Renault Avantime - Dear god what have I done.

[Steve421]

It's the 2 litre turbo model, I'd have ideally liked a V6 but I couldn't be picky for the price I paid!

It's gone into the Renault specialist today, so fingers crossed. The garage owner drives a Vel Satis, so I think it's in good hands.

[Hitch]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

I'm so unlucky, if I bought a Renault Avantime, I'd probably write it off in a head on collision with a Vel Satis.

Technically impossible. You'd have to find one of each in working order to do so! Or maybe that's your point...

[Cambs_Stuart]

Great left field choice. Bravo and I hope you have many happy hours of tinkering.

[shalmaneser]

Steve421 said:

Will do! At the moment the main issue is the electrical warning screen illuminating when the car is started, which forces the car in to limp mode and eventually causes the engine light to stay on. A basic OBD reader (and the torque app) show a P0120 throttle pedal sensor fault, but the car has recently had a brand new throttle body. Hopefully going into a specialist on Monday to diagnose

So the error is to do with the accelerator pedal, but the car has recently had a new throttle body?

I think I can see the problem.

Hopefully the previous mechanic didn't change a tyre in an attempt to fix the wing mirror....

[bungz]

Love these.

I'm fairly sure they only ever change ownership under the influence and unseen which is the perfect way to do it.

[wpc692]

I don't know why, but I was always attracted by this car. Maybe one day I will also do a random purchase

[Usget]

Watching with interest to see how long OP goes on chasing electrical gremlins before being taken away, gibbering, by the nice men in the white coats

[Mezzanine]

Always admired these and the Vel Satis.

Glad you have made the plunge so we can enjoy owning it vicariously.

[TartanPaint]

What have you done?

A wonderful thing, that's what!

[Bowlers]

Thank you for going mad and buying an Avantime.



I see this one locally, so cool.

[stewjohnst]

Bravo!

Nothing else to add but I look forward to photo heavy updates.

The wife has given me carte balance to replace my Alfa for £1000 for the sheer comedy value, I have put the Vel Satis on the list!

[Steve421]

Well, the Avantime has gone for its appointment with the Renault specialist today, so let's see how much I'm going to have to re-mortgage the house for in a few days time When the truck pulled up outside the garage it was almost as if a Ferrari had pulled outside the amount of attention it garnered! I thought most people would just assume it was a big Megane.

[magooagain]

They are still very strong money in France. I have just seen a v6 for 13,000 euro with 197,000 klm on the clock.

Cheapest is 3,500 euro.

[Eddieslofart]

I like these, but i don’t know why...

[HTP99]

Awesome, I love these, I've also sold them new too.

Is the roof paint bubbling anywhere as this tends to be an issue?

[Steve421]

Yeah there are a couple of small patches bubbling, nothing too bad though. Should the car behave well once repaired and stay (relatively) trouble free, I may have them re conditioned. The original wheels and caps came with the car too, so they'll be due to go on after some new boots.

[nunpuncher]

That must have been some seriously strong beer.

Looks good though, very futuristic..... In a how people in the 70s thought the future might look sort of way.

[HTP99]

I distinctly remember towards the end of the life of these and the Vel-Satis (superb car), when Renault UK had a st load in stock, they were gradually registered as Renault UK cars; you'd see the Renault area manager every three months and every time you saw him he'd be in a different Avantime or Vel-Satis.

They would then go on to "Renault To Go" (Renault UK's backed, used car scheme back then), with a margin af circa £4k, a finance deposit contribution of circa £4k and a ridiculously low finance deal just because they wanted rid of the things.

Both must have have cost Renault UK a bloody fortune as well as the dealers who agreed to become Haute De Gamme dealers.

[Steve421]

Indeed! The Avantime basically finished off Matra as a car manufacturer. Not a bad swan song though

[BlueHave]

Instead of paying £350 a month on a lease you can spend £350 a month fixing the many gremlins in the Avantime.