Clio 1.2's Any Advice?

[iaind]

my girlfriend has one.

it is awful. the clutch is disgusting and it is a genuinely tiresome and vile contraption to drive.

the driving position is awful [i am 6ft tall] and the rear of the seats dont even feel like they come up to the bottom of my shoulder blades.

i would not like to have an accident in it.

the only upside to it is servicing and consumables being cheap [she didnt think so but then i put it into perspective by telling her how much the same sort of work would cost to do on my civic]

her recent cambelt & pump etc, 4 new tyres, 50k service, new brakes and exhaust clamps was around £500 to put right and that was stuff that was long overdue and all in one go.

split those costs up and it is much more affordable.

as much as she hates it, that work should in theory give her a year of trouble free motoring

for that kind of money though, i would consider something like a fiesta or as howard says, a corsa.

Completely agree that they are hateful things to drive or be in.

However, I was a passenger in a pretty serious crash in an Clio some years ago, back when these things were new. He spun it on ice at about 80 and went sideways into a tree (on my side) before rolling down an embankment. That car saved my life, no doubt about it - it held up remarkably well. I came away with an arm that was black all the way down from bruising (side airbag), broken ribs and a cracked sternum. Driver scratched his thumb....sods law. I was really lucky to walk away, no doubt due to the car.

They feel flimsy but I don't feel unsafe in them because of that.

 

[Scania]

I was a passenger in a pretty serious crash in an Clio some years ago, back when these things were new. He spun it on ice at about 80 and went sideways into a tree (on my side) before rolling down an embankment. That car saved my life, no doubt about it - it held up remarkably well. I came away with an arm that was black all the way down from bruising (side airbag), broken ribs and a cracked sternum. Driver scratched his thumb....sods law. I was really lucky to walk away, no doubt due to the car.

They feel flimsy but I don't feel unsafe in them because of that.

Tbh I think you came off lightly more down to good luck, that sort of accident can - and indeed often is - fatal no matter what your in imo.

Just watch a crash test of any car hitting something at 30, never mind 80!!!

Glad you survived it, you were damn fortunate if what you say is how it happened imo!

 

[Django x2]

Yes, I have some advice.....don't