Renault 5 Collection - very few pictures and (thankfully) uneventful

[theorganist]

I was going to try a live collection but could not fathom out how post photo's on the site so I gave up!

 

We (a friend came along) caught four trains.

 

The first at the bottom of my road for the short trip to Stourbridge Junction - this is the famous Parry People Mover (class 139) known locally as the shuttle, dodger or less kindly the chicken shed

 

We then caught a Stourbridge to Snow Hill train (a boring class 172) of which I failed to get a picture.

Then a class 220 Cross Country Voyager from Birmingham New Street to Bristol Parkway - my first trip on one of these:

 

We then caught a Great Western Bristol Parkway to Weymouth as far as Frome (a two car class 158). We did have a delay at Bristol as they connected a 150/153 set which caused havoc with the trains communication system which caused a 20 minute delay. Annoyingly this was the cheapest ticket I could get but the Weymouth train originated from Worcester which would have been simpler than going into Birmingham then out again! Doing that cost £20 per ticket more though.

 

We were picked up by the Seller and her sister in the Renault 5 and went back to the house to sort out the paperwork. The Renault's replacement is an S reg Pug 106 (given to her by her mother) she didn't seem to sure which car she preferred.

 

The journey home was pleasant and uneventful, the car drives well, is quite quiet at 60 in 5th. It is very comfortable and light to drive. It is a pleasant place to be despite the theme inside being grey!

 

There are a few niggles/faults:

 

The accelerator pedal is quite stiff

The rear wash switch gets very hot (the wash doesn't work although it does wipe)

After a motorway run the car cuts out whilst pulling up at lights etc (it seems okay with a tiny bit of choke), I wonder if it could be a bit of fuel evaporation! I noticed when she picked us up it sounded like it was running very lean

The passenger door lock doesn't lock or unlock from the outside and the drivers door lock needs a copious amount of WD40.

 

Overall I am very pleased so far.

 

I will get some more pictures tomorrow.

 

[Cheggers]

I love the funky dashboards Renault used

[John F]

I quite like the chicken wire.

[Lord Sterling]

Sweet as man, what's the story with the grille mesh then?

[strangeangel]

V. jealous. Owning a R5 = You win at life.

[egg]

The passenger door lock doesn't lock or unlock from the outside and the drivers door lock needs a copious amount of WD40.

 

I can't remember if it was an autoshite tip or not, but had some success recently with graphite powder re: lock lubrication. Try not to breath it in though!

[theorganist]

I can't remember if it was an autoshite tip or not, but had some success recently with graphite powder re: lock lubrication. Try not to breath it in though!

I'll look into that thanks, I have a dust mask

[theorganist]

Sweet as man, what's the story with the grille mesh then?

Its had a bump as the bumper has a small crack. I'm not sure why they chose chicken wire, unless they couldn't get a replacement, although I have seen a few grille's on eBay!

[Lord Sterling]

Cool, so are you going to return an original grille on it then?

[theorganist]

Cool, so are you going to return an original grille on it then?

I think so to be honest, personally, particularly close up the mesh grille doesn't look great,

[John F]

How about replacing it with a chain mail grille, Joan of Arc style?

[Parky]

Pedals were stiff on mine. Disconnect cable at the carb, secure it in an upright position and run some oil down the cable. Put some newspaper under the pedals in the car in case it makes it all the way to the interior and drips on the carpet. Grease the pedal pivot and WD40/3 in 1 oil on the carb linkages and that should help.

 

Rear wash switch getting hot doesn't sound right though, that needs further investigation

[Parky]

Also buy a spare clutch cable and leave it in the car! Notorious for snapping....

[Parky]

Not cheap these front grilles

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Renault-5-Gt-Turbo-campus-Front-Grille-/301906105649?hash=item464b019531:g:ik0AAOSws4JW8bCR

 

Reckon a cheeky offer is worthwhile, I can't see there being much of a queue forming for bits like this

[theorganist]

Thanks for the advice Parky. There is a new throttle cable in the boot still in its wrapping.

 

I will try what you said with the accelerator cable and look at getting a spare clutch cable.

 

I have found a couple of radiator  grilles on ebay, that one being the most expensive. There is a guy breaking a red one which appears to still have its grille so I am going to see how much he wants and respray it myself. Failing that I will look into getting the price down on one of the ebay ones.

 

I am going to take the wash wipe switch off and see what it looks like. 

[Lord Sterling]

...I have found a couple of radiator grilles on ebay, that one being the most expensive. There is a guy breaking a red one which appears to still have its grille so I am going to see how much he wants and respray it myself...

Aren't they just normal plastic Grey?

 

EDIT*

 

Actually, I see what you mean...

 

 

S'pose you got a choice...

[theorganist]

I could get a grey grille as per the top one, but the top one is a pre facelift and mine is a post facelift (the bottom one) and I'd rather keep it authentic.

[Parky]

That red one is identical to my 1993 one. L87 KNO. Oddly it doesn't appear on any database of any kind so it must have met its maker immediately after I traded it against a Fiesta Zetec exactly 16 years ago today. Blimey, that went quickly!