The Espace has landed

[vulgalour]

That is neither small nor Japanese.  I would like a refund (and your wheels).

[The Moog]

CMS, it would seem...

I think he may have been in the know....

 

Enjoy the funbus Skattard. You will get used to the clutch!

[spartacus]

Awesome, definitely worth being caught asleep on the desk at school tomorrow.

[Guest Breadvan72]

SPLUNF

[vulgalour]

NURSE!  Breadvan's done that thing again!

[mouseflakes]

I love the fuel stop photo. Even today, the Espace looks like it's arrived there from The Future. Brilliant.

[DodgyBastard]

DSC_9509 by srblythe, on Flickr

 

Glad it's gone (to a good home) 

[vulgalour]

Ah, the FOAD WORX blue car collection.  Prestigious* stuff.

[DodgyBastard]

Ah, the FOAD WORX blue car collection.  Prestigious* stuff.

 

The blue cars are disappearing only to be replaced with the prestigious* FOADWERX 2.0 XUD collection.

[skattrd]

Home.

 

Once again, thanks to all involved in another of my none standard collections, FOAD, Moog & Bucketeer. Your assistance in helping me acquire this fine automobile is much appreciated.

 

For those who haven't kept up to date with recent happenings, here's a brief summary.

 

FOAD had an Espace he wasn't comfortable driving and wanted rid of.

Moog had a Xantia TD (the one of many shiters) he wanted rid of.

I wanted the Espace, and also the Xantia, but Espace more...

Moog and Bucketeer were in Scotland for drag racing shennanigans .... A swap occurred and an Espace was driven home by Moog.

I then went to Moog_acres and collected said vehicle.

 

Will_Moog I definitely owe you a pint or two ... Not only did he drive the Espace from Scotlandshire to Lancashire, fix a couple of niggles, but also left me a surprise in the glove-box:

 

 

A mk1 Espace and Hollands pie/pudding  ... I shall sleep a happy sleep tonight

[Noel Tidybeard]

will you PLEASE cabletie the front valance back together before you have some poor kittens eye out!

 

the nuns are waiting/watching

[Bucketeer]

This is a WINbus.

You'll never be the first person to arrive somewhere but you'll definitely be the smuggest/most relaxed.

If only us humans had evolved two little pedal-pressing trotters at the end of our left leg, this would be the comfortablist thing off all ever.

[brownnova]

Those wheels!!!!

 

 

And the rest of it is great too of course!!

[dollywobbler]

Can we have Skattrd's Driving Report please?

[Jim Bell]

It is a french car.

[skattrd]

Can we have Skattrd's Driving Report please?

 

Moog and Bucketeer could add to this as they've driven it a bit recently as well.

 

It drives ace, the end.

 

Gear change takes getting used to, think stirring porridge full of nuts. Reverse tricky to find, it's somewhere under the passenger seat.

Clutch also takes getting used to. I stalled it more than once getting away from Moogs, however the drive to work this morning was stall free.

Some things don't work, some do, probably 50/50. Important things work, lights & wipers.

 

The ride is very French, soft and comfy. performance quite good, it gets up to 70mph easily. Gearing is quite low (which I think aids the sense of performance) 70mph is 3500rpm, 60mph 3000rpm, 50, 2500 .... Speedo/odo hasn't worked for 10+ years. The 130 miles or so home last night was a breeze, wafty, comfy, ace. I'm happy

 

Needing attention:

NSF wheel bearing - quite noisy

Fuel gauge - not working

Speedo/odo - not moved for 10 years

Heater - fan makes a noise but no heat

Stereo - kaput - awesome original must try and fix.

Exhaust blowing - sounds quite sporty

Passenger side wing mirror glass - MIA

Gear knob made of gaffer tape

Bonnet release cable externally operated

Rear demist - light comes on on dash, nothing else happens

Rear wiper - moves but don't think it is touching the glass

Various trivial stuff inside car untested... Also in need of a bit of a clean

 

Verdict - WIN

[Bucketeer]

It's definitely a twenty metre or five pinter kind of car at the moment. During the first couple of minutes drive to a pez station to get the tyre pumped up (keep an eye on the front left tyre), myself and Moog did wonder if Skattrd knew what he was letting himself in for. These misgivings soon vanished under a tidal wave of want as Moog piloted it back to Edinburgh from Foadwerx. I later drove it for an hour or so and want only intensified. The biggest surprise to me was how solid it felt on the road, no rattling or banging about. It just felt pliant, comfortable and capable. I agree the gearbox could be a bit less vague but I didn't find it too bad. I think the gearbox, clutch, general pedal positions and maybe engine refinement are the only things that are perhaps reminiscent of an older car. It definitely feels like it's been well looked after under the skin.

All Skattrds observations above are pretty much the same as mine. It does need a clean, if clean is your thing, and there are superficial imperfections but it's a top of the range Espace that feels like it's got the core of a really good 'un for relative peanuts. And those wheels.

I completely fell for it and I hope and believe it will go on providing sterling service for a long time to come.

 

Oh and tighten the positive battery terminal.

[Bucketeer]

I almost forgot the MEGACOMF seats that feel like they're made from Flumps.

[Guest Hooli]

It is a french car. minibus.

FTFY

[skattrd]

Cheers Bucketeer, I'll keep an eye on the front left tyre and stick a can of tyre weld in the bus for emergencies.

[Ratdat]

Belle voiture! Je pense que j'ai beaucoup de revues techniques pour l'Espace. Authentique de Renault. etc

[Bucketeer]

I'm not sure if it has a slow leak or if the Foadwerx security measures involved letting one tyre down (it wasn't alone in having one flat one). I put a whole 50 pence worth of finest Scottish air in it straight after collection, hopefully it will be fine.

[garbaldy]

I put a whole 50 pence worth of finest Scottish air in it straight after collection, hopefully it will be fine.

You will need to blow it up with southern air as the air is so thin up here with no particles big enough to seal any leaks,

[Jim Bell]

50p for air these days?

 

I guess that's inflation.

[Liggle]

Seeing Skattrd arrive to the office car park this morning in this with a massive grin on his face was amusing, swiftly followed by lots of exhaust fumes from the leaking exhaust as he drove past me! 

[Bucketeer]

Front right. I meant front right. Definitely. 100%.

Soz.

[skattrd]

As Mr_Bucket says the Espacious has very good road manners and it was surprisingly chuckable on the narrow winding lanes to work. The gear change and clutch have become second nature and I don't find the pedals too difficult (size 8 shoes help). I was enjoying the drive home from work so much I made a little detour and doubled the distance home, just for the hell of it.

 

GSF do the wheel bearing for £17 and with the usual 40% off I'll be ordering a service kit as well.

The hunt for speedo cable and fuel sender will begin shortly.

[The Moog]

Glad you found the pies! I was meaning to message to you in case you didn't find them for a week and they turned in a new gravy based life form, but painting and decorating got in the way.

 

Battery clamps have been tightened Mr Bucket. Admittedly on the day of the collection but they were done.

 

It is an amazing looking old thing. Definitely needs a spruce up inside and you will be one of lifes winners if you can get that stereo working.

[DodgyBastard]

I think I was pretty fair in my description in my advert and listed all of the faults I had experienced from driving it down the yard twice. I had never driven it on a public road or for more than 5  minutes at a time. My size 14 feet just couldn't get used to the pedals so it had to go. I'm glad it has made someone happy and other than the few problems when setting off it seems to be doing the job ok.

[skattrd]

No complaints from me Scott, I hope the Xantia is serving you well.

 

It looks like there might be someone not too far from me with some spares and an early breaker that might prove useful.