Megane 230 F1 - picking up tomorrow!
Discussion
Hello all.
Just wanted to introduce myself. I've not been in the Gallic bit of is website before.
I've solved a fairly first world problem by buying an F1. 60k miles, black, history looks fine, two owners. Drove very nicely.
The problem was this. I'm a cyclist (MTB mostly). Although my road bike fits on the back seats of my 996, it's a complete pain in the ass to put it there. The Landy has a petrol V8, is thirty years old and is surprisingly small inside. The MR2 has done two years and was really my ex's car, so I'm getting rid. Over the past 20 months the bikes have travelled in an ex motorbility 1.6 HDi Berlingo 2009, which has served me very well. Unfortunately this also means that over half the 12000 miles I do per year have been in the boring car. This had to stop.
I was tempted to get another E46, as I used to have an M3 and my friend just got a 330 which is a great package. However, that's a bit of a backwards step. The E92s are still a bit pricey for slinging bikes in, and I'd have had to sell the 996 to raise the cash. I'm also not convinced they're much fun at sensibles speeds, and struggle to break 20mpg however they're driven.
I tested a 3.0 S4 avant, which was very rapid, but too much cash and had very little precision to it. I've had a bit of a renaultsport itch anyway, used to love driving a friends 182, and have recently started doing a few track days with my dad.
Another Subaru was tempting but dismissed for the same reason as the E46. I'm not a VAG fan, so the golf was out. Having been repeatedly done by an M135i at Snetterton I was tempted to sign my life onto finance, but it's too much cash and too long to be committed. I change my mind too often and don't like new car depreciation.
So, the R26 seemed like a good option. Man maths and all that!
I'll be keeping the Berlingo for the time being, but would really like to get back down to fewer cars. The Landy isn't on the table for now, I love it and don't plan to sell until I decide to buy a house. Mr2 is being px'd. I'll see how I get on with bikes in the Megane, and whether it'll work as a replacement for two cars in one.
Anyway, that's me and my dilemma solved hopefully. I'm sure all future posts will be about tyre and disc wear, along with window relay issues
Look forward to some Gallic shrugs from the Frenchies.
RAL
Just wanted to introduce myself. I've not been in the Gallic bit of is website before.
I've solved a fairly first world problem by buying an F1. 60k miles, black, history looks fine, two owners. Drove very nicely.
The problem was this. I'm a cyclist (MTB mostly). Although my road bike fits on the back seats of my 996, it's a complete pain in the ass to put it there. The Landy has a petrol V8, is thirty years old and is surprisingly small inside. The MR2 has done two years and was really my ex's car, so I'm getting rid. Over the past 20 months the bikes have travelled in an ex motorbility 1.6 HDi Berlingo 2009, which has served me very well. Unfortunately this also means that over half the 12000 miles I do per year have been in the boring car. This had to stop.
I was tempted to get another E46, as I used to have an M3 and my friend just got a 330 which is a great package. However, that's a bit of a backwards step. The E92s are still a bit pricey for slinging bikes in, and I'd have had to sell the 996 to raise the cash. I'm also not convinced they're much fun at sensibles speeds, and struggle to break 20mpg however they're driven.
I tested a 3.0 S4 avant, which was very rapid, but too much cash and had very little precision to it. I've had a bit of a renaultsport itch anyway, used to love driving a friends 182, and have recently started doing a few track days with my dad.
Another Subaru was tempting but dismissed for the same reason as the E46. I'm not a VAG fan, so the golf was out. Having been repeatedly done by an M135i at Snetterton I was tempted to sign my life onto finance, but it's too much cash and too long to be committed. I change my mind too often and don't like new car depreciation.
So, the R26 seemed like a good option. Man maths and all that!
I'll be keeping the Berlingo for the time being, but would really like to get back down to fewer cars. The Landy isn't on the table for now, I love it and don't plan to sell until I decide to buy a house. Mr2 is being px'd. I'll see how I get on with bikes in the Megane, and whether it'll work as a replacement for two cars in one.
Anyway, that's me and my dilemma solved hopefully. I'm sure all future posts will be about tyre and disc wear, along with window relay issues
Look forward to some Gallic shrugs from the Frenchies.
RAL
Hello all and thanks for the response.
I'll check out .net for sure, the French section on here seems a bit, erm, slow. If you haven't then you guys should check out how often people post in the Porsche bit. I guess they like sharing opinions more or something!
The car.
Fantastic. Some more practical thoughts below.
The only proper negative I've found out so far is that I have to take both wheels off the bike to get it in properly. This is a bit of a faff, but one I'm prepared to live with for now.
MPG has been 29.5 over the first week. That's a few days of murdering it everywhere, short trips to work, then a run up to Thetford on Wednesday night. 250 miles all in, and probably pretty representative.
The seats are quite squishy, but very comfy for recaros. Seem to allow my back into them better than the ones in either Subaru I've had.
The AC doesn't work, but I knew this before I bought the car.
The brakes are effective but lack a bit of precision and the pedal has a bit of sponge. For the road they're plenty pokey enough, but they feel like they might wilt a bit at Snetterton. Perhaps this is down to the tired front discs. I'll have a play and report back.
I've heard that there's an easy aux-in option with a £9 eBay cable, which will be investigated soon.
The back seats are a bit of a faff to fold, as I'm tall and have the front seat all the way back. However, with them down, as others have said, you get a bit more character out of the ringing note.
My impression so far is that it has bags of pace. As fast as I'd ever want for the road really. The acceleration can't match my old 340R or the GT3, but the R26 is smaller, has plenty of vertical suspension travel (by comparison) and gives you loads of confidence to really pin the front end into whatever comes at you, then get hard on the gas on the way out. It's a different driving style, but really good fun.
I'm not a journo (no s
t!), so this isn't going to be very well described, but I was expecting, having read the reviews, for the car to be a bit sterile, with a neutral chassis that allowed very fast progress and allowed for the driver to impose their way in a precise manner. Having done some miles I'd say this isn't true - the R26 has bags of personality; it's clear that the technique to drive it well needs learning. It is far less precise than the MY11 STi I had a few years ago, but so much more rewarding to munch up a B road with. Time will tell if this remains the case, but I'm happy so far, and can see it hanging around for a year or so. Give it a few months and I'll see how the balance sits with the cars on the drive. At the moment, I don't plan to sell the 996, but I'm sure it'll be getting less use.
I'll check out .net for sure, the French section on here seems a bit, erm, slow. If you haven't then you guys should check out how often people post in the Porsche bit. I guess they like sharing opinions more or something!
The car.
Fantastic. Some more practical thoughts below.
The only proper negative I've found out so far is that I have to take both wheels off the bike to get it in properly. This is a bit of a faff, but one I'm prepared to live with for now.
MPG has been 29.5 over the first week. That's a few days of murdering it everywhere, short trips to work, then a run up to Thetford on Wednesday night. 250 miles all in, and probably pretty representative.
The seats are quite squishy, but very comfy for recaros. Seem to allow my back into them better than the ones in either Subaru I've had.
The AC doesn't work, but I knew this before I bought the car.
The brakes are effective but lack a bit of precision and the pedal has a bit of sponge. For the road they're plenty pokey enough, but they feel like they might wilt a bit at Snetterton. Perhaps this is down to the tired front discs. I'll have a play and report back.
I've heard that there's an easy aux-in option with a £9 eBay cable, which will be investigated soon.
The back seats are a bit of a faff to fold, as I'm tall and have the front seat all the way back. However, with them down, as others have said, you get a bit more character out of the ringing note.
My impression so far is that it has bags of pace. As fast as I'd ever want for the road really. The acceleration can't match my old 340R or the GT3, but the R26 is smaller, has plenty of vertical suspension travel (by comparison) and gives you loads of confidence to really pin the front end into whatever comes at you, then get hard on the gas on the way out. It's a different driving style, but really good fun.
I'm not a journo (no s
t!), so this isn't going to be very well described, but I was expecting, having read the reviews, for the car to be a bit sterile, with a neutral chassis that allowed very fast progress and allowed for the driver to impose their way in a precise manner. Having done some miles I'd say this isn't true - the R26 has bags of personality; it's clear that the technique to drive it well needs learning. It is far less precise than the MY11 STi I had a few years ago, but so much more rewarding to munch up a B road with. Time will tell if this remains the case, but I'm happy so far, and can see it hanging around for a year or so. Give it a few months and I'll see how the balance sits with the cars on the drive. At the moment, I don't plan to sell the 996, but I'm sure it'll be getting less use. I had one of these from new. Swapped my 182 for it. Impressive car.
Great seats. I wanted a 993 so this went when a good one came along. I had a custom parcel shelf made for it with two. 6 x9 infinity speakers fitted discreetly, all covered with the stock fabric so they didn't show. Cost me a fortune. Still have it somewhere and should sell it as I'm unlikely to buy another. Always wondered how much better the extreme version was..
Great seats. I wanted a 993 so this went when a good one came along. I had a custom parcel shelf made for it with two. 6 x9 infinity speakers fitted discreetly, all covered with the stock fabric so they didn't show. Cost me a fortune. Still have it somewhere and should sell it as I'm unlikely to buy another. Always wondered how much better the extreme version was..
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