It's cold and miserable outside, and I need a reliable daily..

[DaveDorson]

So what's the most sensible thing I could do?

I know!

I'll buy a 52 plate Renault Megane Fidji Edition floppy top, with a short MOT, blind, from a mate who lives in Banbury, with only a couple of pictures from when she bought the car, so basically blind.

Story goes, she bought the car in the Spring/Summer of last year, and describes it as her mid life crisis car.  It's tidy from what she tells me, and it's fitted with the zippy 1.6 16v petrol producing a heady 107PS.

Apparently, no faults, although it did need a spring last year so she had the fronts done at a local place. but a change in her job, and her budget being far less, she can't really afford to run and insure the car anymore, so she asked me to find a home for it last night.

It's done 70ish K miles we think (she didn't want to brave the night and check), the MOT history backs that up too, and it's been sat since Christmas and just started and run for a bit each week to keep things good, and she's shuffled it about the driveway.

I've said I'll get the insurance sorted and tax it, and get her day cover; she's going to bring me it Friday, so that's a bit mad!, obviously I'll cover her return journey too.

Of course I'll update with some pictures as soon as I've got the car

 

 

 

 

 

 

[artdjones]

Nothing wrong with a MK1 Mégane for reliability.

[Kiltox]

Fucking MASSIVE dibs on this if you get bored of it 

[DaveDorson]

1 minute ago, artdjones said:

Nothing wrong with a MK1 Mégane for reliability.

They apparently have absolutely no value as a car though.

Genuinely surprised how cheap a low miles, often used as a second car with loads of history can be had for!

[DaveDorson]

1 minute ago, Kiltox said:

Fucking MASSIVE dibs on this if you get bored of it 

you sound keen.

 

Are you OK?

[Kiltox]

I can’t think of a more woeful / suitable soft top for my series ? 

[DaveDorson]

I'd share the pictures I have, but Flickr is being a massive jeb end right now.

[DaveDorson]

received_2778839085515070 by davedorson, on Flickr

received_183505882948479 by davedorson, on Flickr

Ain't she a beauty...

[Kiltox]

Phwoaaar. 
 

(help me please)

[DaveDorson]

I'm sure there's going to be more to follow on Friday in its current, owned by a bird so covered in fast food wrappers and grime state..

[DaveDorson]

I'll be the first to admit, I actually don't mind the styling of these at all, if anything I'd say it's actually quite a pretty little thing.

I mean you definitely need to be comfortable with who you are to drive one, and luckily I'm just that.

Looking at how they're set up, I'd imagine these are actually quite a pleasant steer too, the engine on paper looks to be a reasonable unit, they're quite clean for the age of the technology too, VED is I think £200 a year on this model.

I can't imagine this will be much worse than a Pug 306 cab to drive, and while the Peugeot wins the styling points, I actually quite like the lines of the Reggie.

I bet the big engine ones are a hoot.

[DaveDorson]

Ok..

 

First of all, excuse the lack of pictures :), I'm really not great at this.

So Sunday rolls around, and due to events conspiring against me, my friend can't deliver her beloved Rodney the Renault to me.

However, @drewd happened to be over for a family event in Letchworth on Saturday,(which I annoyingly didn't manage to get to, as I'd spent all day at Warwick Castle with the wife) and stayed over Sunday,

We agreed to go and retrieve the car, it tied up well really, cos it meant I didn't need to tax the car for Feb, given I was using it in March.

Armed with nothing but Drew's auto aid cover and the trusty ex AMC Rebel, ex me, Peugeot 307 Grenade engine HDI, we set off.. WCPGW?

IMG_20200301_102849377 by davedorson, on Flickr

Journey from Banbury back to Stamford was planned, I had a look around the car, Drew checked the fluids, I kicked the tyres a bit, and my mate got all concerned that I might not be happy with the car, but as I explained, for what I was paying I didn't expect a show queen;  she insisted I get the car home then transfer the money.

Didn't check the roof, (did on the safety of my driveway, it works fine!) she pointed out a rip on the seat, explained that it makes a bit of an odd noise when going right off roundabouts and bangs a bit over unbroken road and potholes, and the rear window is very cloudy, but asks if I'm still happy.

She was also hugely apologetic for not cleaning the car.

Unconcerned by any of this, or the fact it's been stood I did the paperwork, taxed it and told Drew to lead the way, saying I'd be going easy as we didn't know the car.

The car appeared to be a fine steer, it's done just shy of 70k, it's got 4 matching, budget conscious but not terrible tyres on, a fair wad of history (including a cam belt, but it's an old receipt), and has spent most of its life as someone's second car.

Engine is whisper quiet, I'm quite pleased.

Remember I said I was going to take it easy?, that lasted for a bit.. then I tanked it past Drew and managed to clout a tremendous pothole on the A43 somewhere near Silverstone.

Suddenly things got a bit.. interesting.. the front left wheel appeared to be doing a fantastic impression of a pogo stick whenever I was decelerating or managed to get about 50mph, and performance felt a bit down.

Arse..

 

Pulled over just outside Northampton, into a layby, the front left wheel was a bit warm, there was a lot of brake dust on it, and I'd noted that I was getting some odd noises when coming up to a stop.  Didn't smell or owt, but something was binding a touch.

OK, we set off again, Drew in the lead, but he managed to lose me, so pulled into another layby then at some point we caught up.

I decided I'd better diver to the unit so we can see what's what.  Leading from behind, Drew kept an eye on me and I signalled where we were headed.

Got to the unit, where to my delight, the 8 tonnes of scrap milling machine have been removed, and I've actually got some space again, and can get in and out.

IMG_20200301_151245492 by davedorson, on Flickr

With Ronald up on stands, we removed the now locked on front wheel.  I get it on the balancing machine, it's 20g out on the inside, and 5g on the outside.  I balance the wheel, checking carefully for cracks and dings perhaps caused by the pothole, but I can't find any.  At this point, I'm starting to wonder if the heat of the wheel as melted off some bonded weights, but I can't see any sign of that under the grime, crud and accumulated brake dust.

Underside of the car is remarkably clean, all quite pleasant under there truth be told.

Pads are now quite thin, so I get a set ordered, and a calliper to be safe, but I need the car for work tomorrow.  Gather some rudimentary tools from what's in the unit, and load them into the boot.  Drew kindly take the calliper off, checks the sliders that are fine, and winds the piston in and out a few times, to see if that'll help.

Dave G (my workshop buddy) shows up to do some lights in the unit, and we down tools and head off to mine.

Car seems fine on the short journey home..

IMG-20200301-WA0001 by davedorson, on Flickr

And I'm very pleased to report, the car was also fine on the A1 this morning on the way in.  I didn't manage to get above 60ish as I got stuck behind an escorted load, but there's nothing that worried me at all. and all the wheels were cool to touch this morning, so signs of binding gone.

Because brakes, I will do the pads when they arrive and monitor the front calliper, I do have a new one coming too, so if it shows any signs again, it'll just get replaced.

 

[drewd]

Brakes aside this seems like a nice enough car. It has some age related wear and tear, but it's very clean underneath and has obviously been well looked after for most of it's life. 

On an unrelated note, I know the Pug 307 1.6 HDI has a bad reputation, but i did about 670 miles over the weekend in it with no drama, aches or pains. It averaged a genuine 60MPG too. When they're working they're not bad motors.

[DaveDorson]

20 minutes ago, drewd said:

Brakes aside this seems like a nice enough car. It has some age related wear and tear, but it's very clean underneath and has obviously been well looked after for most of it's life. 

On an unrelated note, I know the Pug 307 1.6 HDI has a bad reputation, but i did about 670 miles over the weekend in it with no drama, aches or pains. It averaged a genuine 60MPG too. When they're working they're not bad motors.

Can't thank you enough for your help with the collection.

I really like that Pug, it's a great bit of kit.

I think the Reggie will be hugely improved with a good clean to be honest.

[DaveDorson]

Oh I fixed the radio.

At some point it's had the battery off, or it's gone flat with sitting.  As I expected, the paperwork revealed a code in biro on one of the books, and quelle surprise!  its now working absolutely fine.

[Spiny Norman]

That looks smart.
Given the choice between this and one of the Mk2 folding metal roof Meganes, far too often fitted with a  diseasel  I'd have the older, simpler 1600 pez powered one every time.

[DaveDorson]

5 minutes ago, Spiny Norman said:

That looks smart.
Given the choice between this and one of the Mk2 folding metal roof Meganes, far too often fitted with a  diseasel  I'd have the older, simpler 1600 pez powered one every time.

Agreed.

 

Won't lie, it's surprised me.  It's far from a "fast" car, but it's adequate, and it seems to handle fairly sweetly for a FWD floppy top.

It's quite enjoyable on a B road.

 

 

[DaveDorson]

I've had an email from Hermes telling me some parts I ordered have been delivered to my porch.

 

I don't have a porch.

 

Those who follow my exploits on social media will likely be aware that this is quite a common theme, even when I ask that parcels are diverted to a neighbour.

 

I'm off to twitter to have a rant again.

 

I've also ordered some renovo to try and address the rear window being cloudier that cider you can buy from plastic containers in some Cornish laybys.

[Kiltox]

5 minutes ago, DaveDorson said:

I've had an email from Hermes telling me some parts I ordered have been delivered to my porch.

 

I don't have a porch.

 

Those who follow my exploits on social media will likely be aware that this is quite a common theme, even when I ask that parcels are diverted to a neighbour.

 

I'm off to twitter to have a rant again.

 

I've also ordered some renovo to try and address the rear window being cloudier that cider you can buy from plastic containers in some Cornish laybys.

Hermes ignored my twitter rant. 

They have decided they CBA delivering to my house so anything they get just goes round in circles of “your parcel is out for delivery “ “sorry your parcel has been delayed” then “you asked us to return this to sender so we are”

Cuntbags. 

[DaveDorson]

1 minute ago, Kiltox said:

Hermes ignored my twitter rant. 

They have decided they CBA delivering to my house so anything they get just goes round in circles of “your parcel is out for delivery “ “sorry your parcel has been delayed” then “you asked us to return this to sender so we are”

Cuntbags. 

It's fine, I bought this via ebay, I'm more than happy to make a claim via that, showing that I don't have a porch.  You can clearly see from the photos of the car outside my house, there is no porch there.  It's a mid terrace house.  There is a shared access corridor between me and next door for rear access, but that's open to the street and not a secure location.

[DaveDorson]

Some renovo and a caliper turned up today.

Unfortunately I've got a meeting tonight.

[Kiltox]

Urgh dickheads are doing it again, I try not to buy anything sent by them 

[Spiny Norman]

I'm at the stage now where if I see a company or eBay seller is going to use Hermes I don't buy from them.

[DaveDorson]

Renovo has has no impact on the rear window.

 

I've attacked it with some silver polish too as it's what I've got in the house and that's also done fuck all.

 

I think the window needs replacing.. but I might try some compound on the machine polisher a bit later this week with a load of water on to keep the temperature down.   I mean what do I have to loose?  

[DaveDorson]

I can't see it'll get an MOT with the rear window like that.  I know it's not the best picture as it's raining but it's quite badly clouded.. I guess it's a bit better than it was, what do you reckon @drewd?

 

Also, this tear in the seat, any tips for putting it right?

[DaveDorson]

@meggersdog do you think that rear window is too much to see a ticket?  What's the rules regarding me presenting with the roof down?  

[Cavcraft]

Window one is interesting, given that some people put thick (i.e really dark) film over the rear windows, or even panels over them it's hard to see how it could fail.

 

They are magic looking cars by the way, the next version look sodding awful in comparison where these have that sexy 'classic' look about them.

[DaveDorson]

9 minutes ago, Cavcraft said:

Window one is interesting, given that some people put thick (i.e really dark) film over the rear windows, or even panels over them it's hard to see how it could fail.

 

They are magic looking cars by the way, the next version look sodding awful in comparison where these have that sexy 'classic' look about them.

I've always had a bit of a thing for the earlier coupe ones but I think that's because of loads of time spent playing Network Q rac rally as a kid.   

I think they got it right the first time and steadily made them uglier and uglier.  The pre facelift one on here is a pretty things this one being a ph2 is a bit frumpy in comparison.

I'd absolutely love the 2.0 16v ph1 in blue.  Unfortunately they all have up their engines for Williams replicas and there's none left, so they're a bloody fortune if you can find them.

[drewd]

31 minutes ago, DaveDorson said:

I can't see it'll get an MOT with the rear window like that.  I know it's not the best picture as it's raining but it's quite badly clouded.. I guess it's a bit better than it was, what do you reckon @drewd?

 

Also, this tear in the seat, any tips for putting it right?

I think it looks a bit better, I couldn't see anything through it when I was following you on Sunday.

I've got some Mag's Plastic X polish that works well on headlights. I'll bring it over whenever I'm down next if you want to try it. No idea how effective it will be though.

[Andyrew]

Used g3 compound on a smart rear window and it came up okay. Went from useless to useable. 

Don't think A rear window would fail. Rear wiper doesn't come into it, vans don't have rear windows either so doubt it matters.