New acquisition

[mnde]

I've got myself one of those cars on the Dissapearing Fast thread. Sorry for the crappy pics:

 

 

 

It's a 1.4e, so has the old 70 bhp Energy engine from the Renault 19. Just under 65,000 miles, owned in the family since new, local Guildford registration plate, cheaper tax band. Bodywork's very good except for a small rust scab on the passenger rear wheel arch. I know this won't tick boxes for many shiters (I think theorganist has one?), but I've actually been enjoying driving this. Has it got any niggles? Well, the clutch is a bit heavier than the BX and I certainly won't be doing any racing gear changes - the gearshift is stiffly sprung and notchy and gears are sometimes difficult to select (except 5th) when hot. Mostly it's fine, but sometimes at random a gear needs forcing in.... 2nd and 3rd mainly. It just needs getting used to. It's on the original clutch, but take-up is smooth with no judder or slipping. The cooling system and matrix need a good flush out and new antifreeze mix as it's not been changed for several years and the heater isn't terribly efficient - it seems to be hotter at the side vents than the central ones. I've felt the matrix pipes under the dashboard and they are both scorching hot when the heater's turned on full, so it doesn't seem to be a flow problem. The cooling gauge (a novelty when I'm used to Citroen BX yellow and red coolant warning lights!) reads halfway, or just over, when the engine is hot and is steady in heavy traffic, so it doesn't seem to be a thermostat problem.

 

No, I'm not deserting Citroens, I just fancied a change, something that was a bit less specialist than the BX (for my limited mechanical skills/my poverty/lack of facilities for working on cars) and this was cheap plus I saved it from being sold to webuyanycar or somesuch. As for them disappearing fast, well now I'm driving one I keep seeing other Meganes and Scenics, mostly on R or S plate, so they're soldiering on. I did see a Coupe on an N reg last week!

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Rocket88]

Ref gearbox...........you might find there's no oil in it.........

[Cavcraft]

Ooh, not bad. I bet it's mega on fuel too, had the later model with a 1.6 engine and MPG wise it was fantastic. They seem to be going through a pretty unloved/unwanted phase recently now, good to see someone taking one on.

[RENOMAD]

I've got myself one of those cars on the Dissapearing Fast thread. Sorry for the crappy pics:

 

 

 

It's a 1.4e, so has the old 70 bhp Energy engine from the Renault 19. Just under 65,000 miles, owned in the family since new, local Guildford registration plate, cheaper tax band. Bodywork's very good except for a small rust scab on the passenger rear wheel arch. I know this won't tick boxes for many shiters (I think theorganist has one?), but I've actually been enjoying driving this. Has it got any niggles? Well, the clutch is a bit heavier than the BX and I certainly won't be doing any racing gear changes - the gearshift is stiffly sprung and notchy and gears are sometimes difficult to select (except 5th) when hot. Mostly it's fine, but sometimes at random a gear needs forcing in.... 2nd and 3rd mainly. It just needs getting used to. It's on the original clutch, but take-up is smooth with no judder or slipping. The cooling system and matrix need a good flush out and new antifreeze mix as it's not been changed for several years and the heater isn't terribly efficient - it seems to be hotter at the side vents than the central ones. I've felt the matrix pipes under the dashboard and they are both scorching hot when the heater's turned on full, so it doesn't seem to be a flow problem. The cooling gauge (a novelty when I'm used to Citroen BX yellow and red coolant warning lights!) reads halfway, or just over, when the engine is hot and is steady in heavy traffic, so it doesn't seem to be a thermostat problem.

 

No, I'm not deserting Citroens, I just fancied a change, something that was a bit less specialist than the BX (for my limited mechanical skills/my poverty/lack of facilities for working on cars) and this was cheap plus I saved it from being sold to webuyanycar or somesuch. As for them disappearing fast, well now I'm driving one I keep seeing other Meganes and Scenics, mostly on R or S plate, so they're soldiering on. I did see a Coupe on an N reg last week!

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

 

I think that the early phase 1 coupes could become like Fuegos eventually--nearly extinct!

[theorganist]

That is the same colour as the one my parents had. It had the 1.6 engine which was lively and good on fuel. I found it a very comfortable and pleasant car to drive!

[mnde]

@ theorganist: this is the very car my Dad drove me to Uni and back in when I was a student in the late 90s

 

@Cav: Well, I'm hoping to get more economy out of it, to save me more pennies. From what I've read though, some people say it's frugal, some say it's disappointing compared to the 1.6 which is more economic for its size/power output compared to the 1.4.

 

@colc: Yeah, I'll check the gearbox level. Might be the gear lever out of adjustment. Will check clutch auto-adjust mechanism as well. There's no graunching, it's just sometimes the gearstick needs extra persuading. I'm hoping it's not early signs of the clutch getting past it's sell by date (engine-out job). I read a review on Honest John dating from 2001 or so by a chap who'd owned his Megane I since new and had trouble with selecting gears. I had trouble with the Mk1 Clio we had a while back. It may just be a Renner thing...?

 

Mark.

[ChinaTom]

 

Mother CT has one of these and loves it. If Father CT or CT borrows it, both find it hard to give back. 1.6 amazingly economical, and despite the eeny weeny wheels, the handling and ride is great. Father CT took it for part ex against his new car, and when offered £300, he decided to keep it.

[eddyramrod]

Nice to see it staying in the family; both the blood family and the Autoshite variety! Well done. Daily-driving as it should be.

[andrew e]

I think that the early phase 1 coupes could become like Fuegos eventually--nearly extinct!

 

[RoadworkUK]

photo of doomed Megane Coupe

 

And they're almost always yellow.

[myglaren]

There's a very decrepit one in our works car park, been there a year and a half.

Lad lost his licence but when he got it back and tried to move the car he managed to burn out the electrics and the brakes are seized on solid, car is full of Leylandi leaves as the passenger window is buggered. Whole thing in a generally rough state.

Shame as it was once quite a nice car.

[overheadvalve]

 

Mother CT has one of these and loves it. If Father CT or CT borrows it, both find it hard to give back. 1.6 amazingly economical, and despite the eeny weeny wheels, the handling and ride is great. Father CT took it for part ex against his new car, and when offered £300, he decided to keep it.

I don't blame him!

I like these too, traditional Renner comfort and smart looks too!

I like the coupe in mk1 form, never did understand the update with the grille in the bonnet thing of the later ones though.

RENOMAD, you are i think correct n your assumption that they will be as rare as the Fuego soon enough, sadly.

[scaryoldcortina]

photo of doomed Megane Coupe

 

And they're almost always yellow.

 

I tested a red one about a fortnight back - it failed on 3 tyres and a track rod end... hasn't been back for a retest.....

[mnde]

Yep, the N reg coupe I saw was yellow I've always liked the look of the early mk1 Megane and scenic, with the nose that harks back to the 16, compared to the blander facelift model.

 

Mark

[scooters]

Top daily chod and recession buster to boot. Does it have rear discs or drums....rear discs do seem to be costly. Megane gear boxes are almost as nasty as BX ones!

[mnde]

Thanks Rich Mine has drums at the back. Must say although the BX gearshift is clonky, I don't think it's that bad, but the BE3 box is def better than the BE1 in the BX14. Nicer than the Megane I think. GSA gearchange is nicer than the BX. Noisy but smoother cos longer throw and less sprung.. but that could be wear!

 

Mark

[Pete-M]

 

Probably Ex-Avis reg sequence on that one. Almost everything they had on fleet back in the mid- late '90s appeared to have an "FL" reg. I still see a fair few about, quite often still with the Avis serial numbers visible. We had 50 Clios with consecutive numbers all FFL at one point on the car park where I worked and there were just a few of the Renaults on the fleet.

 

We had about 100 Volvo S/V70s with S...TAV reg's through the place in a couple of months.

[ChinaTom]

Not this particular one - she had it from new. FL is a Peterborough 'reg and this came from Cooks. I am sure an ex-rental fleet Megane would not have lasted as long! Certainly not on its original clutch and with no fag burns anywhere. It will be up for sale soon if anyone wants to bagsy first refusal. Not going through the Ebay arse-ache again - there is a slight scuff on one of the alloys so people will no doubt expect to see it in the spares/repairs section. Somewhere between £350 and £400 would probably be the right ball-park. It still has that new car smell

[jonny69]

2.0 auto Scenic of that age returned us 42mpg, so the saloon with a manual should be better. Depends how you drive it really.

[Craig the Princess]

Not this particular one - she had it from new. FL is a Peterborough 'reg and this came from Cooks. I am sure an ex-rental fleet Megane would not have lasted as long! Certainly not on its original clutch and with no fag burns anywhere. It will be up for sale soon if anyone wants to bagsy first refusal. Not going through the Ebay arse-ache again - there is a slight scuff on one of the alloys so people will no doubt expect to see it in the spares/repairs section. Somewhere between £350 and £400 would probably be the right ball-park. It still has that new car smell

 

Now that is bloodly tempting...