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Old 12-05-2003, 10:05 PM   #1
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Opinions on renault.

Things are getting weirder around here... I might end up with a 1978 Renault Le Car (known as 5 GTL elsewhere in the world) but I'm not sure if I want it or not, as most of the opinions I've heard about renault are negative, to be fair most have to do with how poor dealer service was when they were available here and not with the cars themselves, but I just want to hear some opinions. Would this car be worth $400 of my money? Or am I just going to be wasting it and putting more into it to keep the thing from falling apart?
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Old 12-06-2003, 08:38 AM   #2
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Renault sold cars in the 70's in the USA. It was the LeCar (R5), the Alliance and a third one (R9 and R11). I never understood why they exported these cars and not the R30 or even a little bit later the R25 and R21 which were better.
Don't forget that Renault was a national firm (nationalised after the 2d World War : Louis Renault has been suspected to collaborate with the Nazis, it was false) and that the cars made at this time were not the best : expensive, not very reliable. Though, with the birth of the R19, the image of Renault changed radically, this car was very reliable, well built, quite nice, as good as the R19 (competitor of the Golf II and III) became the first foreign car in Germany.
And today, Renault makes excellent cars (that's why Renault has 15% of the European sharemarket : on 18 countries). The Twingo, the Clio(3rd car sold in Europe in November), Mégane II (first car sold in Europe in November), Laguna, Vel Satis, Espace (leader of mini vans before the 807, Sharan, Voyager), etc.

Excuse me for this little hisory of Renault, but I noticed that Renault has a very bad image in the USA. And people there know only the Renualt which were imported in the 1970's.

So the LeCar : in the 1970's Renault (Alfa Romeo and Peugeot did sad also for the same reason) was very bad in aftersale relations. They have taken the Americans for pigeons. The first Renault sold in the USA was the Renault Floride (a nice roadster), but the same problem occured with the relations with clients. . All these car were quite good. Indeed, their handling and comfort were very good for the category, some other qualities. But the big problem was the price, too high for the cars (not bad, but they didn't worth this value). One other problem was the A/C not available or not enough efficient for the country which can be hot on certain parts. And A big problem with LeCar was the rust. Not on all LeCar but on the firsts imported in the United States. The salt put on the roads especially in New York was too corrosif.

But one thing I wanted you to know is that, today, Renaults are excellent cars with a wide range of cars from 9 000 to 60 000 US$. Very similar to Volkswagen. And the R5 was not a bad car, but neither excellent at all. It was a car. But if a Yougo can excite you, go, buy the LeCar without hasitate
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Old 12-06-2003, 05:17 PM   #3
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Re: Opinions on renault.

Well I went for a look today. I didn't get to drive it because the fuel lines had dried up, and when the engine was started fuel poured through them like they were a sponge! However, the engine did start on the first try, remarkable for a car that has been sitting for three years. I also thought that the engine would be really hard to work on because it's mounted "backwards" but now that I've seen it, it actually looks like maintenance would be pretty easy.
So here's the story, he wants $425 for the car - it runs, he said he'd replace the leaking fuel lines for me, but it also needs a new battery. The steering feels "loose" it could be the steering box or the tie-rods, but I don't know yet. Surprisingly, there is very little rust (just a few inches along the bottoms of the front fenders, and some surface rust on the back fenders) But the car has been sitting outside, and hasn't been washed in three years - there's what looks like fungus growing on the paint, and pollution has left little black dots all over the car.
I'm really tempted to get it, because it's only $425 and you never see renaults anywhere these days - but I can't make up my mind yet.
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Old 12-07-2003, 08:12 AM   #4
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You could find old R5 in Europe for quite low prices, and running. Quite few now but have a look : http://www.mobile.de/SIDK9ZO1pERU81K...1111129517937&

So will you buy this R5 ?
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Old 12-07-2003, 01:05 PM   #5
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Re: Opinions on renault.

I'm trying to find the parts it needs, if I can find them for a good price then it's very likely that I'll be the new owner of the car by the next weekend.
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Old 12-07-2003, 06:16 PM   #6
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Re: Re: Opinions on renault.

Cool ! take some pics !
If you want a really good car for a quite low price (in the USA), look at the Peugeot 405 sold there (based on the European 405 Mi16). Excellent car, and I think that's not expensive out there.
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Old 12-08-2003, 06:09 PM   #7
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Bad weather is probably going to delay my purchase until after christmas, so don't expect any photos soon (it's really ugly right now too, I think I'll have to take some before and after pics when I wash it)
The Peugeot was pretty popular in the U.S. and is probably the only French car most Americans would consider "normal" being as how most memories of French automobiles are of Citroen ID19s, Panhard Dynas, and Renault Dauphines (an interesting bunch, that certainly left an impression among buyers over here - but not always a good one)
Simca was also considered "normal" but didn't last as long as Peugeot. I still see Peugeots around all the time, and they were (in my opinion) better built than the Renaults etc. But also more boring than the other cars.
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Old 12-16-2003, 08:55 AM   #8
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Re: Opinions on renault.

I had a mid 70s Renault 12 for a few months and it's build quality was very good. At least as good as the Peugeots of the same era. Way less interior squeeks and rattles.
That car was lots of fun, like a 4 wheel motorbike with a roof.
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Old 12-16-2003, 07:04 PM   #9
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Re: Re: Opinions on renault.


This matchbox toy looks exactly like it, with the stripes and "Le Car" text and everything.
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Old 12-17-2003, 04:27 PM   #10
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Re: Re: Opinions on renault.

FWD306 : where do you live ? what is your 306 ?

2stroke : I'm only 19 so I don't know so much the cars older than 1985 or 1990 alas ! But I'd say that I'd prefer much more a 405 than a R21 for example. I didn't find the Peugeots boring. But of course, I'm used to current Peugeots so my opinion is not based only on the older ones. My mother has a 406 Coupé, mhhh, the handling is so wonderfull, no car handles better in the category.
I'm considering to buy a 607 to replace my Alfa 156. These car is excellent too. It has not the sex appeal of the Alfa 166 but it's less cold than the 5 Series (2 other cars that I'm looking after).

But of course, I'm aware that French cars are not very popular in the USA. The problem is that the models exported were not the best and overall, the aftersale service was horrible.
Now, if Peugeot comes back in the USA, I'm sure that the models will please to the Americans... and we can expect that before 2009
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Old 12-17-2003, 06:17 PM   #11
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Stefanel1 - I'm in Australia. My 306 is a 94XT. Planning on replacing it with a later model XSI as soon as I can.

607 has less sex appeal than an Alfa (any Alfa!)? You're crazy

It's a shame than Renaults and Peugeots have such a low profile in the USA - cause they're pretty much bulletproof if you get them serviced by someone who knows what they're doing.
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Old 12-18-2003, 08:58 AM   #12
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Re: Opinions on renault.

Currently, a Peugeot, a Renault or a Citroën worth about a VW (quality, prices, reliability, etc.)
But Americans know only old French cars, not the best and overall, don't forget that French car makers let theim alone when they left the USA.... Americans didn't forget it !

For the sex appeal : I was meaning than the 166 has more sex appeal than the 607 or the 5 Series Sorry, my first language remains French ! Désolé !!

306 XSI : nice ride and nice car.

My sister has also a 306 (1.4XR - 1993) Which engine do you have ? The 1.6 ? 1.8 ?
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Old 12-18-2003, 04:05 PM   #13
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Re: Opinions on renault.

I've got a 1.8 - I don't think I've ever seen a 1.6 in Australia. We have XRs (haven't seen many), but I always thought they were 1.8 too.
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Old 12-20-2003, 11:14 PM   #14
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Re: Opinions on renault.

I took it for a test drive today, a friend took some digital photos so I'll probably post them in a couple days or so. Lots of fun to drive, but a bit unusual. I kept turning the brights on when I wanted to indicate a turn. The car rides like a typical (older, I don't know what they're like now) French car, lots of wheel travel, lots of body roll (I nearly rolled it) but soft and comfortable. My only dislike about it, is that like the Yugo it's pedals and steering wheel are so positioned that you can either adjust the seat to make your legs comfortable, and have to stretch your arms way out, or cramp you're legs and make your arms comfortable. I'll be bringing it home after christmass.
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Old 12-22-2003, 02:37 PM   #15
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Re: Re: Opinions on renault.

FWD 306 : the XR was available with 1.4 and 1.6 in France, and of course the diesel and Turbodiesel. But according to the markets, it can be very different

Stroke : The R5 had not an excellent handling, but the best of its category... the LeCar has maybe different suspensions, but I don't think so... or used suspensions !
Now, French cars (for a long time) has the best comprimise comfort/handling, in every category. The future Peugeot 407 (available in March) is waited to be The reference of the category (Passat, C5, Laguna, Lybra, 3 Series, 156, etc.).
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