crash but it is likely to be more reliable. Too ugly for me.

A Peugeot 107 would be cheapest to run on insurance, fuel and tax and although it's more basic, it's only £5,495. I tried one of these at the motor show. Found it too small.

Tried the KA too but found it too basic and OH said he wouldn't drive it. We do tend to take 1st car in the drive unless going on a trip or somewhere where parking is a problem.

I like my Corsa but the same spec is too expensive (I've a GLS).

I do love the new Clio, but again is more than I want to spend if I want remote CL and EW. The Campus comes with these as standard.

Hintza

The Mitsubushi Colt also gets a good write up.

Personally I am a fan of the Panda why not have a test drive?

mini_mad_dad

the car itself is great, we have one along side with my mini. but to cut long story short Google the words renault clio problems!

we've had one for a year now and we had more than enough with it...
depreciation is high on these due to the faults to. he he steer clear.

Poppy9

Form HONEST JOHN WEBSITE:

June 2001 Renault was rated by Motor Warranty Direct as Britain's joint 4th worst out of 22 marques for used car warranty claims. 18th from bottom for reliabilty in Auto Express 2002 reader survey of 100 models. Renault had above average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 114.24 v/s lowest 31.93). Average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 101.16 v/s lowest 31.93). Link:- www.reliabilityindex.co.uk 27th from bottom out of 137 models in 2003 Top Gear survey. Least reliable out of 10 Superminis in 2006 Reliability Index survey. Yert in complete contradiction in the 2006 Which survey, the same model Clio came second best among superminis with a 92% score.

Also what does this mean: Replaced with new car on same platform as new Nissan Micra in 2005.

DavidHM

Replaced with new car on same platform as new Nissan Micra in 2005.

The new, larger Clio, although it doesn't look like it, has a lot of parts in common with the Nissan Micra.

Apart from the diesel engines, the old Clio doesn't have much Micra in it at all and in fact a lot of it is a hangover from the Renault 5 "Supercinq" from the 80s :shocked:

Poppy9

DavidHM wrote:

The new, larger Clio, although it doesn't look like it, has a lot of parts in common with the Nissan Micra.

Apart from the diesel engines, the old Clio doesn't have much Micra in it at all and in fact a lot of it is a hangover from the Renault 5 "Supercinq" from the 80s :shocked:

Sorry to appear stupid but if I buy a brand new Clio Campus am I getting the old car or the new car. I understood it's a Clio II not a Clio III which is the new shape and bigger - but much more expensive.

pinkfluffybabe

The clio campus is the entry level version of the previous generation Clio (e.g. Mark 2). You are getting the old one. See here: http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/Review.aspx?model=1405