Renault 16 - The Motion Picture - Remake (p7)

[Skizzer]

Confession: I have a new company car (don't ask, you'll hate it) which means the Yeti has to go. This means I have a gap in my life for something that meets these needs:

• Can take occasional tall loads and has a low boot sill.
• Has rubber flooring to transport the dog without getting permanently trashed.
• Is fairly interesting and shite-worthy, though not so rare that it's OMG HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT. Pre-1990 please.
• Is short enough to fit on my drive along with an SD1 and a Mk1 Golf - so no longer than the Yeti.
• Is a car, not a van.
• Is a reasonably well-sorted runner, not a project, and not excessively hard to keep on the road.
• Budget is negotiable up to, say, £4k tops (preferably less). More important than price is that it has finished depreciating, as long as it's maintained ok - I don't want to lose thousands on it.
• Ability to cross Europe in a day or win traffic light grands prix are not necessary.

Options I can think of:
A Volvo 240 or Merc W124 estate would be the obvious load lugger, and would appeal, but both fail on excessive length.
Blingo/Kangoo/Roomster/Multipla etc are all way too modern and sensible/dull.
Lancia HPE was under serious consideration, but probably isn't quite estate-y enough (and I've already been burned with one that turned out to be a bit of a heap) and you can't hose them out.
Lynx Eventer - fuck yes, except they've suddenly become VERY expensive. I don't have nearly enough kidneys to sell. Also, would have to shave the dog bald before allowing him in it.
Matra Rancho - now you're talking.
Renault 4 - mmm, saucy.

For once that white wheelchair-adapted Rancho doesn't seem to be for sale, so I'm thinking R4. It turns out they are also on Mrs Skizzer's all time top 5 list of all time favourite cars, apparently.

What do I need to know? Do they rust secretly, and are parts hard to get? They look pricey-ish, but cheap compared with 2CVs: are values going up?

Also, any other ideas I'm missing?


PS I'm watching this one, which is in Cork and therefore quite easy to collect from here, especially since he's offering to deliver it to Pembroke:

[Parky]

Unusual these days, characterful, bulletproof mechanicals but prone to rot. Mechanically lots shared with other cars in the Renault range so no problems there. Plus Leboncoin is only google translate and a few clicks away

 

This is a good place for research

 

http://www.renault4.co.uk/

 

Otherwise PM Mr Lobster!

[Skizzer]

Thanks.

 

Just had a thought - do the back seats fold?  Not a deal-breaker as we probably don't actually need back seats, and I'm sure they'll unbolt with a bit of swearing.

[Parky]

Pretty sure they can, or as you say it's only going to be a few bolts or clips to remove them anyway.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Short,slow,hose out,don't actually need back seats,rampant appreciation.

Not hippy, ynni niwclier- dim diolch, art graduate,Froggy shite.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1982-Land-Rover-Series-3-III-88-2-25D-Pick-up-/291220256322?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item43ce147642

 

No need to thank me.

[Tayne]

Evil car-shooting James May says the seats fold down.

[forddeliveryboy]

Engine timing chain replacement means chopping a hole in the bulkhead or removing engine and box, rear suspension mounting area is hard to repair properly, look out for any patching just to pass an MoT, which hides horrors.

[outlaw118]

I've had two. Back seats do indeed fold, undo one knurled nut, and flop, down.

 

Piece of piss to work on, spacious engine bay, nothing made of unobtainium as Parky has already said.

 

Just rot to look out for, usual places.

 

I'd have another like a shot if my circumstances were to change, and I have to commute again.

[Asimo]

Narrow but comfy. Amazingly good on bad / unmade roads. Hard not to smile whilst driving one. Only the very last ones had a high enough top gear for motorways.

[Junkman]

Rear seat (not split) folds down in a quite ingenious way, i.e. it allows for several variations.

Some (not all) also have a folding passenger seat, which allows to effectively store it underneath the dashboard.

Most have reclining front seats. In combination with a specific rear seat position,

this makes the interior into a double bed with room to spare for the beer cases.

 

They don't make anything as practical and versatile as a 'trelle nowadays. You will be surprised how good it is.

[skattrd]

Renault 6

Ami waggon or Dyane

[scooters]

Yugo 45

[scooters]

Austin a30

[forddeliveryboy]

 

Here's a better pic:

 

[KruJoe]

Ha ha, Skizzer drives a grey Golf TDi on a '14' plate!

I bet he feels proper special in that.

[KruJoe]

I do approve of this search, though I suspect R4 prices are a small percentage firmer since last night's BBC TV scheduling.

[forddeliveryboy]

 

[dollywobbler]

Maxi. Job jobbed. Biggest problem with the 4 these days is scarcity. I would say 'get a Dyane' but I want a Dyane and therefore no-one should buy one because they're rubbish (that should keep values low).

[skattrd]

Nissan Prairie.

Pug 304 .... or 5. Possibly not high enough load space though.

[Wilko220]

Dutton Sierra, obvs...

[Junkman]

All sorts of spares and repair panels are available here: https://www.franzose.de/en/Home/

 

There are a few things you need to be prepared to live with, though.

 

- They are rather noisy inside.

- Glazed frost on the floor in Winter.

- The heater has always been on the dismal side, especially for rear seat passengers.

- Windows fogging up at the slightest trace of humidity.

- Only one wiper speed on base models.

- "Sealed" cooling system relatively expensive to refill. However, this should rarely be necessary.

- Smoking passengers not familiar with the car often use the inner door handles as ashtrays.

[Skizzer]

Maxi would make a lot of sense, and I tried the missus on the idea a while ago - she didn't exactly hate it, but was no more than whelmed. They're also a bit long (though admittedly shorter than the Yeti).

 

Short,slow,hose out,don't actually need back seats,rampant appreciation.
Not hippy, ynni niwclier- dim diolch, art graduate,Froggy shite.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1982-Land-Rover-Series-3-III-88-2-25D-Pick-up-/291220256322?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item43ce147642

No need to thank me.

 

Not sure I fancy another Landy (one life - lived it already) but I now find they are also on Kirsten's all time top 5 list of all time favourite cars  . Needs to be a hardtop though.  I'm now watching these two while I mull over how I feel about something that is too heavy to push, leaks rain into the top even faster than oil out of the bottom and needs arms like legs to parallel park:

 

 

 

 

Renault 6
Ami waggon or Dyane

 

Oof!  Ã‚£2495 wins this:

 

 

Boot sill height not ideal for dog access, though. Same with the Dyane.  Pug 304 is better, and also (dare I say it) prettier, but I can only find one for sale/in existence and that's deffo a project - it was on the tat thread yonks ago.  Not sure I can be bothered with importing something from France.

 

 

Ha ha, Skizzer drives a grey Golf TDi on a '14' plate!
I bet he feels proper special in that.

 

Oh, it's a lot more hateable than that. 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

you can buy brand new chassis for these now, i read it in the latest Gazoline mag, not hideously expensive either.

[lisbon_road]

I have memories of helping a friend of my parents load logs into his Renault 4, by opening the back doors - they were long logs and stuck out both sides.  A great little car, where are you now OWL401H ............

 

Sadly long gone due to corrosion. 

[Junkman]

you must buy a brand new chassis for these now, i read it in the latest Gazoline mag, not hideously expensive either.

 

There. I fixed it for you.

[KruJoe]

grey Golf TDi on a '14' plate

 

 

it's a lot more hateable than that

 

Christ man, what could be a lot more hateable than that?

I hope they're paying you well.

[Skizzer]

You know you're a shiter when you get excited about the fact that you can buy an entire replacement chassis for your car, because you know you're going to need it.

 

Christ man, what could be a lot more hateable than that?

I hope they're paying you well.

 

It's a BMW.  The worst part is, it's my own company.  Sorry everyone.

[r.welfare]

Please tell us it's a 2 series Active, they look properly shite.

 

Anyway, Peugeot 304 wagons are lovely, I had a ride in Wuvvum's when he collected it, so that's my vote cast.

[Skizzer]

God, don't they?  I'd never heard of them - must have blinked and missed a new niche.  It's not one of those, it's a 4-series Grandad Coupe, which is a lot like an SD1 35 years later only much, much less imaginative.  Quite comfy on the motorway though, which is where it spends 2000 miles a month - hence not using the actual SD1 for work.

 

Quick, back to shite, before a row starts.

[catsinthewelder]

I was talking to a mate at the weekend who was telling me about his old Renault 4 van,  he made a really tidy job of welding it up then hated driving it because it made him feel seasick.

 

He then amazed me by being the only person outside of Autoshite to bring up 'Jalopy magazine' who apparently described the 4 'as less of a car and more a collection of parts traveling vaguely in formation'.

 

Best of luck with the search