R9UKE's French Car Blog...

R9UKE · Unread post by **R9UKE** » 06 Jun 2011, 20:08

Oh, they also hate rain. All 3 of them had wet weather issues.

The diamond has me well used to this behaviour

Featch · Unread post by **Featch** » 06 Jun 2011, 20:52

stevenc75 wrote:terrible terrible electrics and you just never knew if you were going to complete a journey in them.

Oh, they also hate rain. All 3 of them had wet weather issues.

As a heart (wallet) broken ex owner of two Italian motorcycles (A Ducati Monster & Aprillia Tuono) I can vouch for Italian electrics that are more akin to those found on a model train set, indoor use only!

My two car excursion into Alfa ownership was a glorious Sud and an even more glorious GTV6 (engine at front, gearbox at back). Both dissolved before my eyes in the West Yorkshire rain.

I'd still have another though

A friend had a 146... parked it on its roof one day... agility wasn't a strong point.

stevenc75 · Unread post by **stevenc75** » 06 Jun 2011, 22:17

Featch wrote:I'd still have another though

That's the thing about them. So would I.

R9UKE · Unread post by **R9UKE** » 08 Jun 2011, 15:49

Just a quickie to introduce my latest

This will not be a flying visit.... this is without a doubt a keeper!

I have had a "wanted" ad for a Renault Laguna V6 on Gumtree for about a month now. I woke up yesterday to a text from somebody saying he knows of one needing a new home and to call him back. Turns out the guy is a mechanic who has worked on this car, and he gave me the number of the owner.

Basically, the car suffered from the usual V6 coil failure. He spent quite a bit getting this done, then the exhaust gave up. Apparently it has cracked before it meets the catalytic converter, and he was quoted silly money for the repair due to the limited access. He was also fed up of the fuel consumption, and just wanted rid.

The beast, despite sounding like a Harley Davidson, is absolutely fantastic. But more about that once I've cleaned her up and got to know her a bit more. Here's some pics taken when I got it home. All I want to do is get scrubbing (interior is pretty filthy) but of course it's raining.

stevenc75 · Unread post by **stevenc75** » 08 Jun 2011, 16:29

Very nice Luke. Good luck with it. You may need it!

I spotted the ad on Gumtree and guessed there could only be one lunatic in Belfast wanting a V6 Laguna with fuel prices at 136.9p!

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 08 Jun 2011, 16:31

As always Luke Im staggered at your car collection

I just said the other day over on that thread with the very nice Lag Tourer that I thought you would have had one by now, and you now have a V6 Tourer! How nice

Interior pictures are needed though

How do you plan on getting its noise sorted out?

By 'Keeper' does this mean its going to be a second car and one you will keep for a good while or will it replace the Meg?

The 1.8s gone from your list I see, that sold quickly.

R9UKE · Unread post by **R9UKE** » 08 Jun 2011, 16:54

stevenc75 wrote:Very nice Luke. Good luck with it. You may need it!

I spotted the ad on Gumtree and guessed there could only be one lunatic in Belfast wanting a V6 Laguna with fuel prices at 136.9p!

Hahaha perfectly put! And thanks

As always Luke Im staggered at your car collection

I just said the other day over on that thread with the very nice Lag Tourer that I thought you would have had one by now, and you now have a V6 Tourer! How nice

Interior pictures are needed though

How do you plan on getting its noise sorted out?

By 'Keeper' does this mean its going to be a second car and one you will keep for a good while or will it replace the Meg?

The 1.8s gone from your list I see, that sold quickly.

My collection of unwanted rejects?

Yes I spotted your comment, and it really did make me wonder why I never had a Tourer... probably because most of them are dCis.

Thank you, I'm very happy with it. The inside is full of all sorts of junk and needs a nice tidy, interior pics will be put up once this is done!

Well by "keeper" I mean that it will be sitting around until I get my third party extension back so I can drive the beast! I have relatives coming over from Australia for the month of August, and I plan to have her ready for then so that they can use it while they're here. It will probably spend the next few years being a "back up" - taking me back and forward to the auction etc and just doing short, very exciting, journeys.

As for the exhaust - I refuse to believe that it can be expensive enough to put me off fixing. I will take it down to my trusty exhaust expert sometime soon and get a proper diagnosis. It really is loud though. We're talking chav in a Corsa loud. In fact, worse.

I have said that I would keep cars in the past that I ended up selling, but a Lag V6 has been on my list for a long time, and having paid so little for it, I'd be really stupid to let it go.

Yes the 1.8 is gone! A Lithuanian chap bought it yesterday just before the V6 arrived - perfect timing!

Just the hideously underpowered 1.6 to rid myself of now.

bxzx16v · Unread post by **bxzx16v** » 08 Jun 2011, 17:28

Loving the V6 , wouldn't love the fuel bills though

Mark

R9UKE · Unread post by **R9UKE** » 08 Jun 2011, 21:49

bxzx16v wrote:Loving the V6 , wouldn't love the fuel bills though

Would be a bit of a shocker after your dCi!

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 08 Jun 2011, 22:08

No, not a collection of rejects at all, I would very much like your Laguna collection

Is it housing a leather interior? Shame its not a Initiale but still a nicely specced car. I guess this one has rain sensors and auto lights? It must have Xenons, power folding mirrors etc?

Very lucky relatives! Certainly beats a 1.6 Focus hire car

Is there anything other than the exhaust which it needs?

Have you have much use out of the 1.6 Luke? A nice spec but the wrong engine?

R9UKE · Unread post by **R9UKE** » 08 Jun 2011, 23:18

Thank you! Not many people express much desire towards my tastes to be honest

It is a shame it's not the Initiale. I really wanted an Initiale with a full blue leather interior - but beggars can't be choosers. It has the nice velour part leather upholstery in light grey. My very first Laguna II had the same and I really do love it. Very comfortable and it cleans up a treat.

It has auto wipers, but the lights aren't automatic. Early Lagunas use the same sensor as the Xantias, 306s and early 406s which only do rain. The lights are Xenon, it has a huge sunroof (about twice the size of that of the hatch), rear parking sensors, electrically folding mirrors, 6 CD Changer, ESP, Cruise, and the voice synthesizer which is reporting no faults!!!!!

The exhaust is a major issue which prevented it from being put through the MOT test, so I'm not sure what else could be thrown up in that. Apart from that, the drivers electric window control is behaving oddly. The front switches control the rear windows and vice versa! Easy fix. Everything else electrical works. Believe me - I was as surprised as you are.

I'm really fed up of the 1.6. It's been around for nearly two months now, and is misbehaving. As if being underpowered wasn't bad enough, it goes in to limp home mode sometimes limiting it to 50 MPH. I put it on ebay over the weekend, explaining this, and have received some offers, so with any luck it will be gone ASAP. This car also owes me very little, I won't be making a loss.

Forecast looks OKish for tomorrow. Watch this space for nice V6 pics

R9UKE · Unread post by **R9UKE** » 10 Jun 2011, 17:41

As promised, the V6 cleaned up.

I'm off to England this evening. There's a Vel Satis / Avantime owners meet in Staffordshire tomorrow, then the hunt is on for a car to drive home in.

bxzx16v · Unread post by **bxzx16v** » 10 Jun 2011, 20:33

The Laguna has cleaned up a treat , there's some nice pics there

Mark

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 10 Jun 2011, 21:19

That is looking really excellent Luke, a real find that one. I can see that being your favorite car of your fleet before too long

After all, it has your preferred box and engine, plus the spec.

No doubt you got it for £12.30 or something similarly low

I can see why you would to keep that one, its very nice and in an great colour.

A Vel Satis and Avantime owners meet, wow! That I would like to see

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 10 Jun 2011, 21:30

I'm hoping that by the time there are no good Xantias/XMs left, the remaining Laguna 2's (even the megane faced ones, but not the latest) will have reached a reasonable 2nd hand price and through attritian of the weak only the good ones will be left so I can snap one up again