Soldato
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Or if you add an extra £100k to your budget you could have a Gallardo.
Fiesta ST or Clio 182?
- Thread starter nichorob
- Start date
Save some money and spend £5500 on a 182 instead. I didn't even think these cars came close performance wise? Everything I've read leads to the Renaultsport Clio's labelled as some of the best hothatches of all time.
Neither interior are particularly great so I don't think that matters much.
Neither interior are particularly great so I don't think that matters much.
I'd go for the 182, but have to agree with mr tommo, spend £5500 max on one. Should get you an 05 182, with both cup packs (Make sure this is the one you go for) and a decent mileage. People are complaining about the interior (I don't think it's that bad), but it's the performance you get from the car. Not about straight line speed, but in the corners it's one of the best handling hot hatches. The 182 and ST are like night and day, the fez is a really nice car, but can't be compared to the clio, unless of course it's modified. The fiesta will be the more comfortable car, but not as quick, so depends really what you want. Just don't spend 7k on one. For that budget look at the CTR.
Also, if you do go for a 182, make sure it's had the cambelt changed. This is a costly service, around the £500 mark and needs to be done every 5 years/70,000 miles.
Also, if you do go for a 182, make sure it's had the cambelt changed. This is a costly service, around the £500 mark and needs to be done every 5 years/70,000 miles.
That's my thoughts too.
The Clio is the better hot hatch that's for sure but it does have it's compromises, namely the build quality. I really like the Clio but after viewing a lot of Clios recently I decided that I just can't live with the interior, despite how good the rest of the car is.
Depends on your priorities, if you can live with bits generally rattling and falling off then go for the Clio, if however you'd sacrifice overall speed and handling for better quality trim then the ST is for you.
The standard 225 isn't brilliant. Its a quick and suprisingly comfortable 'cruiser' (I can't think of the correct term here) and thats about it. The major drawbacks are the lifeless steering and the wooly suspension (not sporty at all).
The Trophy changed what was really an average car into a real hot hatch. Same power but massively improved suspension, brakes and steering (complete new steering rack) although coming at the cost of comfort. The cup is essentially the same as the Trophy minus the exclusivity and certain bits of kit.
Any of the newer models will probably be out of budget (F1 Team, R26, Facelift cup etc).
TBH in this price range you would be much better off getting one of the Meganes direct competitors than the Megane itself.
I'd have the ST - not driven one but I have driven a Clio 172 (I assume there's not a great amount of difference?).
The Clio rattles, the interior is plain nasty, and I certainly didn't find it all that quick. The chassis was good and it handled well but for £7K i'd want more than that really.
But then I wouldn't get either - i'd be looking at something a bit bigger like an LCR or CTR.
The Clio rattles, the interior is plain nasty, and I certainly didn't find it all that quick. The chassis was good and it handled well but for £7K i'd want more than that really.
But then I wouldn't get either - i'd be looking at something a bit bigger like an LCR or CTR.
I went for the ST, yes the 182 is quicker and handles better but reliability concerns me, and the interior is just horrible in my view. Much prefer the looks of the Fiesta too.
Agreed on the wind noise comments on the Fiesta though, with wind noise and tyre roar along with short gearing its no fun on the motorway! Though thats not really the point of such cars....
No easy answer to it....everyone says buy the Clio, but as an actual ownership prospect its a harder choice. That the Fiesta is fairly moddable makes it harder still...with the right bits its pretty special in its own right:
http://viewer.zmags.com/showmag.php?mid=gwhpg&preview=1&_x=1#/page2/
Agreed on the wind noise comments on the Fiesta though, with wind noise and tyre roar along with short gearing its no fun on the motorway! Though thats not really the point of such cars....
No easy answer to it....everyone says buy the Clio, but as an actual ownership prospect its a harder choice. That the Fiesta is fairly moddable makes it harder still...with the right bits its pretty special in its own right:
http://viewer.zmags.com/showmag.php?mid=gwhpg&preview=1&_x=1#/page2/
When have hot hatches ever been a source of a lovely interior? the ST in my eyes is a quick'ish small car. All the great hot hatches didn't need mod's throwing on them to make them 'special'. Its how a hot hatch drives which makes them- not that you sit with slightly less cheap plastic around you.
Stop being a big girl and get a Clio 172 Cup
Stop being a big girl and get a Clio 172 Cup
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- Joined
- 31 Dec 2003
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Reasons I chose an ST over a Clio.
1) Prefer the exterior looks of the ST
2) Fair bit cheaper to insure for me as my second car with only 1 years NCB
3) Build quality much better
4) Found an almost new example at a relatively decent price only minutes from my house
5) I had a Clio before my ST and I didn't want to basically be sat with the same interior, I know the 182 is a very different car, but I wanted something different and the ST was much better.
1) Prefer the exterior looks of the ST
2) Fair bit cheaper to insure for me as my second car with only 1 years NCB
3) Build quality much better
4) Found an almost new example at a relatively decent price only minutes from my house
5) I had a Clio before my ST and I didn't want to basically be sat with the same interior, I know the 182 is a very different car, but I wanted something different and the ST was much better.
When have hot hatches ever been a source of a lovely interior? the ST in my eyes is a quick'ish small car. All the great hot hatches didn't need mod's throwing on them to make them 'special'. Its how a hot hatch drives which makes them- not that you sit with slightly less cheap plastic around you.
Stop being a big girl and get a Clio 172 Cup
If all that matters is how it drives then why even bother with a hot hatch?
Spend £6k on somebodies second hand kit car on a Q plate which will still be cheaper to insure than the 182....
Saying 'interior quality doesn't matter, its how it drives that matters' is ignoring the fact that any hot hatch is inherently compromised by the fact that its based on a small hatchback! A hot hatch may be fun to drive but its still a compromise. Compromising on outright handling or pace for better interior and reliability is a fair trade off to many people.
Off course there is going to be compromise, the point is a 'hot hatch' in my opinion is something that compromises interiors for performance rather than something that compromises performance for the interior. In sort a ST in my opinion isn't a 'hot hatch'. But everyones has their own view on what makes a class of car.
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£7k would get you a Trophy, which is evern better again. There isn't much difference between a 182/Trophy, the CTR is as much as a side step and not an upgrade. Go test drive a Clio and you will be grinning ear to ear. Don't see why reliability is an issue either, like any car - if it is maintained properly it will go on for years. Just like many Clios over at ClioSport.net which have seen 100K+ miles.
http://pistonheads.com/sales/1373891.htm
http://pistonheads.com/sales/1373891.htm
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