Mk1 Espace: Tell me about it

[Fabergé Greggs]

I'm taking a look at this today- the guy is bringing it into central London as part of its van duties. I doubt I'll get much of a chance to drive it due to central London, so what should I look out for? 

 

I'm keen on something that I can fit my scooter into and can be insured on a classic policy. 

 

Something about this makes me wary, I think I've got it in my head that it would be fragile and parts would be a nightmare.

 

 

[bramz7]

There's a nice guy down in Worthing who seems to help maintain a fair few of these. And he has a ton of bits for seemingly all Renault's.

 

So that's that worry gone.

[wuvvum]

Depends what you mean by "fragile".  Compared to Mk4 Espaces they are a model of rugged dependability.

[Fabergé Greggs]

Best wheels of ever, obvs. 

[purplebargeken]

These are bloody ace and I would love one.

 

You need this in your life.

[Tomtation]

I love these too, espacially in V6 flava. This is a 2.0 if memory serves? Know nothing about them though, so not much help...

 

Can imagine myself bumbling around rural france in one, filling the back up with wine, cheese and other delectables (like twingos and MK1 AX's).

 

+1 for wheels

[Asimo]

I have seen a few of these in use in France in the past few years. They age well if you like the sunbleached look.

 

Real hot-dip galvanised body, plastic external panels, Renault 20 front suspension, 'box and engine.

Rear seats if still present are clipped in. Not as much height inside as you'd think because the floor is higher than you'd expect, so measure how high you need.

[BorniteIdentity]

Something about this makes me wary, 

 

 

Yeah, but...

 

[BorniteIdentity]

fragile and parts would be a nightmare.

 

 

 

On the other hand...

 

[Bren]

Its s renault that is nearly 30 years old.

Wcpgw?

[Talbot]

I saw this furzale a little while back and had to have a fairly stern word with myself about not making plans to try and buy it. They are brilliant, and still a worthy useful and competent vehicle today.

 

I'd love an early Talbotesque one with the Alpine-style headlamps and grille. But I would probably then sully it by shoving an age-appropriate Dizzler in.

[panhard65]

They are good old things but parts are getting a real problem. The 2.0 petrol or the 2.1 diesel are both good solid engines. The clutch can be very heavy and they used to snap pedals when they were current but I would expect it to of been modified by now. The interiors are fragile and the plastics break easily and avoid if the heater doesn't work as a new matrix is a dash out job and a bastard to fit in a right hand drive. One of my customers runs a couple of diesels and one has now died due to a leaking steering rack and it is impossible to find a new one. The other only just made it through an mot but it needs antiroll bar links that are no longer available. An 806 Peugeot is a much better machine but probably not on classic insurance

[panhard65]

Oh and they do rot even though they were galvanised. It flakes off eventually and they can get quite bad around the inner wings

[Fabergé Greggs]

That’s interesting stuff, thanks.

 

I spoke to the guy at Reno speed who had it before this guy and he informed me that he put a new power steering rack and clutch in.

 

It’s had advisories for anti roll bar links for the last couple of years..

[jonny69]

Its s renault that is nearly 30 years old.

Wcpgw?

 

Ye jest, but those of the French cars that have made it this far generally never go wrong. All the ones with problems died off long, long ago leaving just the survivors. At this point it's just going to be things wearing out and, essentially, parts availability as long as Tackyshwojoes is ok replacing things from time to time.

[Talbot]

it needs antiroll bar links that are no longer available.

With the vast assortment of droplinks available, surely there must be something that fits, or can be adapted. Same for a steering rack (although that would be more of a challenge..)

[The Moog]

Pm Skattard - he has one. I drove it back from Scotland for him.

 

Very odd position to drive, huge inside. He has some issues with parts I think.

[Fabergé Greggs]

Pm Skattard - he has one. I drove it back from Scotland for him.

 

Very odd position to drive, huge inside. He has some issues with parts I think. IMG_20160325_130203524.jpeg

Nice odd or horrible odd? I read somewhere that they hurt your ankle on long drives..

[The Moog]

You sit very upright and pedals are offset. Car was quite wandery but I think that was down to steering rack.

 

Great visibility all round.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Parts...... I looked at a quadra version last year as I love em too...... but getting some parts was why the Renault nut selling it was getting rid. At least he was honest about it......

 

May have said it before - but - I love em.....

 

GIB

[timolloyd]

I think these are ace. And surely 'prices only going one way m9' as they are the genesis of modern people carriers/define an era etc etc

[Aston Martin]

...

[jollysmart]

I've had both an Espace 4x4 Quadra, G717VUL untaxed since 2005 apparently, for 3 years and an 806 which I swapped the Espace for, for 12 years. When I had the Espace I thought it was a great car but the interior was very brittle, all the removable seats broke and the backs wouldn't stay upright and in true Reno form there were electrical issues. The short hose from the cylinder head burst and when I went to the, then, local dealer for a replacement the store man chucked a 15 inch length of hose on the counter and said that will be £25, in 1995! I objected and he just cut about 4 inches off and gave it to me. Certainly quite quick for what it was, seen 125mph but the downside was it drank like the guy in the corner in Wetherspoons and the 4 wheel drive was easily confused. The handbrake never worked properly, it would run away uphill until I got fed up and stripped the rear discs and realised that the cables were incorrectly routed, once I sorted them out the handbrake actually worked quite well but none of the professionals who had worked on it had noticed the problem. The galvanisation on the chassis also fell off and I found myself in the strange position of trying to rustproof a rusty supposedly galvanised chassis.

 

The 806 in contrast was a well built and solid vehicle which truth be told I regretted selling but my daughter bought it from me and my last drive of it was 1500 miles through France when despite not recording the miles anymore it never missed a beat. Even after a long journey it always seemed to want to go further, as a 1.9 diesel you could explore the full potential of the engine and never worry about exceeding the speed limit, it also handled quite well for what it was and gave a comfortable ride. Had very few problems and probably covered 150000 miles in my ownership, did everything asked of it well, always managed around 40mpg, from what I could tell and once, only, managed 100mph.

 

So, answer to question, go for the Espace what else could a shitter do?

[Bucketeer]

Nice odd or horrible odd? I read somewhere that they hurt your ankle on long drives..

I had no trouble with pedal offset driving Skattrd's 2000-1, just the usual Renault trait of all the pedals being tiny and bunched close to each other. If you haven't got BFO clown feet like me and can drive an early Clio, Laguna, Scenic etc then you'll be fine.

[Talbot]

It sounds to me like a lot of the Galvanising issues have been caused by a cold/short duration galvanise, which hasn't bonded properly. Theoretically you can re-flow the zinc by getting that bit of steel red rosy hot, but there may be small* issues with heat transfering to other bits of the car. Like the interior for instance, which might* not tolerate that temperature...

[Fabergé Greggs]

Just had a look and a drive of this- a pretty solid and scruffy old thing.

 

The most alarming thing was a drivers seat that was barely attached, swaying around like crazy with any driving input..

 

Hmm.

[jonny69]

 

Bah, rong era Espace

[bezzabsa]

had 2 MK2's........can confirm pedals are HORRID..seats are uncomfy, and it was By far the most unreliable vehicle I have ever owned....had it 12 months, was only on the road for 3 of those months...2x head gaskets, 2 drive shafts, electrics that would make a Mid 70's alfa / lancia look reliable

[Geep]

Nice odd or horrible odd? I read somewhere that they hurt your ankle on long drives..

 

Had one for a while and found the pedals too close together. Kept hitting the brake pedal when pressing clutch pedal. Had to consciously keep foot to left when changing gear but can't remember any other issue with therm and did some long runs in it as well.

 

Odd warning lights now and then and paint fade/lacquer peeling was the main issue. Nice drive really and not too bad on fuel. Ours was a petrol on a G plate. 

[barrett]

There was a very nice one at Retromobile in February and we were all going crazy for it, convinced we'd buy a fleet of them or something on our return. Trouble is, they are one of those cars that don't wear their years very well. They look fantastic absolutely mint, but the interior plastics really degrade and the paint peels off the panels and the few UK survivors seem to all look very down-at-heel. I think I would love one, assuming I could find a proper minter, but I don't think I'd be happy with anything less.

 

The seats are supposed to swivel, are they not, so perhaps your wander chair just needs a bolt or something adding to stop it swivelling when driving...