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

Poppy9

Still haven't made my mind up. Went to Renault showroom today to look at the car. I sat in it, had a good look around etc and the 2 salesmen sat chatting and completely ignored me so I left. Do they not like lone females I was smartly dressed with my lippie on but they obviously didn't think I was buying!

Went to Fiat to look at their new cars. Hated, hated, hated the Panda. The Punto was a bit better but not for me.

feesh

Poppy I had similar experiences with salesmen - they all completely ignored me. In the end I found a dealer 300 miles away with the car I wanted by using the internet, and put the deposit down over the phone (I wouldn't recommend this unless you really know what you are looking for!!! Its a long story but I did know this car's history, because a local dealer had actually offered me the very same car previously - but he'd secretly whacked on a small premium, obviously to cover his costs of bringing it over from the other dealer and a nice little extra in his own pocket. I just got the same car direct and for less).

I would really recommend you stay away from Clios - French cars are known to have electrical niggles. In fact my boyfriend and I have recently started playing a silly game of counting how many French cars we see broken down on the motorways when we go out and it's usually about 80%!!!!! (My uncle is a Peugeot dealer and all my family apart from me have Peugeots so we do it to take the pee out of them).

I would go with German or Japanese if I were you.

When I bought my car, I really couldn't afford the one I wanted (Seat Leon) but I eventually got one by finding this little gem, as I said before it was in a dealers over 300 miles away - it had hardly any miles on it and was very cheap considering. It was advertised as an ex-Seat UK car and I have since found out that it was one of their press demonstrator cars from when the Leon was 1st launched - hence it was in tip-top condition and therefore had absolutely none of the usual niggles you expect with the Leon. And it hadn't been hammered.

All dealerships sell off their ex demonstrator cars every 3 or 4 months at discounted prices - could you not get one of these?

Also don't forget that there is a lot of room for manoeuvre even on those prices.

My Uncle gets us all a 20% family discount at Peugeot, but my Mum and I have both been able to beat even this just by shopping around and playing one dealer off against another.

Good luck, and rise above those slimy salesmen - they soon start talking to you when they realise you actually want to spend money!!!

lambo28

I have a 06' Clio Campus and it is quite reliable, i am saying quite because the boot door's remote central locking broke and i had to use string to tie it to the back headrest in case it flys open as i was going down the motorway! In my opinion, a very good car and buy it

feesh

plane_boy2000 wrote:

VW Fox is possible an option? http://www.vw.co.uk/new_cars/fox

Starts at about 6.5K

I know I said go for German but I've heard very bad things about the Fox, I don't think they come up to the usual VW standards by a long shot (think they might be built in Mexico?)

DealDrivers_company_representative

Don't focus too much on just negative views, everyone loves to say what they dislike about cars but you've also had some good sensible constructive & positive advice too from earlier posters...
...balance it with the fact that millions of people buy used and newcars every year and are perfectly happy - they don't visit motoring forums as they have nothing to seek help or advice about as they don't have a problem.

Forums, whilst fantastic resources for good advice, can - by their nature - have the effect of overemphasising people's personal dislikes about car choices (a forum set up where people could only post positive messages about a product or service would get few posts, it's human nature I think!)

I sense you're getting worried about every car under the sun having 'problems'...don't be. For every make and model there'll always be people equally delighted and disappointed with engines, seat comfort, noises, servicing costs, oile leaks, design quirks, knobs, trims, breakdown experiences and 'funny smells' etc! Have confidence in your own judgement alongside general advice on good forums. I've made bad decisions too on cars in the past but I don't label the product as bad just because it didn't suit me personally (I'm in one at the moment..it's for sale!).

Keep your budget in your mind and look within that, test drive it, and don't get overly worried by tales of disaster - cars are mechanical things and never infallible. Problems people have experienced are clearly of concern and worth looking into but hatches like clio's have sold by the million because more people like them rather than dislike them. My mum's in one of the last old shapes and hasn't had a single problem.

Buying a used car is like buying any other 2nd hand piece of mechanical or electrical equipment, you take a risk and parts fail eventually, plus you don't know how it's been driven before you got it, so if you go into it with open eyes and don't expect it to be in new showroom condition you'll not get too mad if something needs attention.

You can currently pick up new Fiesta Styles (3dr 1.25 and 1.4) for under £7.5k and 1.2 Fox can be bought new for under £6.6k even with metallic paint costed in, if that puts things in perspective a bit for you.

bingobango_3

Poppy9 wrote:

Still haven't made my mind up. Went to Renault showroom today to look at the car. I sat in it, had a good look around etc and the 2 salesmen sat chatting and completely ignored me so I left. .

don't moan! that's a great thing to happen, being able to sit in a car and look at it WITHOUT hassling salesmen! :T

plane_boy2000

feesh wrote:

I know I said go for German but I've heard very bad things about the Fox, I don't think they come up to the usual VW standards by a long shot (think they might be built in Mexico?)

Made in Brazil for that market, but VW made a few changes, increased spec etc for the European market as a replacement for the Lupo. Not heard any negative feedback on it, and thought that the reviewes on it were fairly complimentary

Poppy9

Pressure on. Sold my car today for £500 more than I was offered in P-ex by Renault.:T

Still very tempted by the Clio being Brand new and under £6k with EW,CL and CD player (thrown in). Do you think I can get any money off the £6k.

arrowsmith

Poppy9 wrote:

Pressure on. Sold my car today for £500 more than I was offered in P-ex by Renault.:T

Still very tempted by the Clio being Brand new and under £6k with EW,CL and CD player (thrown in). Do you think I can get any money off the £6k.

You can have a new Mitsubishi colt for under 6k, or a Kia Picanto, much better cars.

Poppy9

arrowsmith wrote:

You can have a new Mitsubishi colt for under 6k, or a Kia Picanto, much better cars.

Sorry but looks matter for the Kia and I can't see the Colt under £6k!!