Sold Grand Espace 3.5 V6. Alas, sold on Gumtree.

[djoptix]

Mine is the Privelige, it's got all the toys!

 

[SiC]

I never knew the Megane Coupé had electric pop-out rear windows. I really want to see a video of them in action! Surprisingly lack of any on YouTube.

[Rod/b]

The electric switches should work the poppers. I don't think they're intended to be opened by hand if they're electric though so maybe it was an optional extra, and someone's either fitted low spec windows or a high spec centre console to a car that didn't have it/them

Or it's a cut'n'shut - someone phone Watchdog!

[djoptix]

Values are on the up! https://www.gumtree.com/p/renault/renault-megane-coupe-2.0-edi-silver-charcoal-leather-interior./1264256399

[djoptix]

I managed to get the plug out of the TPMS, up through the floor, cut it off and then reassembled everything. Hopefully when I've found a connector for it I can reconnect it all from under the car.

 

I had a go at sorting out the misty headlamps tonight. Started off sanding with 1200 paper, wet, then a polishing sponge, then a mop thing. My father-in-law has a polisher which he uses on his boat, which I have borrowed (the polisher, not the boat)...

 

To counteract the nice polisher, I'm using an old tube of Autosol which has a hole in the bottom, and I need to use it before it dries out.

 

Before:

 

 

After hand sanding with 1200 grit: (amazing the amount of cloudy water this produces)

 

 

After a go with the polisher:

 

 

As you can see, it was getting dark, so I'll take a look at it in the morning and do the other side. It's a lot better, certainly good enough for an MOT pass, but not 100%. I think I need to spend longer doing the initial sanding.

 

 

[djoptix]

Well, this is turning into an incre-he-hedibly dull thread at the moment, but posting updates here gives me a bit of mojo, so please excuse another headlamp polishing update.

 

Annoyingly when I went back this morning to look at the one I'd done, it didn't look that great. I could still see patches of oxidisation on the outside, and the top half of the lens - where I hadn't really sanded at all - had a nasty yellowish cast to it compared to the bottom half.

 

I decided I needed to be more aggressive. I sanded the whole thing back with 180 paper on a block.

 

 

Then 1200 with my bare hands.

 

 

Then a go with the machine polisher - Autosol (which I figured is basically cutting paste) on a sponge, then (er) Tesco furniture polish with the bonnet thing. Mmm, lavender.

 

 

Having finished it there are still some bits that haven't come up that well.

 

 

Overall though, the difference with the one that I haven't done yet is obvious. Now I just need a break in the rain so I can do the other one.

 

[3VOM]

Ideally you need some sort of UV protection. What is another matter completely.

[djoptix]

Ideally you need some sort of UV protection. What is another matter completely.

 

Ah. And presumably Tesco lavender furniture polish is not that?

[djoptix]

I done the other one. I was a bit more aggressive. I think it's come up better.

 

 

Just need to find some UV protection!

[Sloth in a bowl]

Values are on the up! https://www.gumtree.com/p/renault/renault-megane-coupe-2.0-edi-silver-charcoal-leather-interior./1264256399

 

 

That is a very tidy low mileage example though.

Driver must be sub 5 foot to have the seat that far forward.

[r.welfare]

Those headlights look good.  I only went to 800grit on mine, they're OK but still marred in areas.  Good enough, though.

 

How creaky is your dashboard?  Mine was pretty good but for some reason (perhaps because the car was laid up in the sun for most of August) it rattles like hell now.  Most annoying.

[djoptix]

Interesting. My dashboard doesn't creak at all, at least not that I've noticed, but it does buzz. It sounds like there's a very small motor running behind it whenever the ignition is on. It's suddenly started to annoy me because the car would be whisper quiet if it wasn't for that!

[r.welfare]

It's an enormous plastic edifice with multiple parts so I guess it's not surprising it's getting noisy after 14 years.

[SiC]

Interesting. My dashboard doesn't creak at all, at least not that I've noticed, but it does buzz. It sounds like there's a very small motor running behind it whenever the ignition is on. It's suddenly started to annoy me because the car would be whisper quiet if it wasn't for that!

It's not the Aircon temperature sensor is it? The Laguna II which is very similar electrically has one with a little fan on. Mine was a bit noisy so I removed it, gave it a clean and a good squirt of GT40. On the Laguna it lives behind the rear view mirror. Plastic enclosure clips right off.

[djoptix]

It's not the Aircon temperature sensor is it?

 

You know, as I was writing that post I was thinking, "I'm sure I've seen something similar on a Laguna thread".

 

SiC, you're absolutely right. The noise is coming from the pod behind the rear view mirror. Thank you!

[Schaefft]

Ideally you need some sort of UV protection. What is another matter completely.

This, make sure to buy some UV protector to keep the polished look on those headlights for much longer.

[djoptix]

Update on this magnificent machine, because it's for sale soon.

 

So far, things have gone pretty well with it. It's been doing service as family wagon and occasional work van, but I'm likely to be doing a lot more work requiring a van next year and this is too a) nice and thirsty to use it for that.

 

I'm planning on getting the parking brake fixed ASAP in the new year, but thought I'd pop it up here just in case anyone's interested as-is. These people - http://www.parkingbrakerepair.com/ - will fix Renault parking brakes for a maximum of £300 while-you-wait, less if if needs less parts.

 

Good things about owning a 3.5 V6 Grand Espace

• The engine, sweet 8lb6oz baby Jeebus, it's fantastic. Super quiet most of the time, but plant your foot and it kicks down two gears and emits an awesome V6 noise, and you're at warp speed. Timing chain so no belt worries. Plugs done by PO.
• Tons of space and comfort - it's just carried me, Mrs Optix and mini/micro/nanoOptix to the inlaws with all our luggage/baby paraphernalia at 90mph all the way.
• Astonishingly reliable thus far, though of course it may develop some hideous electrical malady this afternoon, that's part of the fun.
• IMO, the best looking big MPV there is.
• Despite showing 145k on the dash, if you have a look at the MOT history (KU53 HCO) I'm pretty sure it's had about 40k added by having the dash changed. I reckon it's done 110k max.
• Other things of note: aircon now regassed and working. Cruise control working. Electric things all round. Leathery inside. Panoramic roof all working (kids love it). Useful split tailgate. Tons of cubbyholes inside. Decent spare tyre. 6-disc changer in the boot and good stereo.

Indifferent/bad things about owning a 3.5 V6 Grand Espace

• Economy. 30mpg is achievable if you drive like a nun. 25 is realistic. Low 20s if you boot it/do a lot of short journeys in it.
• Driver's door doesn't lock.
• TPMS, parking sensors and GPS not working (none of which I care about. Will try and fix the TPMS and parking sensors, but I don't really think the GPS is worth bothering with... even if it was working it be worse than your phone anyway, and out of date to boot).
• Dent in the back corner, could probably be fixed by a paintless repair chap.
• Will need a front tyre for the next MOT, and possibly drop links.
• Warning lights/messages I have seen in my ownership;

1. Complains about washer fluid being low, even though it isn't.
2. EML comes up (lambda sensor signal incoherence) sometimes, I think it's when it's been doing lots of short journeys. Goes away again as it pleases, and makes no difference to the running of the car.
3. Twice in my ownership (on the same day, some months ago) it popped up with "gearbox faulty" and put the gearbox into limp mode (torque limiting). Both times, when I stopped and started the car again, it went away and behaved normally again. It hasn't recurred since, and I've therefore put it down to a dirty sensor or something like that.

Feel like the king of the road for:

 

£500 as it sits now.

£600 with Renault/Dacia fault code reader/clearer.

 

Pictures to be added at the weekend (it's filthy at the moment, having been zooming around Devon for a few days).

[HillmanImp]

This is absolutely everything Mrs Imp needs in a car and also ticks my boxes of having a engine large enough to propel it along properly instead of the asthmatic wheeze family cars suffer from these days (although a lot of that can be the gearing I guess). Sadly Mrs Imp wont go with my idea of selling her 09 plate car for something older, its got to be newer which means we will probably end up with a car that weighs more than the moon with a stupid 0.9l TURBOcharged engine that drinks oil and will lunch itself several times between service intervals once its done more than 20k.

 

GLWTSETC

[Cavcraft]

Hey, Mr Imp, if you put a bit of black insulation tape on the ‘5’ on the number plate, it would look like a ‘6’.

 

Just saying, like.

[djoptix]

Picture for interest, and to show current filth levels.

 

[SiC]

Hey, Mr Imp, if you put a bit of black insulation tape on the ‘5’ on the number plate, it would look like a ‘6’.

 

Just saying, like.

Or a cheap £250 private plate to hide the age completely.

[r.welfare]

Argh! Location?

[djoptix]

Yes, a few things I forgot:

 

Location: Bristol.

MOT: until May 2018.

Parking brake is needed for MOT but in daily use, you can just leave it in P. I've left it on hills etc and it's never moved.

[dome]

Roffle?

[Bucketeer]

Thank Christ, Santa and Lion-O that this is too new for a classic insurance policy, otherwise I would currently be firing a nerf gun loaded with cash through your letterbox.

[djoptix]

Roffle?

 

Would consider it, but will probably try it on eGhey at £1k BIN first.

[320touring]

Roffle?

GIB!

[SiC]

Early 2000s Renault? Check.

Auto gearbox? Check.

Big silly engine that doesn't fit the image of the car? Check.

Possibility for hilarious* electrical problems? Check.

Can I afford it? Check.

Not too far away? Well I'm in Bristol, so ... Check.

 

Do I need it? No.

Do I have room for it? No.

Do I want it? Yes.

 

This is where I refer to my post:

http://autoshite.com/topic/30518-2018-project-resolutions/page-2?do=findComment&comment=1384622

And state that I made a pact with myself not to buy such vehicles.

 

I will close this window on my browser now and pretend this thread never existed.

[Kiltox]

Early 2000s Renault? Check.

Auto gearbox? Check.

Big silly engine that doesn't fit the image of the car? Check.

Possibility for hilarious* electrical problems? Check.

Can I afford it? Check.

Not too far away? Well I'm in Bristol, so ... Check.

 

Do I need it? No.

Do I have room for it? No.

Do I want it? Yes.

 

This is where I refer to my post:

http://autoshite.com/topic/30518-2018-project-resolutions/page-2?do=findComment&comment=1384622

And state that I made a pact with myself not to buy such vehicles.

 

I will close this window on my browser now and pretend this thread never existed.

GIFB!

[djoptix]

I will close this window on my browser now and pretend this thread never existed.