Problem is you do actually have to buy TWO, one to drive, the other for spares
Little french runabout
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Lewis
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xvivalve
- TDC West Mids Area Organiser
- Posts: 13586
- Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:13 pm
- Location: Over here...can't you see me?
I used to drive a 2cv that the bird who lived next door to my folks used to lend me.
Crap, utter crap.
The coil was located behind the radiator grille so when it rained heavy or you went through a puddle it cut out (that was moved fairly promptly but then it cut out because the coil overheated!). The front wheels decide to catch up with you about 5 minutes after youve turned the corner so the car lurches sideways unexpectedly (they lean to an attitude of about 60 degrees at full lock!). Windows could only have been designed by a c**t as you have to be a contortionist to operate them... they say using a mobile whilst driving is dangerous; try operating a2cv window or using it to operate a car park barrier or pay! The air brake, cleverly designed as a fabric roof rips itself from its mountings at precisely 47 mph. A floor mounted accelerator made of pressed milk botle tops and a gear lever which is easier for the passenger to operate than the driver!
The folk who spawned the SM building this as well is as bizarre as AC having made the Invacar...at least the Invacar was useful!
Talking of the Invacar can you still get them? A colour change and it would make an ideal park anywhere town car. There used to be a garage on the way to Eastbourne sold nothing but...and you get to the front at the football too. They've probably been legislated against now though...?
Crap, utter crap.
The coil was located behind the radiator grille so when it rained heavy or you went through a puddle it cut out (that was moved fairly promptly but then it cut out because the coil overheated!). The front wheels decide to catch up with you about 5 minutes after youve turned the corner so the car lurches sideways unexpectedly (they lean to an attitude of about 60 degrees at full lock!). Windows could only have been designed by a c**t as you have to be a contortionist to operate them... they say using a mobile whilst driving is dangerous; try operating a2cv window or using it to operate a car park barrier or pay! The air brake, cleverly designed as a fabric roof rips itself from its mountings at precisely 47 mph. A floor mounted accelerator made of pressed milk botle tops and a gear lever which is easier for the passenger to operate than the driver!
The folk who spawned the SM building this as well is as bizarre as AC having made the Invacar...at least the Invacar was useful!
Talking of the Invacar can you still get them? A colour change and it would make an ideal park anywhere town car. There used to be a garage on the way to Eastbourne sold nothing but...and you get to the front at the football too. They've probably been legislated against now though...?
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Jon Tilson
- Guest contributor
- Posts: 11179
- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:45 pm
- Location: Middlesex
French cars worth owning...
1 R21 Turbo...no other model
2 Citroen XM big diesel or petrol V6 or turbo. Estate is ugly. Nowhere near as unrelaible as popular myth.
3 Citroen Xantia
4. Pug 306 GTI-6 or Rallye
4 Thats it...The 205 GTI is too heavy to steer, The R5 Turbo is crap.
Not sure about clio williams or 172, jury is out on old age.
Jonners
2 Citroen XM big diesel or petrol V6 or turbo. Estate is ugly. Nowhere near as unrelaible as popular myth.
3 Citroen Xantia
4. Pug 306 GTI-6 or Rallye
4 Thats it...The 205 GTI is too heavy to steer, The R5 Turbo is crap.
Not sure about clio williams or 172, jury is out on old age.
Jonners
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.
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Judge Mental
Maybe we should just take the Stag and have everyone stare at us for a good reason!
I love Alun's complete assasination of the 2cv, not that it was needed!
205GTi 1.9 could be interesting. XM's are weird looking but in a good way now. Didn't like them at all when they were released.
I'll keep an open mind for now. I think my sister in law is going to do the R4 route (they are investing in a holiday home in the Limousin along with my wife hence the deliberations).
I've enjoyed the suggestions so far. I think the A310 that I saw disappear must have been a turbo variant. Funnily enough my neighbour had one for a year or so as he worked at a renault dealership. I remember top gear laughing at the fact that they sold 7 in the UK one year!
I love Alun's complete assasination of the 2cv, not that it was needed!
205GTi 1.9 could be interesting. XM's are weird looking but in a good way now. Didn't like them at all when they were released.
I'll keep an open mind for now. I think my sister in law is going to do the R4 route (they are investing in a holiday home in the Limousin along with my wife hence the deliberations).
I've enjoyed the suggestions so far. I think the A310 that I saw disappear must have been a turbo variant. Funnily enough my neighbour had one for a year or so as he worked at a renault dealership. I remember top gear laughing at the fact that they sold 7 in the UK one year!
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Red Richie
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dath
Are you sure it was a A310 that lost your MG and not a GTA or A610?
A310 is very rare in the uK not really sold here and all lhd.
Tempting fate but I have had my GTA turbo for 16 years and other than routine service parts the only things failed are the clutch slave cyl and 1 steering rack boot - low miles though.
If you can get a good one the gta especially is a very underrated car in the uk which reflects in the price - a lhd french/german car will be getting on twice the price of uk car. There is always debate which is best, turbo or na. The na car has much smoother power band but nothing quite matches the smile factor when the turbo spools up!
Loads of info / help here
http://www.renaultalpineownersclub.com/
Dave
A310 is very rare in the uK not really sold here and all lhd.
Tempting fate but I have had my GTA turbo for 16 years and other than routine service parts the only things failed are the clutch slave cyl and 1 steering rack boot - low miles though.
If you can get a good one the gta especially is a very underrated car in the uk which reflects in the price - a lhd french/german car will be getting on twice the price of uk car. There is always debate which is best, turbo or na. The na car has much smoother power band but nothing quite matches the smile factor when the turbo spools up!
Loads of info / help here
http://www.renaultalpineownersclub.com/
Dave
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Purplebargeken
Used cars in France seem quite expensive. Saw a tidy'ish R25 (1985) for sale in Poitiers for the equiv of £1250. I could have bought a similar one in Blighty for a couple of hundred quid. Weird. New cars are abit cheaper than in the Uk, although maybe not by so much now. Go for a R21. Decent size, comfort and parts costs.
Ken
Ken
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Judge Mental
Thanks for dropping in. Maybe it was GTA. Either way, I'm looking into them as the rarity is quite a draw.dath wrote:Are you sure it was a A310 that lost your MG and not a GTA or A610?
A310 is very rare in the uK not really sold here and all lhd.
Tempting fate but I have had my GTA turbo for 16 years and other than routine service parts the only things failed are the clutch slave cyl and 1 steering rack boot - low miles though.
If you can get a good one the gta especially is a very underrated car in the uk which reflects in the price - a lhd french/german car will be getting on twice the price of uk car. There is always debate which is best, turbo or na. The na car has much smoother power band but nothing quite matches the smile factor when the turbo spools up!
Loads of info / help here
http://www.renaultalpineownersclub.com/
Dave
Scott
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Judge Mental
http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... Track=true
Probably quite rare over there. Could get the parts from the UK quite easily!
Probably quite rare over there. Could get the parts from the UK quite easily!
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Red Richie
Not only 1940 Alun.xvivalve wrote:The second hand values are higher in France for French cars because they are bizzarely patriotic with what they drive; rolled over at first hint of trouble in 1939/40, but fiercely patriotic of their car industry...even though much is now owned by the Italians!
Click me for a complete military history of France