"Francois" the Vel Satis 3.5 V6 Privilege Shed
Discussion
spreadsheet monkey said:
405dogvan said:
Avantimes are awesome and their values have been climbing for a while - these are less-so but still cool
(Goes away to look at Avantime prices)Bloody hell, you're right, £5k and upwards. Nice they're being recognised.
There is a LOT of bespoke stuff in these cars tho, I'd imagine anyone wanting to keep one needs 2-3 lying around for spares ;0
threadlock said:
Kringle said:
The operation of the gearbox for some reason runs through the right rear light assembly.
It's charming! Like most people I loved the Avantime but could never justify the fuel costs... Never a fan of the Vel Satis - the interior always put me off - but at that money I can see the appeal...
Checking in as my Dad has a V6 diesel Vel Satis stranded on the drive at the moment.
Won't pass the MOT because of some electrical things, I believe (though nothing major).
I need to have a poke around some fuses, cables and relays!
I'm fairly sure he had it from new (or very low mileage) but I think he'll sell once sorted.
Quite comfortable and roomy etc. Just a shame they were so complex/ temperamental on the electronics.
Won't pass the MOT because of some electrical things, I believe (though nothing major).
I need to have a poke around some fuses, cables and relays!
I'm fairly sure he had it from new (or very low mileage) but I think he'll sell once sorted.
Quite comfortable and roomy etc. Just a shame they were so complex/ temperamental on the electronics.
I believe Renault were one of the first companies to create a proper multiplexed wiring harness - effectively moving from 'power and ground to every switch/device' to a sort-of network within the car.
That means the wiring for everything passes through everything - so an earth fault/short anywhere can have an effect on anything.
Not sure how smart some of the devices are - esp in older cars - whether than have 'Canbus'-like abilities (to talk back to the ECU/report problems etc.) - hence you could spend a lot of time tracing faults if you get a short/earth or just a broken wire.
Mate who's an autospark reckons his livelihood is built on Renaults - esp things like putting control units behind headlights with no rain protection ;0
That means the wiring for everything passes through everything - so an earth fault/short anywhere can have an effect on anything.
Not sure how smart some of the devices are - esp in older cars - whether than have 'Canbus'-like abilities (to talk back to the ECU/report problems etc.) - hence you could spend a lot of time tracing faults if you get a short/earth or just a broken wire.
Mate who's an autospark reckons his livelihood is built on Renaults - esp things like putting control units behind headlights with no rain protection ;0
405dogvan said:
I believe Renault were one of the first companies to create a proper multiplexed wiring harness - effectively moving from 'power and ground to every switch/device' to a sort-of network within the car.
That means the wiring for everything passes through everything - so an earth fault/short anywhere can have an effect on anything.
Not sure how smart some of the devices are - esp in older cars - whether than have 'Canbus'-like abilities (to talk back to the ECU/report problems etc.) - hence you could spend a lot of time tracing faults if you get a short/earth or just a broken wire.
Mate who's an autospark reckons his livelihood is built on Renaults - esp things like putting control units behind headlights with no rain protection ;0
Your spot on my friends one has electric window switches that open the sunroof :0). That means the wiring for everything passes through everything - so an earth fault/short anywhere can have an effect on anything.
Not sure how smart some of the devices are - esp in older cars - whether than have 'Canbus'-like abilities (to talk back to the ECU/report problems etc.) - hence you could spend a lot of time tracing faults if you get a short/earth or just a broken wire.
Mate who's an autospark reckons his livelihood is built on Renaults - esp things like putting control units behind headlights with no rain protection ;0
Kringle said:
I must say I was expecting around 5 replies for this, 31 was a surprise so thank you all!
The operation of the gearbox for some reason runs through the right rear light assembly. Basically it appears as a box stuck in 4th and selecting reverse gives an almighty thump! The bulbs were okay but on inspection I did notice that the wires were cable tied into the bulb holder!
Swapping the right with the left resulted in a working gearbox but now Francois says to me "Warning sidelights faulty"
A rummage through my spares has come up with another bulb holder. Earthing issue I believe but for now problem solved!
A few years ago, we test drove a Subaru Outback. It was an auto box, but even so it accelerated slower than a 2CV, or at least that is what it felt like. Bury your foot to the floor, and barely a hint of increasing forward momentum. Went back to the dealership, who did much head scratching. Turned out later to be a simple case of a blown brake light. Bulb replaced, and the car would accelerate Freds said:
God bless You, Francois and the local auto electrician. Stay strong my friend...... http://www.samaritans.org
Oh I've already had an electrical issue!The operation of the gearbox for some reason runs through the right rear light assembly. Basically it appears as a box stuck in 4th and selecting reverse gives an almighty thump! The bulbs were okay but on inspection I did notice that the wires were cable tied into the bulb holder!
Swapping the right with the left resulted in a working gearbox but now Francois says to me "Warning sidelights faulty"
A rummage through my spares has come up with another bulb holder. Earthing issue I believe but for now problem solved!
It's not just the French....
That brings back some memories.
I used to work for Renault Belgium and normally we could more or less choose our company car.
Only, about 10 months after tle launch of the Vel Satis (I still have the dealer internal sales brochures and model car), we got a mail from Renault in France, that everyone in management and numereous others had to clean up the dealer stock by driving a Vel Satis ourselves. So I took back a car that had been languishing in a dealer showroom and drove it for 6 months.
Altough I still think it's absolutey hideous to look at, it was surprisingly nice to drive (cruise) in. Not sporty by any means, it was comfortable and relaxing and started to enjoy it. So much, that I replaced it with another one, also for 6 months.
They were already rare when new and now I can't remember when I last saw one.
I used to work for Renault Belgium and normally we could more or less choose our company car.
Only, about 10 months after tle launch of the Vel Satis (I still have the dealer internal sales brochures and model car), we got a mail from Renault in France, that everyone in management and numereous others had to clean up the dealer stock by driving a Vel Satis ourselves. So I took back a car that had been languishing in a dealer showroom and drove it for 6 months.
Altough I still think it's absolutey hideous to look at, it was surprisingly nice to drive (cruise) in. Not sporty by any means, it was comfortable and relaxing and started to enjoy it. So much, that I replaced it with another one, also for 6 months.
They were already rare when new and now I can't remember when I last saw one.
I had the pleasure of working for Renault from 2001-2006, and sold a number of Vel Setees (as they were affectionately known at our dealership). The 3.0d was the first 6 pot diesel I'd driven, and remember being very impressed. Rear bench was easily big enough for three adults, and with a huge boot. I think it was pretty much the only car on the market of the size that was a hatchback.
Your car has a HV prefix plate, meaning that it was first registered to Renault UK. As well as the Avantime, they were also sold alongside the Clio V6, under the guise of a dealership having to be a Renault Premier dealer (sales exec got a posh brown desk and a wooden plinth for it to sit on in the showroom!).
Your car has a HV prefix plate, meaning that it was first registered to Renault UK. As well as the Avantime, they were also sold alongside the Clio V6, under the guise of a dealership having to be a Renault Premier dealer (sales exec got a posh brown desk and a wooden plinth for it to sit on in the showroom!).
The Vel Satis was based on the Renault Laguna II platform. The first series of those were among the least reliable Renaults ever built. I owned one for eleven years, experiencing, I'm relieved to say, very little problems. Sold it to a friend of mine and he's still driving it, with intergalactic mileage.
One thing that did go wrong on mine pretty soon was the heating and A/C control unit in the dash. It was replaced under warranty (which I had thankfully extended to four years when I bought it). When the display lighting on the new one went dodgy after a few years (as they all did), I took out the unit to investigate and found 'Vel Satis' printed on the side of it.
So largely speaking, the Vel Satis is just a Renault Laguna II, but extended a bit vertically.
One thing that did go wrong on mine pretty soon was the heating and A/C control unit in the dash. It was replaced under warranty (which I had thankfully extended to four years when I bought it). When the display lighting on the new one went dodgy after a few years (as they all did), I took out the unit to investigate and found 'Vel Satis' printed on the side of it.
So largely speaking, the Vel Satis is just a Renault Laguna II, but extended a bit vertically.
dom9 said:
Won't pass the MOT because of some electrical things, I believe (though nothing major).
This is the key phrase whenever I explain a new fault to Mrs Kringle! Whatever you do don't send it to the big crusher in the sky, there's fewer and fewer on the roads and if it gets too much there will always be someone out there looking for a project.80quattro said:
Your car has a HV prefix plate
It's HN, does that still apply? tr3a said:
The Vel Satis was based on the Renault Laguna II platform. The first series of those were among the least reliable Renaults ever built. I owned one for eleven years, experiencing, I'm relieved to say, very little problems. Sold it to a friend of mine and he's still driving it, with intergalactic mileage.
One thing that did go wrong on mine pretty soon was the heating and A/C control unit in the dash. It was replaced under warranty (which I had thankfully extended to four years when I bought it). When the display lighting on the new one went dodgy after a few years (as they all did), I took out the unit to investigate and found 'Vel Satis' printed on the side of it.
So largely speaking, the Vel Satis is just a Renault Laguna II, but extended a bit vertically.
You are very much correct! My key has Laguna written on it and I found out today that the front drop links are also for the Renault Trafic van. One thing that did go wrong on mine pretty soon was the heating and A/C control unit in the dash. It was replaced under warranty (which I had thankfully extended to four years when I bought it). When the display lighting on the new one went dodgy after a few years (as they all did), I took out the unit to investigate and found 'Vel Satis' printed on the side of it.
So largely speaking, the Vel Satis is just a Renault Laguna II, but extended a bit vertically.
Hopefully this will keep costs down and parts readily availableThe A/C control from what I've read is just some dodgy soldering. My light panel flickers some times and changes depending on where i push on it. A job for the list.
Sludgey Bungs
The other day I needed to borrow the battery from the car to get my other project running and in doing so I noticed a lot of wet mulch tucked away deep in the bay under the air filter box.
Upon removing the filter box and relevant pipework I thought I would check the filter. Ladies and gents what is wrong with this picture?
That's right, it doesn't fit! No seal is created meaning that outside air and all the vermin that comes with it is sucked straight into the bowels of the engine, the filter might as well not even be there.This raises alarm bells because if a simple item is bodged what is the more complex stuff like?
Anyway back to the mulch. From what I can gather leaves which creep their way into the engine bay find this particularly dark corner a fine resting place and right next to it are the rubber bungs in which the air filter box sits. Now these rubber bungs are push-fit into the wheel arches of the car meaning that water from the wheels can get through these points and trickle down into the pocket of leaves. Multiply this by 12 years and it becomes the perfect breeding ground for rust. (Cue MSpaint diagram to insult your intelligence)
My very own remedy/bodge is to clean the area and seal the bung/arch interface with a sealant I used for the oil pan of my other car. However rust appears to have already started so this is something to watch very very closely. I do have some deox gel on the way which may be useful should I be brave enough to tackle it.
In other news I blindly followed some advice from Wheeler Dealers.
It was a smoke test to check the door and boot seals with a smoke machine. Should have been done in the dark with a torch I know but the smoke has an odour and none appeared to be leaking which was a nice success story (I'm clinging on to them as there's headaches to come!)
The other day I needed to borrow the battery from the car to get my other project running and in doing so I noticed a lot of wet mulch tucked away deep in the bay under the air filter box.
Upon removing the filter box and relevant pipework I thought I would check the filter. Ladies and gents what is wrong with this picture?
That's right, it doesn't fit! No seal is created meaning that outside air and all the vermin that comes with it is sucked straight into the bowels of the engine, the filter might as well not even be there.This raises alarm bells because if a simple item is bodged what is the more complex stuff like?
Anyway back to the mulch. From what I can gather leaves which creep their way into the engine bay find this particularly dark corner a fine resting place and right next to it are the rubber bungs in which the air filter box sits. Now these rubber bungs are push-fit into the wheel arches of the car meaning that water from the wheels can get through these points and trickle down into the pocket of leaves. Multiply this by 12 years and it becomes the perfect breeding ground for rust. (Cue MSpaint diagram to insult your intelligence)
My very own remedy/bodge is to clean the area and seal the bung/arch interface with a sealant I used for the oil pan of my other car. However rust appears to have already started so this is something to watch very very closely. I do have some deox gel on the way which may be useful should I be brave enough to tackle it.
In other news I blindly followed some advice from Wheeler Dealers.
It was a smoke test to check the door and boot seals with a smoke machine. Should have been done in the dark with a torch I know but the smoke has an odour and none appeared to be leaking which was a nice success story (I'm clinging on to them as there's headaches to come!)If it's based on a Laguna II, while the battery is off you may as well remove the battery cage and check the state of the ECU that lives underneath it
All sorts of crap gets stuck under there, in the one place you don't want it!
Lots of Laguna 'niggles' we're rectified by clearing that out and cleaning up the ECU terminals
All sorts of crap gets stuck under there, in the one place you don't want it!
Lots of Laguna 'niggles' we're rectified by clearing that out and cleaning up the ECU terminals
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