History of the Renault 20 in Britain

[HMC]

A giffer a few roads down from where I grew up had one. In about 1991 it could only have been just over 10 years old or so, and was gently dissolving in the drive. I remember being fascinated by the short gap from front arch to door and the huuuge one from front arch to the front of the car. That and the ital van parked on the grass which never moved meant I always glanced over when we went by in the car. Clearly a man of taste. 

[AnthonyG]

I think rust did kill them a lot quicker than many other competitors. Plus the large French car factor which never helps. I remember seeing 7 year old Renault 25s in scrapyards due to major mechanical failure (usually V6 autos), and that was a design that was much more rust resistant than the 20.

 

The 25 was a much more popular car in the UK as well, probably due to the advanced design - when it was launched in 84, a lot of its competitors were coming to the end of their time - Granada Mk2, Rover SD1, Carlton etc. Plus it was more accepted that companies could buy 'foreign cars' for their staff by the mid Eighties.

 

The 20 wasn't really a competitor for Rovers, Audi 100s etc, it didn't really fit in the same bracket. More a Cortina/Cavalier 2.0 or Princess sort of market.

[Dave_Q]

Hey Renault20, I see you like Renault 20s.

 

You should meet PaykanHunter, the banter would be immense.

 

Guess what kind of car he likes?

[Guest Renault20tx]

Hey Renault20, I see you like Renault 20s.

 

You should meet PaykanHunter, the banter would be immense.

 

Guess what kind of car he likes?

Hillman hunters maybe? Or props Austin Ambassador knowing my luck haha

[Dave_Q]

He's a chap from Iran who pops up every now and then with a thread to tell us that the Paykan Hunter (Iran Khodro copy of the Hillman) is the best / most socially important / longest running car in the world ever.

 

You just remind me of him with your dedication to the Renault 20.

 

Nothing wrong with being a fan of a particular car mind, I sometimes think that might be better than being a mega car-tart who changes their mind about what they want next every 12 seconds like I am.

[Guest Renault20tx]

He's a chap from Iran who pops up every now and then with a thread to tell us that the Paykan Hunter (Iran Khodro copy of the Hillman) is the best / most socially important / longest running car in the world ever.

 

You just remind me of him with your dedication to the Renault 20.

 

Nothing wrong with being a fan of a particular car mind, I sometimes think that might be better than being a mega car-tart who changes their mind about what they want next every 12 seconds like I am.

Well I have ticked a Vel Satis off the list.........I would also like a C6 before I kick the bucket

The Renault 20? Well to most people it would just be an undesirable turd in comparison to the other 2 (which aren't exactly stalked by admirers), but well.....my father had it down as his favorite car, it was extremely rare then, it's practically extinct now...........I just see it as having a sort of mystique about it really, but I can equally quite understand why nobody else would agree.....

[lincolndanny]

Well I have ticked a Vel Satis off the list.........I would also like a C6 before I kick the bucket

The Renault 20? Well to most people it would just be an undesirable turd in comparison to the other 2 (which aren't exactly stalked by admirers), but well.....my father had it down as his favorite car, it was extremely rare then, it's practically extinct now...........I just see it as having a sort of mystique about it really, but I can equally quite understand why nobody else would agree.....

Change Renault 20 for Daewoo Espero 2.0 CDXI manual and its the same for me....

[Guest Renault20tx]

Change Renault 20 for Daewoo Espero 2.0 CDXI manual and its the same for me....

See, that's it. I just don't get the attraction of an Espero, you probs don't see anything in the R20.I think it's far better we're all able to go our own way, we can provide a bit of interest to each other - I never understand how people in a Mini or MGB enthusiasts group don't get bored looking at 100 of the same car!!

[lincolndanny]

See, that's it. I just don't get the attraction of an Espero, you probs don't see anything in the R20.I think it's far better we're all able to go our own way, we can provide a bit of interest to each other - I never understand how people in a Mini or MGB enthusiasts group don't get bored looking at 100 of the same car!!

I get it mate, your normal don't worry. As you say, its the MGB and mini boys who are odd....

[Dick Cheeseburger]

David Kelly/Legacy had a few in his yard in Wrexham, North Wales until early this year when he closed.

 

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/47966/scrapyard-fun-frolics-potentail-fail?page=1

Was the yard cleared?

[Junkman]

The 20 wasn't really a competitor for Rovers, Audi 100s etc, it didn't really fit in the same bracket. More a Cortina/Cavalier 2.0 or Princess sort of market.

 

The 20 was a lot cheaper to buy than Rovers, or Audi 100s, or even Princesses.

Price-wise it was indeed in the Taunus/Cortina/Rekord/Cavalier bracket, but it was a lot bigger, roomier, more practical, and better equipped at no extra cost.

In fact, Pound for Pound, it had no real competitor.

[mouseflakes]

Did the 1307/Alpine undercut it? Similar concept, but a 'budget' version, which might have appealed more to UK buyers for that reason alone (had it been the case - not sure of the relative pricing). Certainly seemed to sell a lot better here than the 20.

[nigel bickle]

My current daily is a Nexia.

 

Damn pervert.

[Adrian_pt]

There's a very funny book published in the early 80s called The Bumper Book of Cartoons, by Don Grant. It's got a stereotype of a R20 owner, among many others. Excellent bog reading. (According to it I am apparently an over-stressed advertising executive / failing actor who drinks much too much gin and drives too fast - quite flattering I suppose). 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/7297335730/in/album-72157643498052145/

[RayMK]

My Renault 12ts was ultra reliable until it dropped a valve at 156,000 miles (actually, the head of an exhaust valve dropped off and wrecked the engine).  This was about 1982.  I had recently bought an old Robin 14ft caravan which was too heavy for the poor old 12.  Long stretches in 3rd gear were required, apart from the poor stability of the outfit.  In the usual rush to buy a replacement car, a pale green metallic Renault 20 attracted me as it was within my budget, already had a towbar and was fairly local.  BCF225T was thus recruited and served with absolute reliability for the few years that I had it.  It was completely unphased by the heavy caravan, supremely spacious and comfortable and had handling almost as responsive as a canal boat.  The interior was in shades of brown, always a major plus point.  It did, however, rust furiously where the front inner wings met the outer panels.  After a few years of sterling service I was seduced by a marque which I had never heard of and bought a brand new Hyundai Stellar (1986). The dealer did not want the R20 in part exchange!  My boss at work had a R20 from new when they first became available in the UK and another colleague also had one.  Their cars were white and also rusted in the same places as mine.  Would I have another one?  Probably not.  

[Daniel R25]

Hi,
I am a sad case. Grew up in a R30 ts, r20 ts and the R20 gtd made it up to 1996.

Last year I bought this:


It is a Dutch R30 turbo-d with about 200.000k. What will I do with it?
- get the rust welded up - not a lot because it was waxoiled when new
- install a later generation 2.1 td engine that does not leak oil like the prestige.
- fit a newer style pre/ post-heating system so the engine does not smoke when cold
- fit a VTG turbocharger from a 1996 Espace
- and a Euro 2 diesel cat from an Espace.
- fuego 14' wheels of the same design as those 13 inch one on the pic...

Daniel

p.s. found a picture of the two spots to be welded up - in the boot:


Two other small spots have to welded in the front wheel arch...
 

[Split_Pin]

I do recall spotting a few of these up to the mid 1980s and in particular the '2litre' badge on the back. However one of my most indelible memories is of a light metallic blue Norev 1-43 toy 20 that I played with, buried in mud, stuck stickers and big bore plasticine exhausts on bit somehow it survived completely intact apart from some wear to the paint. I still have it. On the back you can see where the 30 badge has been filled over on the mould to make it a 20. I will look it out tonight 😀😀

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Hi,I am a sad case. Grew up in a R30 ts, r20 ts and the R20 gtd made it up to 1996.Last year I bought this:It is a Dutch R30 turbo-d with about 200.000k. What will I do with it?- get the rust welded up - not a lot because it was waxoiled when new- install a later generation 2.1 td engine that does not leak oil like the prestige.- fit a newer style pre/ post-heating system so the engine does not smoke when cold- fit a VTG turbocharger from a 1996 Espace- and a Euro 2 diesel cat from an Espace.- fuego 14' wheels of the same design as those 13 inch one on the pic...Danielp.s. found a picture of the two spots to be welded up - in the boot:Two other small spots have to welded in the front wheel arch...

 

Noice. Look after that one. Looks a proper stunna.

[Daniel R25]

Hi Wafers,

yes, I will take care of it.
However, it is not perfect. The foam of the seats seems to desintegrate... The beige corduroy fabric is still fine but getting the seats re-upholstered would still cost me a 1000 Euros.

I have all the parts mentioned above so would really start work this winter. I'll keep you informed.

The r30td is really a Renault 20 with double headlights- gearbox, front suspension, the 4 cylinder engine and wheel bolt pattern differ from the beefier V6 items.

Daniel

[Split_Pin]

How this survived in one piece I do not know 😂 Got it in about 1983 from a Model railway exhibition.

[AnthonyG]

You know Dacia assembled some 20s in the late 1970s right?- that has got to be some sort of R20 fancier's holy grail.

 

Unless a Paris-Dakar one Renault thought they'd lost turns up in the Gambia or somewhere...

[Sudsprint]

I remember thinking the Renault 30 was exotic and modern and powerful when it first came out.

 

Then they introduced the 20TL in the UK which seemed to me (in my 15yr old wisdom) a bit of an underpowered turd. 

 

By the time the 20TS/TX was around I think the game was up but I always saw it as a 505 competitor rather than another Princess/Passat/Alpine repmobile.

[Joey spud]

This one was parked near Sevenoaks back in the summer and sold on ebay,even had its original xzx tyres still fitted.

 

[Split_Pin]

Thats crazy!

[HH-R]

Hey Renault20, I see you like Renault 20s.

 

You should meet PaykanHunter, the banter would be immense.

 

Guess what kind of car he likes?

 

And the member who liked J reg Protons, can't remember what (s)he was called though.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

This one was parked near Sevenoaks back in the summer and sold on ebay,even had its original xzx tyres still fitted.

 

That's the one I remember from the bay of E's. It had been dry stored for most of its life iirc and was a genuine, clean car. Shame it's not on here...

[Joey spud]

This guy runs a car repair business from the front garden of his bungalow and has recently sold a Zephur,Ren 5,Manta,1300vdp Princess and a soft top Herald.

 

Don't know where he finds them all but most of Sevenoaks is a posh area with lots of farm land around it so maybe they are genuine barn finds.