New Bad Idea - F4RT ATTACK

[cort16]

There's been a bit of discussion about this on the modern thread but it was mention given the stupidity of this purchase it might be worth putting it on the main board.

I had a BMW Z4, some of you may have seen my trials and tribulations with it but I eventually managed to beat it back into shape with some minor work (new brakes, rear quarters, roof motor, PCV that kind of thing) so thought it was time to move it on. I sold it three weeks ago and have been frantically looking for something to replace it.  I've been to look at a few things included a TT with a baseball glove interior that was both mouldy and rusty and a Mk2 TT that was CAT N, had 187,000 miles, no history and a weird engine noise.

On Tuesday I spotted something on Autotrader reasonably locally I fancied the look of.  I went to see it on Wednesday and there commenced the most baffling buying experience I've had for many years.

After viewing it in the pissing rain I made the seller and offer and he said "okay I've other people coming I'll let you know". I said I thought this is were you normally negotiate but no he wanted to let other people see it.  Now the car itself is by no means perfect but it is something you don't see every day but it has one large elephant in the room, which I'll get to later. 

He said he'd let me know on Friday and I crumbled somewhat and upped my offer he then emailed me on Friday and saying he had one more person coming to see it and he'd let me know. Aaaagh.

Late Friday I night I get the email saying "if you're still interested you can have it for your offer" ??

I got my insurance sorted first thing and jumped on a train to Glasgow,

As you can tell by the plaque it's a Renault Sport Megane but a special edition model they built to celebrate winning the F1 champions ship. The car has 3-4 more bhp taking it to 230bhp but what the motoring journalists of the time all wet themselves about was it has a limited slip diff.

All very Pistonheads but whats that Elephant in  the room?

The mileage

Yes thats 202,000 miles. The seller has had it for 12 years and used it to commute daily from Glasgow to Ayrshire (about 25 miles each way).  It has a VERY detailed service history over that time and not only had a set of Continental winter tyres on it, it came with a spare set of good summer road tyres.

Bodywise it's not bad given the miles but at the bottom corner of doors on the B piller the paint is no longer there. It's not really rusty but the daily used of rain and road grot over 200,000 miles has basically shot blasted the paint off.  That could be quite difficult to fix given the pearl colour and location of the missing paint. The wheels are also a right state and I might actually splash some cash here and get them re-done properly.

The interior is surprisingly okay especially for a 200,000 miles megane. It has fancy Recaros with a split on them and the passenger door bin mysteriously fills up with water but other than that it's pretty good, everything seems to work okay. The seller even kept the original stereo when he replaced it with a more modern one.

 

It has the daft keycard (two of them infact) but the primary one is held together with sellotape.

Driving wise there's no bad clonks or anything and it feels like it's got a lot of power. It makes big whooshing noise when you floor it and seems to be really torquey. These can do 0-60 in 6.2 seconds and 147mph!. I don't fancy the later too much if I'm honest but this is probably the fastest manual box car I've owned. What isn't so great is the gearbox. The shift is a bit clumsy and if you try to rush 2-3rd you can struggle to get it in. To be fair the seller did tell me this and I think it'll be better once I'm used to it. I'm not sure I'm a good enough driver to pick up on if the LSD makes any different especially when it's pissing down and 3C out side. I'm looking forward to some some dry days to see what it's like

I've got it tucked up in the garage (thankfully it fits). All I did was remove the spare tyres from the boot and bailed out the door bins.

 

 

 

[Kiltox]

This is AMAZING. 

Does it hurt having to carry those monumental testicles around with you all the time?

[loserone]

I am very impressed. 

[gadgetgricey]

wasn't this the one where they had to cancel some of the publicity shots as one of them looked really happy with the car... 

looks great though

[cort16]

4 minutes ago, Kiltox said:

This is AMAZING. 

Does it hurt having to carry those monumental testicles around with you all the time?

I'm not sure I'd have been comfortable spending much more on it than I did (as he sets out to spend 200 quid to get the wheels powered coated).

[Stanky]

I have a vague memory that this is pretty much the ultimate incarnation of the F-type engine, meaning that if the mood took you, it'd be a 'drop in*' replacement for such AS heroes as the 300 and 400 series Volvo, Renault 9, 11  and 19 too. 

Imagine handing someone their arse in a renner 11 in a TLGP. 

[NorthernMonkey]

19 minutes ago, Kiltox said:

This is AMAZING. 

Does it hurt having to carry those monumental testicles around with you all the time?

That’s what the door bins are for

[cort16]

1 minute ago, NorthernMonkey said:

That’s what the door bins are for

They'll  keep them cool too as they're full of water

[hairnet]

11 minutes ago, Stanky said:

I have a vague memory that this is pretty much the ultimate incarnation of the F-type engine, meaning that if the mood took you, it'd be a 'drop in*' replacement for such AS heroes as the 300 and 400 series Volvo, Renault 9, 11  and 19 too. 

Imagine handing someone their arse in a renner 11 in a TLGP. 

this would fit in a kangoo no?

dome would freak

[NorthernMonkey]

By the way, from one new FR4T owner to another, well bought ?

[Jamie]

Dibs after kiltox

[Kiltox]

13 minutes ago, Stanky said:

I have a vague memory that this is pretty much the ultimate incarnation of the F-type engine, meaning that if the mood took you, it'd be a 'drop in*' replacement for such AS heroes as the 300 and 400 series Volvo, Renault 9, 11  and 19 too. 

Imagine handing someone their arse in a renner 11 in a TLGP. 

Wonder if it’d go in a mk1 Clio, I may know someone with a broken one...

[320touring]

I need to see this in the flesh:)

It looks pretty damn decent!

Meglios are common - that 230bhp in a 172...

[DVee8]

That's lush, great colour. Looking forward to reading more...

[Tubbo]

2 randoms please! ?

[HillmanImp]

Thats a fucking well nice 1995 Clio. 

[supermellowman]

Heroic.

And that interior does wear the mileage remarkably well.

[HMC]

Brilliant. Highest mileage example in existence? Presumably all done in a hurry

??

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Was there a version of this with plastic Windows and no rear wiper for added flimsiness?

[cort16]

1 minute ago, HMC said:

Brilliant. Highest mileage example in existence? Presumably all done in a hurry

??

I'm not sure Ive seen a normal Megane with that mileage, The pickup was done in a hurry the buying process was a bit more protracted. 

[cort16]

1 minute ago, NorfolkNWeigh said:

Was there a version of this with plastic Windows and no rear wiper for added flimsiness?

That was was the R26r. They have the same engine as this but some added lightness at great expense. They sell for 20 plus grand now.

[artdjones]

Nice car.High mileage doesn't mean too much if it was produced by 2 25 mile trips a day.Better that than a 100k miler that's been thrashed.Bodily Méganes are pretty durable,so a nice buy.

[HMC]

9 minutes ago, cort16 said:

I'm not sure Ive seen a normal Megane with that mileage, The pickup was done in a hurry the buying process was a bit more protracted. 

I meant more the covering of the mileage

[FakeConcern]

Liquid Yellow, yes please!

[cort16]

Just now, HMC said:

I meant more the covering of the mileage

Ah right, ?. I don't think so he seemed a pretty sensible chap.

[Zelandeth]

So assuming a normal working week, 140-150K of those miles can be attributed to the commute.  If it's been well looked after I'd not be too scared off by the mileage.  I think on most things made after around 2000 of so general condition and how a car drives can tell you far more than an odometer can anyway.

If they're using the same general gear linkage as back on the 21/25 replacing the various plastic bushes can make a *massive* difference to the gearchange.

I really like the look of that... it's a car which has set out to be silly and fun and has pulled it off well.

[SiC]

For the money you got this for, the mileage matters diddly squat. Only thing maybe worth doing is replacing any tired bushings and suspension. Oh and fixing that gearbox probably be a necessity.

Do these have the same box as the later Clio 197 that liked to shit their boxes?

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[HillmanImp]

7 minutes ago, cort16 said:

pretty sensible chap.

He owned a performance Renault. Sensible compared to who? Hunter S Thompson? 

[cort16]

1 minute ago, SiC said:

For the money you got this for, the mileage matters diddly squat. Only thing maybe worth doing is replacing any tired bushings and suspension. Oh and fixing that gearbox probably be a necessity.

Do these have the same box as the later Clio 197 that liked to shit their boxes?

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 

No idea Ive gone into this knowing nothing about them, which I think is clear, ?

[SiC]

Did you want me to try seeing if I can dig out some workshop manuals for this?