Almost Free Renault 21 Turbo Quadra

[Hertz]

I guess the 21 Turbo is or will be Autoshite. Known as the French Cosworth but no where near as loud or chav as the Ford.

 

Leading on from another thread here is my old R21 Turbo as it was when I went to pick it up. I could not believe it when the guy said I could have it for nothing Maybe I should have walked away and took it but I just couldn't and gave him £50 as a token of my thanks. As a bonus it was the rare 4WD version of which only 140 were apparently ever sold in RHD form.

 

 

 

Got it home after my dads old beemer had a blowout on the Motorway (not good) and gave it a good polish, cured a turbo problem (why it was off the road for 2 years prior to me getting it). I then fitted new discs and pads all round and took it for an MOT, it passed

 

 

I then did some bodywork, replaced handbrake cables and gave it a good service. Ran it for about a year then decided to try and get some more power.....I know all you autoshiters are saying, no keep it standard! I should have, as after a new turbo, chip and bigger fuel injectors I had an incident on the M6 one Sunday morning on my way to a car show.

 

 

It basically caught fire as an oil feed pipe broke and sprayed oil all over the engine bay. When it happened there were flames coming out of the back and as you can see scored most of the bodywork and rear wheel The engine bay was pretty bad, I managed to save it from being a total burnt out wreck by having a fire extinguisher.

 

Sad end to a cracking car which I really miss and sometimes regret modifying It was written off by the insurance co and given a CAT B listing so was crushed or sold for spares only. I then had a bit of a result and got paid out quite a bit more than I paid for it Sold all of the spares I had come by which added to the payout got me this

 

 

 

Really love it, so French you can almost smell the garlic whilst driving it (hopefully no fire this time ).

[fiatdaft]

nice azevs,did you change the plate on the 21 or is it a different car?

[25v6turbo]

You know there was a genuine recent recall on the Turbo oil pipes still aplicable on my mates VERY early May 88 phase 1 E reg!!!!(which i owned) register one week before the u.k launch,god i,am sad...i LOVED my 21 Turbo in tungsten.

[nigel bickle]

Can you tell me about that recall? I have a totally standard 21turbo series 1, (& intend t keep it that way!)

[Ross_K]

Can you tell me about that recall? I have a totally standard 21turbo series 1, (& intend t keep it that way!)

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recall ... B7003B8EED

Vehicle DetailsReference : R/2006/135Manufacturer Ref : oap9 Make: RENAULTModel : RENAULT 21Launch Date : 14/02/2007Numbers Involved : 80Build Start Date : 01/01/1987Build End Date : 31/05/1993 Recall DetailsConcern : RISK OF FIREDescription : It has been identified that, the potential exists for the generation of an oil leak caused by the turbo oil supply pipe becoming loose. Should an oil leak from this component occur, the possibility exists that a fire could ensue.Remedial Action : Recalled vehicles will have the turbo oil supply pipe checked, and replaced as necessary.Vehicle Id : Other Vehicles Affected (Click the vehicle to perform an extended search) * RENAULT - 21

[nigel bickle]

Ta. Will check mine next time I get up to store.Appreciated

[mk2_craig]

That's quite impressive that the manufacturer is recalling a handful of survivors of a car built so long ago. Is it to cover their ass from getting sued, or is there some sort of EU directive that compels them to do so if dealers report more than a certain proporition of each model suffering from a similar proportion no matter how old?

[Ross_K]

If only they were as diligent in stopping Clio bonnets folding back over the windscreen while driving, or fixing runaway Laguna diesel engines so they don't go kaboom at the drop of a hat...

[nigel bickle]

Perhaps they just want to look after ''proper'' Renaults?

[Hertz]

Ah yes the Oil Feed recall, happened too late for me I'm afraid Basically if your running the original one you will be fine, the later ordered replacement ones are the faulty units. When I changed my turbo there was a better looking oil feed pipe on it so we fitted the "newer" looking one. Unknown to us at the time that the newer pipes had problems and thus I was smoking up the motorway one day!I was a member of the 21 Turbo OC at the time and quite a few cars have caught fire due to this. Obviously more than one has complained to Renault and they have done the recall to stop court cases I suppose.The recall is all free and I guess they check the condiion/age of your oil feed pipe and replace if required.What colour is your 21 Turbo Nigel?

[Hertz]

nice azevs,did you change the plate on the 21 or is it a different car?

Yes I like the rims as well, they are 18x10J's on the rear so stick like poo to a blanket.It's the same car but fitted with a private plate the bread knife got me.

[nigel bickle]

White. Series 1 .Original

 

Here you go. Why do you ask?

 

[MrRegieRitmo]

I was hoping the original style was going to have the smaller headlamps & the Renault badge over to one side of the front like the first 21s did. What then was the difference between the earlier & later turbos? (apart from the oil pipe & the earlier reg plates) Obviously it must have been mechanical things / engine bits / things you don't see from the outside! In other words if you had a 21T with a private plate, people passing you wouldn't know whether you were in an early one or a late one....

[Hertz]

Nice white phase one! I've had loads of them over the years, nice to see one which is standard and not messed about with. I think they are going the same way as the 18 Turbo (how many of these do you see nowadays?), many have been scrapped for their Gearbox for use in GT40 replica's.The only main visual differences between the phase 1 and phase 2 was a slight update of the rear end, new bootlid, lights and spoiler, the interior was different and the alloys. They also added the 4WD to make the Quadra in the PH2 cars. The engine stayed the same basically throughout (175 BHP) with only the very late cars J and K reg going for a dizzyless ignition replaced with coil packs. The pickup from 50-70 in 4th or 5th was superb and not alot could keep up with it

[mk2_craig]

Phase 1 or not? I can't tell

 

[Hertz]

Phase 1 needs a T Cut

 

Phase 2

 

[MrRegieRitmo]

Oh yeah - I can see the whole back end is different! Cheers

[nigel bickle]

Ta. Tis a nice original one -took a long time to find. Fun to drive- occasionally.I recently boiught an 18ts, nice condition (off Renault Owners club site -beat him down to £100 with 10 months MOT). Its good enough for the wife to use for a couple of weeks whilst I sort her tired Fiat Coupe (4 months out of tax ,tread free tyres, brakewarning light on for 4 weeks etc etc etc)I happened to purchase a Fuego turbo last week -still to collect -which I 'hope' will transfer into the 18 (I already have a Fuego turbo & GTS)-although expert advice says difficult....It'll have to be a quick job -or farmed out -too many others 'mid attention'.

[MrRegieRitmo]

An 18? Cool, I'm going to have to swing by again soon even though it's out of my way these days - it'll be worth it! (plus I need to drop something off for you )Is it an early or late one?

[M'coli]

Am I correct in thinking that phase 1s had the bonnet open forward, while the phase 2s had the bonnet open "conventionally"?When I was in my early 20s a friend looked into insuring a 5 Turbo and was quoted a then-ridiculous £1000 or so, so as a laugh he asked about insuring one of these - £500! As he said, I'll have the 21 Turbo, please...

[MrRegieRitmo]

When I was in my early 20s a friend looked into insuring a 5 Turbo and was quoted a then-ridiculous £1000 or so, so as a laugh he asked about insuring one of these - £500! As he said, I'll have the 21 Turbo, please...

I swear these insurance companies make it up as they go along!

[Pillock]

That's quite impressive that the manufacturer is recalling a handful of survivors of a car built so long ago. Is it to cover their ass from getting sued, or is there some sort of EU directive that compels them to do so if dealers report more than a certain proporition of each model suffering from a similar proportion no matter how old?

The government keep a database of recalls on each model and this particular one is listed on there with a reference number of R/2006/135 ("Risk of fire from turbo hose") - I'd guess that means the recall wasn't generated till 2006. My old Mk2 Golf had the heater matrix replaced by the dealer under recall, which affects a large number of Mk2s. It was 13 years old and really quite rough looking when they did it, 6 hours labour at main dealer rates

[Hertz]

Am I correct in thinking that phase 1s had the bonnet open forward, while the phase 2s had the bonnet open "conventionally"?

 

When I was in my early 20s a friend looked into insuring a 5 Turbo and was quoted a then-ridiculous £1000 or so, so as a laugh he asked about insuring one of these - £500! As he said, I'll have the 21 Turbo, please...

No they all open the same both early and late ones

 

 

Yes they were cheap to insure compared to other Turbo Charged cars of the time, my first one when I was 20 cost me £400 to insure only £50 more than my Cavalier 2.0 GLi

 

The recall came a year to late for me as mine went up in smoke in 2005

[MrRegieRitmo]

So why were they so reasonable then when other sporty Renaults are quite pricey to insure? What group are they in?

[Hertz]

So why were they so reasonable then when other sporty Renaults are quite pricey to insure? What group are they in?

I think they were considered to be a family type saloon rather than a sporty hot hatch. They are insurance group 14, the Cossie is 20!You can now insure them on classic insurance, I insure my GTA Turbo (that is insurance group 20) for only £180 fully comp on a limited mileage policy.