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How well does the Mk2 Renault Clio hold up today? - Malcolm T

Having been car-less since selling my 52 Polo, I've been flirting with the idea of going French and small. The second gen Clio, particularly the pre-facelift (1998-2001) has caught my eye, after spotting a nice W reg online for £1.2k (now sold). It looks nice (better than facelift to my eyes) and should be cheap to run, and so far as I'm aware it's supposed to be one of the mechanically better and more reliable Renaults of the time, no? Anyone here with experience of that car willing to help please?

How well does the Mk2 Renault Clio hold up today? - mcb100
My daughter is driving a £700 52 reg’d post facelift Clio.
It’s early full electric power steering, so expect it to feel dull and lifeless at the helm.
This is the 1.2 16V, and I’m sure it will go quicker, but its natural cruising speed is 60-65mph.
Usual Renault minor electrical niggles with central locking and windows are to be expected, but they are, intrinsically, a solid enough car.
If the clock display bulbs are gone in the middle of the dash, just learn to live with it, it's a major faff to change them.
How well does the Mk2 Renault Clio hold up today? - badbusdriver

Having been car-less since selling my 52 Polo, I've been flirting with the idea of going French and small.

That will explain why you want know which is best between a Fiesta and Focus then!. Why not just one thread with all the cars you are interested in?.

But at the age of car you are looking at, any car (within reason, simple n/a petrol, manual gearbox, decent condition and no alarm bells from the MOT history) could be a dog or it could be a gem. You need to assess each car on condition rather than make and model.

How well does the Mk2 Renault Clio hold up today? - Malcolm T

Well spotted! But different threads because in the case of the Fords I was trying to look for public opinion on what people would pick, notwithstanding the condition etc. (and there's an abundance of them unlike Clio). I know the first Focus is well liked but I wasn't sure whether that Fiesta is of similar good quality.

Edited by Malcolm T on 10/02/2022 at 15:50