1990 Renault Espace Quadra 4WD
Discussion
Since owning one very rare car with awful parts availability clearly wasn't enough, I've bought a 28 year old plastic French car with a 4WD system that includes a carbon fibre propshaft.
Bought unseen from eBay as always on the basis that it had 12 months MOT and therefore couldn't be that bad. It drives very nicely, although struggles on full lock due to a bad viscous coupling (which could be a big pain). The paint is pretty awful and it is growing it's own eco-system.
Quite well specced with remote locking, two sunroofs, steering wheel controls for the stereo and an equaliser for the stereo. Of course since It's French, some of the electronics aren't perfect, the speedo wobbles about giving a vague approximation of speed and the fuel gauge might eventually register the fuel put in.
It's comfy and goes well enough and with 4WD and a big flat floor it'll be great for throwing bikes into and nestling between modified VW T5s.
Bought unseen from eBay as always on the basis that it had 12 months MOT and therefore couldn't be that bad. It drives very nicely, although struggles on full lock due to a bad viscous coupling (which could be a big pain). The paint is pretty awful and it is growing it's own eco-system.
Quite well specced with remote locking, two sunroofs, steering wheel controls for the stereo and an equaliser for the stereo. Of course since It's French, some of the electronics aren't perfect, the speedo wobbles about giving a vague approximation of speed and the fuel gauge might eventually register the fuel put in.
It's comfy and goes well enough and with 4WD and a big flat floor it'll be great for throwing bikes into and nestling between modified VW T5s.
To expand on the driving experience, the seating position is odd, you feel a long way back from the windscreen, and the pedals are offset and quite small, but the seats are very comfortable and the visibility is great. It likes to be revved but when you do it goes very nicely. It happily sits at a good cruising speed and lacks the rattles and noises you might expect. The suspension is pleasantly soft and decently damped. Overall it was one of the most relaxed trips home I’ve had in a newly purchased car.
king automobile.I grew up on a quiet residential street with a prep school at the end. The only traffic was the school run. I remember when the Espace was what all the parents used, before SUVs became an urban thing. I remember my dad complaining to everyone how they'd "all drive these big people carriers nowadays with just one or two small children lost in the back".
Top work OP, great save.
My parents had a (I think) '89 from new in blue, regular FWD one: great thing to move us all about in & for driving about Europe on holiday.
Remember looking at the Quadra in the Renault brochure & thinking it seemed quite exotic with the 4WD & all the other options that our one didn't have.
My parents had a (I think) '89 from new in blue, regular FWD one: great thing to move us all about in & for driving about Europe on holiday.
Remember looking at the Quadra in the Renault brochure & thinking it seemed quite exotic with the 4WD & all the other options that our one didn't have.
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