Skip advert
Advertisement
Long term tests

Renault Clio 197

Our Clio's back out of of the repair shop, after the 'caravan' incident

My Clio is back from the menders after having its nose rebuilt. Turns out Renault needed to replace the bonnet and bumper skin as well as the front bumper reinforcers that hide behind all the plastic and do the ‘absorbing’. That’s the thing with modern cars – they’re designed to take knocks and, up to a point, you’d never guess anything had been damaged. Well that’s my excuse for not getting it attended to earlier, anyway.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Glad it didn’t happen when I was driving my other long-termer, though. Financially speaking that would have done some serious damage!

Running Costs

Date acquiredNovember 2006
Total mileage23,760
Costs this month£0
Average MPG27.9
Mileage this month1690
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Audi Quattro restomod uses RS4 underpinnings, with an optional 10,000rpm V8
Audacious IV Audi Quattro restomod front
News

Audi Quattro restomod uses RS4 underpinnings, with an optional 10,000rpm V8

A modern interpretation of the original Quattro swaps five-cylinder power for high-revving or supercharged V8 power
23 Jul 2026
New Lotus Emira 420 Sport review – taking aim at the Porsche Cayman GT4
Lotus Emira 420 Sport front
Reviews

New Lotus Emira 420 Sport review – taking aim at the Porsche Cayman GT4

Lotus’s sports car gets added focus and is all the better for it. As it needs to be with such a lofty target...
22 Jul 2026
New Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo review – Aston Martin DB12 rival gets more intense
Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo front
Reviews

New Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo review – Aston Martin DB12 rival gets more intense

Maserati’s four-seat grand tourer has been updated, with increased power, better software and interior tweaks
24 Jul 2026