RE: Renault Twingo RS133: PH Used Buying Guide

[wab172uk]

s m said:

EpsomJames said:

I had one as my daily commuter for a couple of years.

Loved loads of things about it - great handling from the Cup chassis, an engine that liked to rev, the versatile rear seating to name a few. I would have kept it if it wasn't for a few back problems that the extremely firm suspension on the 133 was aggravating.

Great little cars though.

Does the rear bench have much movement in it? i.e can you massively vary size of boot?

The rear seats (2) move forward, and fold flat. The bench was on the pure cup car.

[avenger286]

The bench is fixed in one place.

[Noesph]

Depends on spec. My GT has the two individual rear seats. It's a great idea, slide them all way back there is as much room as a Laguna for rear passengers. Slide them all the way forward I would say you have as much boot space as a Clio. You can fold them flat and tumble them towards the front seats, so you have a flat square space I would estimate to be about a metre cubed.

That said, if you have the front seat slid all the way back, you can't tumble the rear seats. To get around it I slide the front seats forward, then tumble the rear seats, and then slide the front seats back tight against the rear seats. Not very comfortable thought as you can feel the rear seat sticking in you back. I'm just shy of 6ft (5ft 11 and 3/4).

The only big bill on mine was the a/c condenser went on it. But the engine radiator, condenser and dryer is all combined into the one part. Weirdly I know someone with a Dacia Sandeo who's condenser failed a few months after mine and it was exactly the same part as in the twingo. In my mind having hot coolant on one side, and a cooler condenser on the other side of the same part will cause stress in the aluminium due to the difference in temperature, causing them to fail after a few years.

But apart from that in four and a half years and 35k it's been pretty good.

[s m]

Noesph said:

Depends on spec. My GT has the two individual rear seats. It's a great idea, slide them all way back there is as much room as a Laguna for rear passengers. Slide them all the way forward I would say you have as much boot space as a Clio. You can fold them flat and tumble them towards the front seats, so you have a flat square space I would estimate to be about a metre cubed.

That said, if you have the front seat slid all the way back, you can't tumble the rear seats. To get around it I slide the front seats forward, then tumble the rear seats, and then slide the front seats back tight against the rear seats. Not very comfortable thought as you can feel the rear seat sticking in you back. I'm just shy of 6ft (5ft 11 and 3/4).

The only big bill on mine was the a/c condenser went on it. But the engine radiator, condenser and dryer is all combined into the one part. Weirdly I know someone with a Dacia Sandeo who's condenser failed a few months after mine and it was exactly the same part as in the twingo. In my mind having hot coolant on one side, and a cooler condenser on the other side of the same part will cause stress in the aluminium due to the difference in temperature, causing them to fail after a few years.

But apart from that in four and a half years and 35k it's been pretty good.

Thanks for info on seats

[Birky_41]

Back in 2007-2008 when they were first launched I was a sales consultant for Renault and went on the launch including track

I found it more fun than the R26 in many ways as it was so revvy and involving. Its not quick but wow does it grip well and carry good corner speed

It was built poor in places though and although our models driven (thrashed) were pre production they were near enough the full article. We had the TC switch (just to the left of the steering wheel) but push right through on 2 of them where the clips were a bit weak

Anyone wanting a go kart type car who enjoys tighter twisty roads/roundabouts this would be a great buy

[Shnozz]

Thread revival but can anyone give me an idea on cost for a cambelt change service?

[TheAngryDog]

My wife paid about £700 at Beanie Sport. This included the dephaser. It'll be more expensive now though. This was in 2019.

[Shnozz]

TheAngryDog said:

My wife paid about £700 at Beanie Sport. This included the dephaser. It'll be more expensive now though. This was in 2019.

Thanks. Chunky old sum then proportionate to car value. €6.5k for a 2009 with 174k km. Then another grand or so for a cambelt.

[andyman_2006]

Shnozz said:

Thread revival but can anyone give me an idea on cost for a cambelt change service?

Not sure if this is of any use, but having had the need to check price for a timing belt and water pump for a clio 197 last week called the local renault dealers and they said £499 inc vat. An offer they were doing!! It’s usually £1000.

I suspect the costs for the twingo are similar, so you could do worse than ring around any local renault dealers it may not be as much as you think…