Debating. Renault Clio Sport or Gen 5 Prelude VTI-R

[berniebern]

I'm probably going to get bias opinions here but i'm in the market to upgrade my EG Civic and ever since I was MUNCHED by one 2 years ago I've been interested in an 02-04 Renault Clio Sport. Now i've been on the Renault forums for a few months now and you should see the crap that happens with these cars. They are poorly built!!! But you can't escape the fact that they are an incredibly quick car. I would love to get back into a new Honda and the only one that is within my price range (Looking to spend $18,000 - $21,000) is the Gen 5 lude. I would love to have a car that is close to the performance of the RSC but more importantly I want the reliability that Honda delivers. So I need to know what sort of power can you extract from a VTI-R with standard mods and do you think it would stand up to the RSC after those mods ??

[spetz]

I love those clio sports.

And I don't own a Honda so this isn't that biased.

But if I had a choice, DC5R no questions asked...
BUT, this is simply due to the tuning/aftermarket of Honda.
Plus they look oh so sexy when done up in full JDM racey looks...

[spetz]

woops I misread
Prelude or clio... hmmm this is getting tougher as the prelude is quite heavy etc.

I think it depends what you really want, more of a luxury cruiser type car or a "racer"

I've driven VTi-R 5th Gen preludes and they aren't bad. Handling isn't great, and power is ok'ish, but they are very smooth, and quite

[CUL8R]

i had115.5 Kw at the fronts (very accurate figure) with basic mods, V2 intake (500), custom fabricated exhaust (750), VAFC2 (500 once tuned and fit) with a very safe tune, a leaner mixture had a peak power of just short of 118fwkw.

since then i have added ground wire kit and volt stabalizer and low resistance leads.
i have an underdrive pulley kit which i will put on the car soon.

i should be good for 120fwkw in full street trim and the car goes very well. i have never had a run with a clio sport but aggresive driving should get me mid to high 14s once i have my pulleys on.
what do the clio sports run?

i will be slightly biased but i will confidently say that for the money i cannot think of a better car, looks class, reliable as all hell, and pulls harder than 95% of 4cyl NA stock for stock. how many NA 4cyl cars for under 20k can serve it up to a S pac commo?

[LUD02C]

My mate just bought a Renault Clio Sport Cup (2 days ago)
It has to be one of the best little cars that I have driven.
It is fantastic.

I know his is a 06 model, but I can't see how you could compare the 2.

[berniebern]

1/4 mile time is 14.8 and that's stock.

I too don't know how you can compare the two but i'm trying...i'm trying hard

[CUL8R]

try to make a kind of decision table. eg

option..................................weighting. ........lude...............clio
.................................................. ..........raw.....wtd....raw....wtd

feul / 100kms............................10/10........ x........10x.....y ......10y
induction....................................2/10...... x ..........2x.......y......2y
power
speed
torque
daily drivability
space
sound stage
1/4 mile
Mods availability
mods $$$
looks
reliability


at the end total up up the wtd values and see if u have a clear winner.
this is good coz u can rank things that are more important higher up (eg u want power over the fact the that it has poor fuel consumption for example, u will rank power maybe an 8/10 and fuel/100 maybe 2/10 coz u couldnt care less.)
give it a go and post ur findings! lol

[CUL8R]

ps sorry i had to use the dots, damn settings wont let u use that many spaces it clumps it up/

[BrianC]

Renault Clio Sport any day man! The build quality of the newer French cars are top notch. Unlike days gone by where they'd fall to bits. Although in saying that, my previous car was a Peugeot 306 s16 95'. Also a french car, and the build quality was excellent! So i dont think ull have any problems in that respect.

Performance wise, stock vs. stock. The renault will kick the shit out of the prelude. In a straight line an around the track. Although the french car enthusiasts arent too keen on modding their cars at all. So trying to mod the Renault is next to impossible. But the factory package is so good anyway.

From memory the models you're looking at will be around 124-130ish killowatts. And if uve ever seen one in real life, its TINY! So its a sling shot.

RCS's are great, but they're getting very common. Ive seen them alot lately. If u like french cars, i would reccomend the Peugeot 306 gti6 instead of the RCS. They're alot rarer, and they're pretty much a sleeper, because almost everyone underestimates them. Similar performance as the RCS, 124kw @6500rpm, and 196Nm @ 5500, 6speed manual box (RCS is a 5 speed). These cars handle as well as (in my opinion better then) the old Integra Type R and in a straight line stock vs. stock, they're neck and neck. If u get the 00' model, they're slightly faclifted and touched up, they look sexy imo. Heres a pic of a nice black one:



Well, hope that shed some light onto French cars a little bit for u. If u want the name of the BEST french mechanic around (sydney), PM me.

All the best
Brian

[industrie]

its based on what you want...a racer or a luxury sports car...the prelude is honda...build quality is tops...good power...excellent torque and there sexy cars in there own right...the clio itself sure its quick...so what? so is the type R...but there built for racing around tracks..and the style of the car is getting out dated...the prelude style has dated at all ...again you should drive both cars and weight it up..most ppl here would be biased so good luck!

[DJIntegr8]

Are you concerned at all about insurance? Because the RCS is classified as a hatch, and therefore cheaper insurance. While the Gen5 Lude is a coupe. I was quoted by GIO (19, full comp)with the RCS at around $1800 a year. While they wouldn't normally insure the Lude, we have 3 other cars with them and they quoted around $3500 a year :O

[[ricer]]

Renault Clio Sport any day man! The build quality of the newer French cars are top notch. Unlike days gone by where they'd fall to bits. Although in saying that, my previous car was a Peugeot 306 s16 95'. Also a french car, and the build quality was excellent! So i dont think ull have any problems in that respect.

Performance wise, stock vs. stock. The renault will kick the shit out of the prelude. In a straight line an around the track. Although the french car enthusiasts arent too keen on modding their cars at all. So trying to mod the Renault is next to impossible. But the factory package is so good anyway.

From memory the models you're looking at will be around 124-130ish killowatts. And if uve ever seen one in real life, its TINY! So its a sling shot.

RCS's are great, but they're getting very common. Ive seen them alot lately. If u like french cars, i would reccomend the Peugeot 306 gti6 instead of the RCS. They're alot rarer, and they're pretty much a sleeper, because almost everyone underestimates them. Similar performance as the RCS, 124kw @6500rpm, and 196Nm @ 5500, 6speed manual box (RCS is a 5 speed). These cars handle as well as (in my opinion better then) the old Integra Type R and in a straight line stock vs. stock, they're neck and neck. If u get the 00' model, they're slightly faclifted and touched up, they look sexy imo. Heres a pic of a nice black one:



Well, hope that shed some light onto French cars a little bit for u. If u want the name of the BEST french mechanic around (sydney), PM me.

All the best
Brian

this guy said it all
i'd choose the clio over the prelude anyday of the week
for everything its a better package...
im scared of clios now after being driven in one. they handle and acclerate so well!