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Megane 265 or Clio RS 200


ScottyB

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Hi Guys,

 

Looking to purchase my first RS and need a bit of help in the decision making.

 

I have read everything and watched everything online re the Megane RS 265 and it seemed to be the king of the hot hatches in the market today. I narrowed down in particular on the RB8. For me it just offered some good value in what it offers option wise and the current offers out and about on these as last demos etc fitted my budget well.

 

I went to the dealership today for my first test drive and was probably ready to pull the trigger on an RB8 except, I drove the new Clio RS 200 as a comparable and now I am in a predicament as to which way I should go????

 

The Clio felt equally as quick and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face while driving it. The dealer then showed me the launch control function and wile mostly impractical for every day driving, it was a heap of fun and could be a nice something to play with every now and then. It felt just a little edgier than the megane which might almost be too good for its own good in comparison. It just didnt feel as on edge as the Clio which wasnt a negative, it was actually exciting.

 

I did drive the megane first and didnt know the roads and where we were heading on the test so not sure if I was too cautious with the megane and a little more adventurous with the clio knowing where I was going (and where the men in blue could be).

 

I do a lot of city driving with my work so the Clios dual clutch auto seems like a sensible option but I just can't get past the looks of the megane.In comparison the new Clio looks toyish and much like any other smaller cars out there today.

 

I also am aware there is a new 275 coming in the megane which will have a different look, I equally don't like the look of the 275 for the same reason as the clio. The RB8 just looks refined and polished in comparison to its bratty little brother.

 

Any thoughts out there as to which way I should go?

 

Interested in particular to hear the day to day living with the megane being Manual and very stiff.

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I would go for the Megane. They're not stiff at all, in fact they are supremely comfortable, even on long trips. The manual thing only gets testing in relentless stop start traffic, but then being able to change gears is satisfying, and the well sorted clutch and gearshift are one of the better manuals I have ever driven. In short - I'm on my second Megane now (just about to take delivery of an RB8), I bought it because my first RS250 got written off last month, and despite the fact I had the collective car world as my oyster, I still chose another Megane. Great cars, to boot, they're extremely safe as well.

 

If you were choosing between the Clio III 200, it would be a more difficult choice. But as far as hot hatches go, the Megane is well known as being at the top of its game right now, where the Clio 200T unfortunately in its latest iteration has fallen out of favour a little with motoring journos.

 

That said, I've never driven one, but have heard that they're fun, and if it works for you, then do it! Either way, both are very good and fun cars, just one reviews a little better, how you interpret that information is up to you :D

 

Good luck

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Ok. Day day the Clio is probably better and also has 4 doors. Not that I think you can fit much in he back. Megane is definitely more powerful and is a coupe style and still allows some shorter adults in the back 5foot nothing.

 

No launch control on her megane, but you still get the r-link2.0 and that 195kw power. 360Nm. Yes RB8 is a better looking front end to the 275 or new 2015 Meganes that are coming out IMO. Unlike the Clio which has just come out you should be able to get a great deal on the rb8 as they would be ruining them out. So definately haggle hard. And don't buy from the first dealer. You will get a better price that way. If they say you can't get a better deal elsewhere you know it's time to try somewhere else. Had one salesmen try that and I called up another dealer on the spot and had a bidding war. keep us posted.

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Thanks Guys,

 

That probably confirms my gut feel.

 

I currently drive manual and have done so for the past 4 years in my current car so wont be a shock to the system to drive it.

 

I have seen 2 in NSW hovering either side of $46k which seems reasonable.

 

Thanks again for your help it has put my mind at ease that I am probably leaning the right way.

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If yourve been driving manuals you will love the megane. I think there is just better driver involvement. I also think its a lot safer driving a manual because of that control. Take the megane for another test drive on some windy roads.

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Thanks Guys,

 

That probably confirms my gut feel.

 

I currently drive manual and have done so for the past 4 years in my current car so wont be a shock to the system to drive it.

 

I have seen 2 in NSW hovering either side of $46k which seems reasonable.

 

Thanks again for your help it has put my mind at ease that I am probably leaning the right way.

 

Yes - There are some demo's with only around 1000k on Carsales at the moment for $46-50k depending on dealer. Barry Bourke had one here for $45,900 but that was sold before I bought my one. You should be able to get a good deal.

 

It'll be awesome to have another member of the RB8 club! :D

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If I was in this situation I would go the RB8. It will provide the bigger grin IMO. I mean just look at it. Not taking anything away from the new Clio (ducks for cover) but the Megane will reward you more if you love to DRIVE. Your coming from a manual so stick with what you like.

 

Yes the RB8 ranks have definately grown in the last 3 mths... :drool:

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Resale (as bad as they can be with a second hand French car in Aus) will be better on the RB8 also because it's a limited edition and the last Trophy in the current styling.

 

As sexy as the Clio looks, it's a little too small for some and as mentioned previously, the gearbox isn't liked by some.

 

Hopefully some of the Clio members join this thread to offer their opinions before you make your decision, but I say go with the Megane. :mrgreen:

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RB8 all the way. Of course they have their issues, R Link only half of the functions works at the moment, a couple of blind spots, sh*t horn, worst stereo

 

I brought mine in April. Don't act "interested" in the car and keep pointing out that the "newer shape “is coming out and you should score yourself a bargain

 

Let me know if you need anything

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I'm going to put my hand up for the CLIO.

Mine is the III Cup Trophy and is a very rewarding drive, EVERY TIME!.

I am yet to sample the IV in any model yet but as you have already said, the car impresses very easily and is also 4 door.

The CLIOs have just as much, if not more room in the rear seat than any Megane. I have carried 3 adult men in the back seat and they all had plenty of head and leg room.

Don't be misled on resale values. Both Megs and Clios suffer from big losses in any model and you should only buy if you intend to keep the car for over 4 or more years. Any less, and you will certainly lose a pocket full of cash.

Do yourself a favour and try the Clio IV Sport Trophy. It would be my choice in your situation.

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I've driven both but own neither and I would go the Meg III (especially the RB8) almost every time. The only reason for going the Clio IV for me would be the 4 doors and better visibility out of the back seats for my little fella. The Meg was mroe involving and a nicer place to sit. If the Clio IV came in manual and/or budget was a number one concern then it would be a much harder decision but as a straight pick it's definitely the RB8.

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Definitely the Clio. Updated interior will not date for a while whilst resale will be far better than any Megane due to the automatic transmission.

 

Furthermore the Clio is more practical i.e. it has four doors.

 

Further in a straight line it is highly unlikely that 90% of Megane drivers are capable of outwitting the EDC. Sorry but this is the truth.

 

Watch Chris Harris' review on YouTube if you need to be convinced further.

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

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I've driven both but own neither and I would go the Meg III (especially the RB8) almost every time. The only reason for going the Clio IV for me would be the 4 doors and better visibility out of the back seats for my little fella. The Meg was mroe involving and a nicer place to sit. If the Clio IV came in manual and/or budget was a number one concern then it would be a much harder decision but as a straight pick it's definitely the RB8.

 

This.

 

As the price difference doesn't seem of concern to you:

- Clio for ease of driving in traffic, 4-doors and start of model life

- Megane for outright performance, driver involvement and coupe styling

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Clio 4 and Megane 3 are totally different cars so it's not really a comparison of similar vehicles. You need to pick the car that suits YOU and what you want. What other people think is irrelevant. A harder choice would be between similar cars such as Ford Fiesta ST and Clio 3. Both small, light, manual hatches.

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Scotty I know what you mean about the Clio maybe feeling edgier - first couple of drives I had in a 250/265 it felt very planted and a bit less playful than I had expected whereas I found the Clio IV with the Cup chassis really involving even at gentler speeds, not unlike the 172/182. Driven harder however I doubt you would find the Megane lacks for anything - if you do sometimes get the chance to drive especially enthusiastically and enjoy manual I'd be looking again at the 265. I thought the Clio very much shared the RS genes and, even though it is certainly slightly less focused, fun times are easily accessed.

 

Sounds like you should ask for a longer drive of both before deciding.

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I have had my clio IV for nearly 6 months now and I actually love driving it every single day. Living with it on a day to day basis is great. The car is super comfortable, but when you really want to get some performance out of it there is more than enough to satifsy. 4 doors is big bonus and there is plenty of room in the back for passengers. I am over 6ft tall and have had 3 mates in the back with ease. Living with the gearbox everyday is fine too, in 'normal' auto mode it could be little quicker but nothing that the touch of the 'sport' button doesnt fix.

 

I love the look of both cars and if had no restraints (the Mrs not being able to drive manual, budget etc) then I probably would of chosen a Meg. But if you were to choose the Clio I can assure you will not be sorry. Either car will bring a smile to your face.

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Megane - Manual gearbox, a proper LSD & Perfohub + more power....and better looking!

 

The Megane might not have launch control (big deal) - a) do you buy an RS to go drag racing? and b) if you actually use it Renault is keeping count and are ready to void your warranty for excessive use.

 

The Clio IV is okay, but it's a dumbed down interpretation of its predecessor with electronic toys replacing real hardware. Unless you must have 4 doors and/or your left leg doesn't work, it's an easy decision IMHO

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Megane - Manual gearbox, a proper LSD & Perfohub + more power....and better looking!

 

The Megane might not have launch control (big deal) - a) do you buy an RS to go drag racing? and b) if you actually use it Renault is keeping count and are ready to void your warranty for excessive use.

 

The Clio IV is okay, but it's a dumbed down interpretation of its predecessor with electronic toys replacing real hardware. Unless you must have 4 doors and/or your left leg doesn't work, it's an easy decision IMHO

 

Refer below:

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Specs

 

Megane weight: 1374 kg

Clio: 1218 kg

 

Megane power: 195 kw @ 5500, 360 Nm @ 3000

Clio: 147 kw @ 6000, 240 Nm @ the very low 1750

 

Life cycle:

 

Megane: End

Clio: Start

 

Volume:

 

Megane: 344 litres

Clio: 300 litres or a massive 1146 litres with seats folded down

 

Consumption:

 

Megane: 8.2 L per 100 km

Clio: 6.3 L per 100km

 

Practicality:

 

Megane: 2 door limited visibility

Clio: 4 door

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Specs

 

Megane weight: 1374 kg

Clio: 1218 kg

 

Megane power: 195 kw @ 5500, 360 Nm @ 3000

Clio: 147 kw @ 6000, 240 Nm @ the very low 1750

 

Life cycle:

 

Megane: End

Clio: Start

 

Volume:

 

Megane: 344 litres

Clio: 300 litres or a massive 1146 litres with seats folded down

 

Consumption:

 

Megane: 8.2 L per 100 km

Clio: 6.3 L per 100km

 

Practicality:

 

Megane: 2 door limited visibility

Clio: 4 door

You just had to bring the fuel topic up didn't you.... :rofl:

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Life cycle:

Megane: End

Clio: Start

 

Often, end of cycle models represent the best of what that model was capable of and start of cycle means there are bits that will be improved upon later on (typically - there are exceptions of course).

 

Consider too that the EDC is Renault's 1st Gen twin clutch gearbox ....

 

Many of us use a 19" wheeled Megane 3 as a daily. I definitely don't find it too stiff and uncomfortable. For long haul drives, the longer wheelbase of the Megane 3 should be more comfortable than a shorter wheelbase Clio too.

 

As for having a manual every day. 3 of the 4 cars I've owned have been manual - you could end up with a larger left leg than right :lol:

 

Seriously, if you want to be able to disconnect from the drive, get the Clio. If you want the car to give you no choice but to be engaged, get the Megane.

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But given the big leap in tech between when the Megane was first launched and today, buying the Megane is, in respect to infotainment, equivalent to buying a Samsung Galaxy S2 or IPhone 3?

 

Infotainment for me is once again about disconnecting from the drive. Your mileage may vary I guess as I know some people love to crank music when they're in the thick of things and I was like that too before, but I realised just how many audio cues I would miss if I did this and how often I would come out the other side not even realising what tracks were playing while the adrenalin was truly pumping.

 

For me now, music is filler for the bits in between the rushes and therefore not as important as the actual adrenalin hit itself :hyper: Being very busy and the pressure of having to operate distinctly different controls with all my limbs at once helps bring that hit on for me.

 

Not a junkie I swear :oops::lol:

 

Anyway, I can appreciate that there are times you don't want to be forced to have to deal with it and if I could have a second car, it would most likely be a twin clutch and I know there are many people who find that logic inverted.

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But given the big leap in tech between when the Megane was first launched and today, buying the Megane is, in respect to infotainment, equivalent to buying a Samsung Galaxy S2 or IPhone 3?

 

Infotainment for me is once again about disconnecting from the drive. Your mileage may vary I guess as I know some people love to crank music when they're in the thick of things and I was like that too before, but I realised just how many audio cues I would miss if I did this and how often I would come out the other side not even realising what tracks were playing while the adrenalin was truly pumping.

 

For me now, music is filler for the bits in between the rushes and therefore not as important as the actual adrenalin hit itself :hyper: Being very busy and the pressure of having to operate distinctly different controls with all my limbs at once helps bring that hit on for me.

 

Not a junkie I swear :oops::lol:

 

Anyway, I can appreciate that there are times you don't want to be forced to have to deal with it and if I could have a second car, it would most likely be a twin clutch and I know there are many people who find that logic inverted.

 

Definite adrenaline junkie :)

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Life cycle:

Megane: End

Clio: Start

 

 

Consider too that the EDC is Renault's 1st Gen twin clutch gearbox ....

 

.

 

Which is an evolution of the Getrag sourced Powershift found in Focus and Fiesta. Which by the way has had some horrendous reliability issues. Lets hope RST's fettling improves that

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Which is an evolution of the Getrag sourced Powershift found in Focus and Fiesta. Which by the way has had some horrendous reliability issues. Lets hope RST's fettling improves that

Which is why I wonder at the wisdom of people chipping it to 300nm, when Renault have very clearly determined a reliability limit...and a fairly low one :lol:

 

I wonder why it's not available on the Focus/Fiesta ST models? :roll:

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Hi Guys, I just wanted to say thanks for all the feedback and input, it was all very helpful.

 

So today I bit the bullet and decided to pull the trigger and ordered the RB8!!!!

 

I saw a few more of the clios on the Road and just wasn't impressed as much as what I was by the megane.

 

I read everything again and there wasn't many faults at all with the Megane. The clio was getting mixed wraps and as I was undecided on the looks so it just felt right.

 

I figured even though its the outgoing model, its also the last of the Red Bulls so I figure they cross each other out.

 

I am due to pic it up on Friday, cant wait. Ive been buzzing all day since ordering it!!!!!

 

Thanks to all again

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Awesome ScottyB!!!

 

As Dedbny said, let us know your build number and we will put you on the register with the rest of us.

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Firstly... this is a joke so back off Megane owners...

 

Scotty you better get used to the below:

 

1400715664556_zpsjpo0oyjz.jpg

 

Now that is a rear :)

 

Also the Clio 4 was never going to get the popular vote on here as there are only about 4 owners. In 12 months' time when the Clio 4 becomes the fastest selling RS model in Aus things may be different.

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:?:?:? Geez relax bro ^ we're all from the same family here...
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