What to replace the Fabia VRS with? Clio RS 220?

[lol-lol]

A man that drives his cars properly.  Fair shout  I dont thrash my car, cos its slow, but prefer to default to the bike for the thrills.   Which isnt always possible to open up on the roads, but anyway.

0-60 runs are still rare in the open road anyway tbh.   I've come across a few fabia vrs drivers around my local roads expecting abit of a play. Nah. Nout. Just driving like fannys.

Although i did get 1 vrs mk1 fabia into play mode once. Was abit of a laugh. Still wanna know who it was, n if theyre a member on here. Haha.

 

Fabia 2 VRS, great engine, fairly cr*p handling due to overly high CoG, fairly soft suspension, needed sorting but never got round to it and now never will.

 

VRS badge is descreet and it is interesting to show see floundering cars of twice the value on dual carraigeways off a roundabout to the next one.

 

ZEPREF has just put on the 220 hp Clio RS but not the full details and hence still using the 200 hp clio  http://www.zeperfs.com/en/duel4401-3286.htm

 

220 hp cup is reckoned to be a tenth or two quicker to 60 mph but a second quicker over the standing Km and two or three seconds quicker lap times due to sharper gearbox rather than 10% more power and 17% more torque in forth and fifth.

[Jrjg]

This sub 6 second to sixty is obviously quite important to you isn't it? Is this for practical or bragging reasons?

Do you attend many track days, as that's the only reason I could justify buying a Clio RS (I wish I did!) [emoji30]

JRJG

[lol-lol]

This sub 6 second to sixty is obviously quite important to you isn't it? Is this for practical or bragging reasons?

Do you attend many track days, as that's the only reason I could justify buying a Clio RS (I wish I did!) [emoji30]

JRJG

 

Not particularly for practical (performance) or bragging reason I just want the best performing car I can reasonably afford and the Clio RS various versions fit that bill of being good value, bang for buck auto gearboxed hot hatch.

 

I spend us to half of my working week driving so the place has to be comfortable and if it occasional provides a bit of a thrill acclerating off a roundabout, or when a lorry gets out the way on an A road and you can do an overtake, a leave the expensive Audi, BMW or Merc dissappearing in the rear view mirror it brightens the day.

 

Many of us work in organisation where Junior Managers are expected to have A3/1 Series/A class Mercs, Middle Mangers A4/3 Series/ C class, Senior Managers A6/ 5 Series, better E Class and Directors A7/A8, 7 Series, S Class or SLK or the like and I just like to not be like them and think outside the box (I am an Analyst and not a Manager/Direcotr after all).

 

Why spend £30-£40K on a badge-snob car when you get get something more pleasant/fun for £20K?  I am paid about three times the national average wage but would not spend money on something that in my view pidgeon holed me in the business man slot.  If I was going to spend £50-60K on a car it would be a Corvette Stingray or a Nissan GTR I guess but I would rather have a Clio RS Cup, a practical Estate, thinking of a Dacia Laureate Logan as it reminds so much of the ethics of Skoda twenty years ago, good cars at sensible prices, and a Yamaha MT09-Tracer to replace the SV605S later this year.  Fun/Pratical/Fun. 

[vrskeith]

Sounds like a plan and a heat sink for your "investment".Enjoy!

Think I'd go for an under £20k Polo GTI with some tweaking potential.

Or wait a while for the Skoda CEO TO RELENT and introduce a Fabia MK3 vRS.

[vrskeith]

Sounds like a plan and a heat sink for your "investment".Enjoy!

Think I'd go for an under £20k Polo GTI with some tweaking potential.

Or wait a while for the Skoda CEO TO RELENT and introduce a Fabia MK3 vRS.

With 5dr and maunual or DSG option.

If you want track day fun car and a local brisk commute set of wheels then, may be a Fiesta ST Mountune.

Edited 8 March, 2015 by vrskeith

[andypandypoos]

208 GTi 30th because LSD. manual only though :(

[lol-lol]

Sounds like a plan and a heat sink for your "investment".Enjoy!

Think I'd go for an under £20k Polo GTI with some tweaking potential.

Or wait a while for the Skoda CEO TO RELENT and introduce a Fabia MK3 vRS.

 

As pure engineeering the Polo GTI is hard to beat.  Probably the best autogearbox and the 1.8 TSI is brilliant with load of further puting potential.

 

I know it might sound odd put I just want something that is not a Golf or shrunken Golf ie Polo and its mainstream shape.  The Clio just is a bit left field and not so mainstream and a proper racing series to improve the breed.

 

[vrskeith]

As pure engineeering the Polo GTI is hard to beat.  Probably the best autogearbox and the 1.8 TSI is brilliant with load of further puting potential.

 

I know it might sound odd put I just want something that is not a Golf or shrunken Golf ie Polo and its mainstream shape.  The Clio just is a bit left field and not so mainstream and a proper racing series to improve the breed.

 

Best of luck!ENJOY.

Keep us up dated and and the occasional review.

Edited 8 March, 2015 by vrskeith

[lol-lol]

Have tended to not take too much notice of Clio racing when at BTCC but might do for this season.

[vrskeith]

Edited 8 March, 2015 by vrskeith

[Ootohere]

I have watched this vid a few times now.

 but to be honest i never noticed much about the car.

[lol-lol]

Oh la la

[NatalieSearson]

I'm picking up an Ibiza Cupra tomorrow. Replacing my Rapid, as much as I like my Rapid, it wasn't Rapid! On paper 1 second slower 0-60 than the Leon Cupra coming in at 6.9, and the same on paper as the TFSI Octavia which is 40bhp more. Literally can't wait. The Polo for me just didn't have it looks wise, and I just can't bring myself to buy a Clio!

[Ootohere]

Nice. Enjoy.

Tell us more please.

A Twincharger,  New or Used, colour etc, ?

[NatalieSearson]

Nice. Enjoy.

Tell us more please.

A Twincharger, New or Used, colour etc, ?

Yep twin charged, 3 door, just over a year old, in red.

Full leather interior, sat nav, voice controlled Bluetooth, auto lights and wipers.

Winter pack so heated seats (thank God!) heated washers.

Reverse parking sensors. (don't think I'll be needing them in such a tiny car!)

Only small downside for me is the 7 speed DSG gearbox. Never been a big fan of auto's but it's the way things seem to be going. No manual option for the Ibiza Cupra. :( I almost feel like it's cheating and lazy! I like to be in control of the gear change.

But it was amazing to drive, chilled and comfortable when you want to plod along and very fun when you want to play!

[Ootohere]

The DSG is just wonderful.  Best there is in a small car.

It will learn how you use it in a few hundred miles.  

 

 You are in control,. it is a Automated Manual, use the Stick or paddles, but the gearbox will do up changes better than you can,

drop gears manually though.

 

A small point is the Service Campaign on the DQ200 7 Speed DSG Since 2014.

So check if the car needed it and has had it,  and make them check again......

Synthetic Oil changed to Mineral in the Box, & a ECU Software Update.

& the Sticker in the Boot to say it is done.

They need to do it if not done.  SEAT pay.

 

It is 98 ron Prescribed petrol, so best use Tesco Momentum 99 or Shell V-Power Nitro which are 99 ron minimum,

or the Others Super Unleaded,  Sainsburrys, Esso, BP are 97 ron minimum.

Obviously it runs on Unleaded 95 ron,  but then why would you!

Thats maybe what the dealer has in now.  

You will feel the difference, and the Extra £2.50 a tank for Momentum 

pays its way easily.

 

Have fun.

 

Old Cupra in the VID,

Yours is the Face Lift Model from after Feb 2013,

so the CTHE Engine that got more power but they still left it showing 180ps,

Different Engine Management, lower VED to make it the same as the Polo GTI & A1 185 ps,

& lower than the Fabia vRS.    Actually they are all the same Engine & Power output since late 2012-13.

The Suspension was also improved on the Face LIft, & there was the £1000 Brake upgrade option.

Edited 19 March, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[lol-lol]

Be interesting to see if the revised EDC ie DSG box in the Clio RS gets closer to the VAG DSG box.

 

I will miss the Fabia 2 VRS engine and gearbox.

 

I will not miss the body roll or the need for 98 Octane or the poxy 60K manufacturers warranty requiring payment to an aftermarket warranty (CSMA recommended) or the declining Skoda dealer network to a corporate dealer chain network, for those reasons I am out.

[Ootohere]

I really am looking forward to getting a drive in the new Hyundai i30 Turbo with the 7 Speed Twin Clutch gearbox.

Hopefully all is good with that, and then maybe that engine and gearbox will find its way into a i20.

 

http://carwow.co.uk/blog/2015-Hyundai-turbocharges-i30-range

Edited 20 March, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[lol-lol]

I really am looking forward to getting a drive in the new Hyundai i30 Turbo with the 7 Speed Twin Clutch gearbox.

Hopefully all is good with that, and then maybe that engine and gearbox will find its way into a i20.

 

http://carwow.co.uk/blog/2015-Hyundai-turbocharges-i30-range

 

The Koreans are master at taking and good engineering idea and making it even neater than the original, even more so than the Japanese use to do.

 

Should be interesting but not sure the price will be on its side as Hyundai as they seem to be mmore expensive than they were despite their weak currency and of course the Euro is even weaker making their car even cheaper, or should be if you haggle.

[Ootohere]

Road test reviews of the 220ps Clio RS 1.6t would be good to see.

[lol-lol]

Yes saw this one on "Dave" channel I think.

 

Clio clear winner to me as it is both quick but easier to live with ie softer suspension for every day use.

 

Fiesta ST get good comments becuase, on the track it feels more compose but when you talk to owners they will often admit it feels hard suspension and that is grinding 99% of the time.

 

Everything Renault has done for the 220 CUP version sounds good as they stiffened the anti-roll without playing to much with the rest of the suspension.  Sharpened up the gear change, load more torque and useful power increase.

 

I gather we will see the road tests in the next few week and we will see how close it gets to the 0-60 in six seconds. CO2 lower due to stop start and hopefully the price will not rise to much over the 200 EDC and Lux versions. Would guess around £22K and probably some discount over a year or two.  Propbably stil go for the Lux version.  Bought a Dacia Logan Laureate as a lugger and the Clio RS should complement the fleet nicely.  

[Ootohere]

Can i suggest you look into a Seat Dealer and maybe try a Leon FR ST 1.8TSI 180ps with DSG 

you have a bit of a Load Lugger that handles better than your Twincharger, has more room and goes as well as the Fabia does. IMO.

A real bargain.  I had one out this week and really liked it.

3 & 5 Door hatches are available.

 

eg

 But this is the Diesel & not the Petrol 1.8TSI DSG.

Edited 22 March, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[lol-lol]

Can i suggest you look into a Seat Dealer and maybe try a Leon FR ST 1.8TSI 180ps with DSG 

you have a bit of a Load Lugger that handles better than your Twincharger, has more room and goes as well as the Fabia does. IMO.

A real bargain.  I had one out this week and really liked it.

3 & 5 Door hatches are available.

eg

 But this is the Diesel & not the Petrol 1.8TSI DSG.

 

I think the 1.8 TSI 180 hp is the pick of the bunch with a great showing on the quickness and mpg front.

 

A real bargain is the Dacia Logan as I imagine you are still talking about £20K for a SEAT Leon FR ST 1.8TSI, you could have two Dacia Logan Laureates for that and still not not have a car that is truly a hot hatch with the hot hatch feel.  With my silly mileage ie about 1k a week, it will be nice to come out of the house, look at the weather and say Logan Laureate (with MediNav system and still les than £10K) or a Clio RS (£19k or less) day so I do not have a Fabia 2 VRS with 100K miles, out of warranty and worth little.

 

SEAT ended up in the bottom 4 Dealer satisfaction with Franchise survey amongst Dealerships and my experience with local SEAT dealers here is similar to local Skoda dealers (now Savilles gone to Renault/Dacia) that they try forcing you to but something rather than helping you buy what you feel you want and try and force you to take GAP insurance, Scotch-guarding and accept admin fees above the normal PDI fees.  Distasteful.  

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/347958-skoda-placed-in-bottom-4-of-dealer-attitude-to-franchise/

[Ootohere]

Find a good Seat Dealer & a good honest salesperson because they would never suffer a 100% Customer dissatisfaction would they?

 

They would probably be your best friend ever if you were to take a Seat Leon Cupra 280 DSG off their hands, 

or order a new one.

& a Leon 180 ps 1.8TSI FR might well be had for under £20,000

 

?  

Have you driven the Clio RS 200 1.6T yet?

 

You might be on the Christmas Card list for ever if you buy one of those.

If you buy at the First Price they are talking, you can maybe have the salesperson's partner on a Time Share basis.

Buyers Market right now with Hot Hatches.

[terakris]

They would probably be your best friend ever if you were to take a Seat Leon Cupra 280 DSG off their hands, 

or order a new one.

 

 

Thats what I did and they have been bending over backwards for me ever since,  even post sales. I've had issues with a lot of different car dealers and I'm sure I'll run into issues at some point with the SEAT ones, but so far my local one has been great. 

 

There is apparently a big internal drive to push up customer service as they are known for being pretty bad... and still now you dont get amazing reviews or feedback when it comes to things like warranty work.

 

Gotta say I'm loving the LEON... power aspect aside, its a good all round car.