In the shit again.

[RustyNuts]

Thats the thing, just sitting in the drivers seat still makes me smile - even though it's been sorn since 2010 lol. I can't explain it...

 

People often curse renaults but i've noticed that they do some things better than the more popular brands. We have a astra... wires snapped in the loom between frame and rear door. It's a stupid design that flexes the wires. On a 98 renault, the design is different to avoid this very problem.. yet they're slated very heavily for their expertise.

 

I like renaults... yes they can be a pain.. but they are loveable cars.

[SiC]

My wife has taken very much to our Laguna 2 v6. There is something very understated, but refined about big French exec cars - especially big engined ones. Its kind of the same thing with Swedish cars.

[RustyNuts]

A friend had a lag v6 and swore by it.. he's just bought another one recently too. I was never a fan of the lag but there was also a 2L volvo powered version that was insanely reliable by french standards. The frogs do know how to build top notch cars.. I just think that half the time they can't be arsed.

[SiC]

Well, as the resident French car expert R9UKE said, they can be utter Friday cars or absolute peaches. Don't seem to be in between.

 

Also often require preventative maintenance to keep them on top. Too many people see they're cheap because here in the UK we don't value French cars, and then dispose or get rid of when they have things go.

 

If it has a "premium" German badge on, people seem more prepared to chuck money at it. Even though they can be just as troublesome and often more expensive to repair. Also because they're worth more, they want to keep their values left in it and so mote prepared to fix too.

[RustyNuts]

R9 is on the safrane forum too lol. If I remember right he's got a nice collection of motahs

 

Yeah must be said I find the whole german car thing a bit odd. They're cheating shitheads with the emissions shit and yet they still remain as popular as ever for their continuing dishonesty towards the world.

 

I'd much prefer a frogmobil to be honest as the german cars always have seats that feel like wood under my butt. The frogs tend to at least use 2-3 inches of sponge lol. They might not be the fastest of cars but they usually have lots of nice buttons to play with too.

[garethj]

The main two problems are the engine and cooling (which I can bodge so technically thats not so much of a problem). I can fix the car but I simply need the time to be able to do it.

 

My way of thinking is that if old classics can be rebuilt from a bare frame (and i've known a guy who used to do this) then a safrane that is mostly complete but has a few niggles is a near road ready car that can be saved

 

Yeah, but that takes time, lots of it.  I've restored a few cars and unless you're putting in several evenings a week at a solid 3 hours each, it takes years.  Even spending that time it takes months.

 

I've been in your situation where the only time I had to change a brake light bulb was in work at lunchtime, doing it at home just was not possible.  If forums are a virtual pub I'd be giving you a manly hug, but also saying that in your situation right now you need something that takes zero time to fix.  Find a car that's really reliable, find a bloke who can service it cheap and spend your time doing more important stuff right now.

 

There'll always be another big old Renault that needs help like an abandoned puppy, most people on here can't walk down the road without picking up an old Laguna by accident.

 

But good luck in whatever you do.

[purplebargeken]

I tend to regard most of the cars I have had as puppies/kittens that needed to be rescued.

[inconsistant]

Trying to be helpful based on experience... the car can wait, it will get easier to find time as your little one gets older. We had a few years where we couldn't even find time to wash our car. But as babies/kids get a bit older they are happy to sit in front of the tv or read, or play in the garden, or whatever while you spend an hour or two on the car.  Spend your time with the little one because ultimately that's far more rewarding than any car can ever be. 

[xtriple]

Okay I a going to take the opposite view to just about everyone else replying on this thread. As a fellow sufferer of OCD will know, finishing what you started is incredibly important, failure hurts/burns and eats away at your soul.

 

Can you not get a family member or neighbour to look after the baby for a few hours a couple of times a week while the wife (who doesn't sound the most pleasant person {to you} in the world!) is out at work/shopping/whatever?

 

It needs finishing for your own sanity and self respect if nothing else.