For Sale Renault Vel Satis £500 Cirencester

[Sam Glover]

I give you the Renault Vel Satis. For £500 – or less! – you can enjoy all the time-consuming hardship of classic car ownership but none of the driving pleasure.

 

I bought this for £875 before Christmas, suffering the delusion that I was the one soul on earth who wanted a right-hand drive Vel Satis. I realised I was wrong on the way home from Newport to Cirencester. It seems I’m just like everybody else, after all.

 

I had no idea how appallingly over-assisted and under-engaging modern cars have become. I can barely drive it.

 

It’s festered for the past four months with two small but debilitating issues that, due to a lack of motivation, have taken ages to track down and remedy. The first was a ruptured intercooler hose, repaired to beyond factory specification using Volga M21 radiator hose. The second was a furry throttle position sensor, revived by vigorously titillating its carbon tracks with contact cleaner. As far as I can tell from thrashing it repeatedly up and down the lane outside my workshop, it’s now functional. I have absolutely no inclination to splash out on road tax and take it further afield.

 

It clearly needs a better owner.

 

It’s a 2.0-litre turbo petrol manual.

 

It currently appears capable of functioning in a car-like way. Being a Vel Satis, though, it’s only a matter of time before something pitiful fails and renders it undriveable while you spend weeks enjoying internet forums, probing sensors and waking up in the middle of the night thinking of little black plastic boxes with mysterious tendrils.

 

It’s MoT’d until August.

 

It’s done 157,000 miles, but it’s been maintained to an impeccable standard by a skilled Renault enthusiast for the last 130,000. This is all documented.

 

It’s in fine condition. The interior’s very good – and the exterior has nothing worse than a few tiny scuffs and aluminium warts.

 

It’s benefitted from many recent new parts, including a timing belt and tensioner, tyres, battery, ABS pump, water pump, alternator, turbo, brake discs and pads.

 

It comes with various spares and a terrifyingly heavy manual.

 

Current problems:

- Radio and sat nav aren’t working.

- The tyre pressure sensors were removed rather than replaced at the last tyre change and it bitches on about this constantly.

- It intermittently reports an EPS error, which the previous owner was 95% sure he’d tracked to a rear wheel sensor.

- Renault Vel Satis

 

It’s near Cirencester. There’s no obvious reason you couldn’t tax it and drive it home… other than it being a Renault Vel Satis.

 

Don’t all rush at once.

 

Sam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Vince70]

That looks an absolute steal for the money and being higher mileage is a badge of honour as you know you've a Goodun but being a Renault are you parking it next to those gas bottles for a reason hoping that they will go off with a bang for the insurance.

[SiC]

Ohhhh my. I love a good 2000s Renault, especially the Vel Shatit. This also is really not far from me either. HOWEVER my wife has strictly told me no cars. She also hates red cars. Also said before that she thinks these are super ugly and not to get one.

 

I think I'll be hung, drawn and quartered if I bought this.

[BorniteIdentity]

Wow. Vel Satis in NOT GOLD/SILVER SHOCKER!

 

It's the right price. I don't mean to sound PH, but you can throw it away rather than having the inevitable mental psychosis. Surely just 1 or 2 bits gets you your money back?

 

GLWS.

[flat4alfa]

I used to love these and hankered after one

 

The disastrous interrim Avantime experience stopped all that

 

GLWTS

 

#21 please

[lexi]

There are plusses with these cars. Tons of room for people in the back. You can also get loads of peace and quiet to be yourself..............join the Vel Satis forum

[chaseracer]

I think I'll be hung, drawn and quartered if I bought this.

 

SOLD!! 

[The Moog]

What would be the plural of vel satis? 

 

I now have canclip. This only £250 more expensive than the handbrake I am probably going to buy..... 

[xkjagnz]

I have always fancied one of these - no idea why, thank fuck I'm in NZ and can't be tempted!!

[Station]

Nice looking cars.

 

But no.

[chodweaver]

Mmmmmmmmmm, a red one. But cloth. But low(er) mileage. But with ishoos.

 

They really are lovely things to waft about in, but if wafting isn't one's thing....

 

GLWTS

[barefoot]

Raffle it, then I can own a VS for eight quid.

Just about the maximum a sane person should spend on one.

[For Fiats Sake]

I'd like to see one in the flesh but not on my drive.

 

GLWTS

[overrun]

Not a fan of these, in the looks department, but I have always wanted an Avantime. Ever since the concept art appeared in the News of the World.

HNNNGGGG!

[brownnova]

Does the owner get to poke around your collection of fine automobiles Sam?

 

If so maybe you should market it as a £500 ticket to view a private collection of glorious motors... with a 'mystery' free gift at the end.

[wuvvum]

This is actually probably one of the better bets as Vel Satises go.  4-pot pez engine, manual 'box and a relatively basic interior means far less to go wrong than a 3.0 V6 DCi Initiale.

 

I'd actually be quite tempted were I not on a self-imposed car buying ban until I can sort my f***ing life out.

[stripped fred]

That is a handsome beast. The interior shot makes it look about 16ft wide.

[Pillock]

This is actually probably one of the better bets as Vel Satises go.  4-pot pez engine, manual 'box and a relatively basic interior means far less to go wrong than a 3.0 V6 DCi Initiale.

 

I'd actually be quite tempted were I not on a self-imposed car buying ban until I can sort my f***ing life out.

 

One could argue there's no better way of sorting your f***ing life out than buying a Vel Satis.

[Squire_Dawson]

Its fellow French competitor in this market segment was the Citroen C6 I presume.

[The Moog]

One could argue there's no better way of sorting your f***ing life out than buying a Vel Satis.

And then fixing all the faults with it!

[Isaac Hunt]

Ahhah, the Renner VeryShitIsThis, proper fits in around here.  It's like a a Gooner for the extra brave.  Not my bag but GLWTS

[somewhatfoolish]

Is that the blunt end of a Chevvy Corvair? There's a shedular Vel Satis near me, I see it parked outside the newsagents occasionally; not sure of the colour so probs resale silver or JRG.

[beko1987]

This place needs more modern renault! Someone get it bought. I would, but I already have my own little slice of reliable fear!

[406V6]

That green Corvair in the last pic looks VERY tasty.

[Tamworthbay]

Find the old practical classics articles - it is very tasty indeed!