Renault Clio 197
Harry Metcalfe finds the answer to fielding telephone calls in the noisy Clio 197 cabin
Don’t know about you, but I’ve always struggled to find a hands-free device that works really well, and the noisy cabin of our rev-happy Clio 197 only exacerbates the problem.
I’ve tried the plug-in cords that come with most phones, but while they work OK, they rarely last long in my hands, normally coming to an unhappy end when I slam the door shut on one or both of the earpieces. A Joe 90-style Bluetooth headset is a better bet, I reckon, yet finding a good one is always tricky. But I reckon I’ve discovered a real winner.
Bang & Olufsen’s EarSet 2 features noise-cancelling technology that suppresses background noise to the point where callers think I’m in a limo rather than the Renault. Even more impressively, I’ve been clearly heard at motorway speeds in my latest car purchase – amazing given that it’s a convertible and I had the roof down.
In fact, the only catch with the EarSet 2 is its £200 price, but it really removes the frustration from taking calls on the move, and being from B&O, quality seems second to none.
Running Costs
| Date acquired | November 2006 |
| Total mileage | 20,960 |
| Costs this month | £5 (0.5 litres of oil) |
| Mileage this month | 2,040 |
| MPG this month | 29.1mpg |
