RE: SOTW: Renault 19 16v Chamade
Discussion
My first car was a k plate 19 RSI - must have been rare because I hardly ever saw another one back then let alone today - the RSI basically looked like a 16v with out the alloys - I stuck I set of the 16v speedline vega on mine and no one knew the difference until they tried to race me where the 1.8 litre 90bhp engine (shared with the Volvo 440) failed to provide enough acceleration to beat even a 1.6 astra.
The car had a few problems in the years I owned it but nothing worse than any other car I owned - it was 100% dependable and generally very reliable. I eventually blew the head gasket after 150,000 well and truly thacked miles and despite being in the motor trade could be arsed to sort it so I flogged it for peanuts.
They actually handle really very well indeed and having owned a ph1 Clio 16v would suggest the 19 is better handling car thanks to it's wider track, and longer wheel base. The 16v lump is a decent enough unit but it is very much a 16v engine of the old school in that all it's power comes high up the rev range, but they rev so sweetly that's not really a problem
The car had a few problems in the years I owned it but nothing worse than any other car I owned - it was 100% dependable and generally very reliable. I eventually blew the head gasket after 150,000 well and truly thacked miles and despite being in the motor trade could be arsed to sort it so I flogged it for peanuts.
They actually handle really very well indeed and having owned a ph1 Clio 16v would suggest the 19 is better handling car thanks to it's wider track, and longer wheel base. The 16v lump is a decent enough unit but it is very much a 16v engine of the old school in that all it's power comes high up the rev range, but they rev so sweetly that's not really a problem
Edited by morgrp on Friday 7th October 10:14
OllieC said:
I think it was more like 65 !
I love these, but would prefer the pre facelift version for looks. I'm no R19 expert, but I believe that the facelift is supposed to be the better car, with a few 'bug fixes' that were carried out as partof the facelift.
My dad had a 19 1.4 as a company car back in 1990, wasnt a bad motor in its day and all the talk in the motoring press was that it was light years ahead of the equivalent vauxhall / ford.
I took a guess at 90 but thinking about it you are probably right.I love these, but would prefer the pre facelift version for looks. I'm no R19 expert, but I believe that the facelift is supposed to be the better car, with a few 'bug fixes' that were carried out as partof the facelift.
My dad had a 19 1.4 as a company car back in 1990, wasnt a bad motor in its day and all the talk in the motoring press was that it was light years ahead of the equivalent vauxhall / ford.
We also had a Phase 1 1.4 Energy before our Phase 2 (and a Renault 5 1.4 (1993 so believe it had a similar engine) which was the first car I drove) and I remember the 1.4 being a fantastically revvy engine and in the 5 at least provided some half decent (for a 17year old in a tin can) performance.
Rew said:
Always wanted one of these back in the mid 90's but also liked the Cav GSi. Could not make my mind up so ended up with an XR2i 
Same here - apart from ending up with a ricer instead...although it would have been a white Cav GSI if I could have found one at the time (they just looked so much tougher!)
I remember back in about '97 when I was driving on the M4 that a muppet in one of these kept trying to undertake me as there was a line of traffic trying to get past slower moving cars in the middle lane. He was sitting behind me, then went on the inside lane and tried to to round me that way. I think he quite fancied himself in that but I was in a 900 Turbo 16S, so he never got past me to hop into the gap I'd left between me and the car infront.
To that end, I'd much rather have a Saab 900 Turbo 16S.
To that end, I'd much rather have a Saab 900 Turbo 16S.
LewisR said:
I remember back in about '97 when I was driving on the M4 that a muppet in one of these kept trying to undertake me as there was a line of traffic trying to get past slower moving cars in the middle lane. He was sitting behind me, then went on the inside lane and tried to to round me that way. I think he quite fancied himself in that but I was in a 900 Turbo 16S, so he never got past me to hop into the gap I'd left between me and the car infront.
To that end, I'd much rather have a Saab 900 Turbo 16S.
In last weeks SOTW you compared the 106 rallye to the BMW 525i. This week it's the Renault 19 16v isn't as good as the Saab 900.To that end, I'd much rather have a Saab 900 Turbo 16S.
It makes no sense. It's like me saying that computer keyboards are rubbish, I much prefer LeicesterTown Centres's Travelodge.
I had a Phase 2 hatch in a Parika red colour.......... lowered it a lot (as you did then 
) and fitted TSW Hockenheim wheels, have to say it looked the nuts to me with the phase 2 hatch being the better looking of all of them 
(wish i had a pic 
)
I take issue with anyone who says they were no good then because the chasis was superb and the gearshift silky smooth and precise....... it may have only been 130 odd brake at a time when the GSI Cavalier was 150 but then Renault had the edge on that one due to having panels made of paper............ seriously, a decent gust of wind would put a dent in the door
The phase 2 bonnet vent was gorgeous in my eyes
remember catching a sparrow in it one time lol ............... all these years later i drive a car of the same era and still have a thing for bonnet vents 
) and fitted TSW Hockenheim wheels, have to say it looked the nuts to me with the phase 2 hatch being the better looking of all of them (wish i had a pic )I take issue with anyone who says they were no good then because the chasis was superb and the gearshift silky smooth and precise....... it may have only been 130 odd brake at a time when the GSI Cavalier was 150 but then Renault had the edge on that one due to having panels made of paper............ seriously, a decent gust of wind would put a dent in the door
The phase 2 bonnet vent was gorgeous in my eyes
remember catching a sparrow in it one time lol ............... all these years later i drive a car of the same era and still have a thing for bonnet vents Edited by spiritof'76 on Friday 7th October 10:33
Kaiser_Wull said:
150 bhp? You're thinking of the version of the engine that was installed in the Clio Williams. The 19 16V (and the Clio 16V) had to make do with 137 bhp.
I had the hatch version of the 19 16V back in the day. I can't say that it never missed a beat in the three years I had it, but it was a lot of fun - would have been ever better with a bit more power.
Sorry - not enough coffee. I had meant to write 140bhp (but my inner 11-year-old obviously wanted it to be faster...)I had the hatch version of the 19 16V back in the day. I can't say that it never missed a beat in the three years I had it, but it was a lot of fun - would have been ever better with a bit more power.
Brilliant!
I had a hankering (read: obsession) for either this or the 3door hatch version when I was learning to drive. Alas, I passed my test and my dream was brutally crushed by the sobering reality of insurance premiums...
A year and a half later and I had the opportunity to buy a (ropey) black 3-door. I was this > < close to making the call, but ended up passing it up for an E30 318 2door for the same money...
Even now, every full moon I can be found stalking the continually dwindling Renault 19 classifieds in the hope of finding a mint condition, low mileage example to re-live the dream of my youth... (I'm 26)
Very much 'the one that got away'
Yes, I am seeking help...
I had a hankering (read: obsession) for either this or the 3door hatch version when I was learning to drive. Alas, I passed my test and my dream was brutally crushed by the sobering reality of insurance premiums...
A year and a half later and I had the opportunity to buy a (ropey) black 3-door. I was this > < close to making the call, but ended up passing it up for an E30 318 2door for the same money...
Even now, every full moon I can be found stalking the continually dwindling Renault 19 classifieds in the hope of finding a mint condition, low mileage example to re-live the dream of my youth... (I'm 26)
Very much 'the one that got away'
Yes, I am seeking help...
I had a 'K' reg executive in Blue and I thought I was the dogs nutts ... Full leather, K&N 57I.
But in reality the word 'merde' didn't come close. It broke down more than any other car I've owned. Electrics (lots of times), Clutch cables (3 of them), the clutch itself, the rear brakes stuck on and finally the cambelt snapped @ 70 on the A329M outside reading.. absolulty mashing the engine up in the process.
I now have nightmares about owning another frenchie.
[edit] forget to mention that one of the engine core plugs went, pissing all the engine coolant in the process! Lovely on Crimbo eve when you were just about to drive 400 miles to see the family! [edit]
But in reality the word 'merde' didn't come close. It broke down more than any other car I've owned. Electrics (lots of times), Clutch cables (3 of them), the clutch itself, the rear brakes stuck on and finally the cambelt snapped @ 70 on the A329M outside reading.. absolulty mashing the engine up in the process.
I now have nightmares about owning another frenchie.
[edit] forget to mention that one of the engine core plugs went, pissing all the engine coolant in the process! Lovely on Crimbo eve when you were just about to drive 400 miles to see the family! [edit]
Edited by twin sparky on Friday 7th October 10:58
I remember these from my early chavtastic driving days - these were pretty desirable among my Max Power reading peers and there were a few about, usually in that Metallic Blue colour, being thrashed to within an inch of their lives!
My first car was a Renault 19 1.4. I knew nothing about cars when I was 18 and paid £970 for it with 140,000 miles on the clock - it can't have been worth more than £500 even then!
Looking back it wasn't actually in too bad condition but redlining the poor thing everywhere driving like an idiot can't have been what she needed in her twilight years!
I ended up putting a dent in the wing the size of football whilst reversing (badly) in a multi-story and sold her to my then GFs dad for about £600.
Good times!
My first car was a Renault 19 1.4. I knew nothing about cars when I was 18 and paid £970 for it with 140,000 miles on the clock - it can't have been worth more than £500 even then!
Looking back it wasn't actually in too bad condition but redlining the poor thing everywhere driving like an idiot can't have been what she needed in her twilight years!
I ended up putting a dent in the wing the size of football whilst reversing (badly) in a multi-story and sold her to my then GFs dad for about £600.
Good times!
I always wanted one of these in blue, or at least the earlier 3dr version, as a company car. But the facless CFO at my work insisted on forcing us into Chavaliers. He got to drive a Subaru SVX but he had a curious habit of issuing company cars as a form of punishment. He once veto's Rovers as they had "too much status" of something.
So I never did get one.
On the other hand one of my mates did and moved into Notting Hill where I was living at the time. His wheels were stolen on day one. Something that never happened to my Chav I suppose.
So I never did get one.
On the other hand one of my mates did and moved into Notting Hill where I was living at the time. His wheels were stolen on day one. Something that never happened to my Chav I suppose.
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