| The Espace isn't for everyone. |
| by WessexElectricNutter ... May 25, 2015, 06:54:51 pm |
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This is meant to be one of those posts I hope everyone will laugh at as I had a giggle for a few when it happened.
One of my friends who I drove round in the Espace for a while wanted to try and drive it. He was fussing me for ages and knowing how bad/good his driving was, I was really reluctant to let him have ago. I gave in eventually and he wanted to drive it half a mile. This he was really excited about as I guess its his first diesel car he's driven. I handed the keys over and he started it.
Lifted his foot of the clutch and got scared. He drives a 1.8 Citoren Xantia and that has a really high biting point apparently, which suggests to me the clutch is err. shagged. The Espace has the lowest biting point, I've got used to it to be honest, whereas my Clio's clutch is about mid way (the Corsa is about half way too but I can't tell much difference to be honest).
The next trouble he had, negotiating the obstacle course.. sorry car park where the car was. Full of tight twists and turns. Again, something I got used to when I drove down narrow lanes for the first time and something I gotten used to.. He on the other hand.. *THUMP* as he runs over a curb, then throttles it and I'm thinking "Not that hard, it works best in the torque range." So, he continues, gets used to the width (or so he thought) in this residential area, but hes still using the first 3 gears to get upto 30 mph. I'd use fourth and I would be gentle. Oh wait, he is used to a petrol car.
He parks up, does his business, turns around in a side road and goes back, coming out of this side road into a main road, he tries changing gear. "CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRRRRUUUUNCH.", "WTFH???". Then drives back, hands back the keys and goes....
"NEVER AGAIN. I'M NOT DRIVING THAT AGAIN."
My response was "Why?"
His response was, "That clutch, I hate that clutch."
I'm thinking "because yours might be on its way out?".
He spoke to my dad and he went on about the clutch and its length.... Of course, one thing thats always fooled me is "how long is the bonnet?" as I think its about a mile long and not less than a foot. I did think of getting another earlier standard espace with a 2 litre petrol or G8T diesel for fun and s ... Read More
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| MOT standards... or mix of. |
| by WessexElectricNutter ... April 17, 2015, 12:44:24 am |
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One thing looking in my blogs reminds me what I forgot to update.
And heres one for you. The silver Espace only did 4000 miles last year. By comparasion, the Clio did 15,000 or roughly. The blue Espace I did 500 miles. Why? First the gearbox I was worried about it going bang. (God, putting that on the road was fun, cambelt and MOT, all £1427 IIRC, that was a new cat included but luckily not much else as it had an MOT at the same time.). And it still misfires, but my god, it was a bloody nice car to drive! My omega is nowhere near as nice to drive and yes, I have driven it, just not in my posession. Funny thing is, the blue one has been largely fault free until one evening in february when I found a flooded footwell and the radio packed up. Then I cleaned as much of the footwell out as I could and had a look. Yes, the positive wire went to the radio again. Which means I need to strip down the dash and remove the wing mirror again. Just like the silver Espace.
Back to the said vehicle. I found MOT's to be very funny. Took it to a well known chain garage rhyming with ouchfords, thinking, "It'll pass like the blue one did."
WRONG!
Right, first problem, I knew about, wipers, they perished and ordered some new ones. I went to pick them up from the place I brought them and to my suprise, I spoke to the guy and went.
"These are the same size."
"They're suppose to be."
"No they're not, I'm sure of it"
*checks*
"Ahh, right, we got some in Portsmouth and I can get them in tomorrow."
"Ok, I'll do that then"
Then:
"Also, have a feel at that.."
"I see what you mean, someone did the dirty." (Put old blades in and claimed a refund.)
So, £46 later and still no wipers. MOT fail no.1
MOT fail number 2, 3 and 4
Well, lower suspension arms, one side had a worn bush, the other side had a worn ball joint. On top of that, a drop link with a split dust cover. The garage I took the car to be repaired weren't particularly convinced that they were fit for fail items. One arm came from the UK (Surplus genuine new renault part), the other came from Germany and was a patterned part.
MOT fail number 4:
LED side lights... I wasn't expecting th ... Read More
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| *Sniff* *sniff* - "Whats that smell?" |
| by WessexElectricNutter ... December 31, 2014, 07:57:04 pm |
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Not espace related but still a Renault, its now started to worry me about my diesel espaces clutch.! Yes, toasted one, had the car for 54,000 miles (from when I past my driving lessons to now) at 18 years old and this evening, the clutch went out. Well, I can still drive it, but hills? Oh forget them, it was difficult getting up the hills on my way home, using only 1st and 2nd. The first time it did it, I thought "is this an untreated road?", nope, it did it going up a hill in a high gear, then "Oh god! My clutch has finally let go." With 151,000 miles on the clock, time for a new one. (I think this one was changed at some point though, the throw out bearing was never right in the winter)
Anyone ever had a clutch go on them? If so, what was the mileage?
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| First long trip and another working espace! |
| by WessexElectricNutter ... December 09, 2014, 11:52:38 pm |
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So now I have 2 espaces on the road, both Grand ones, both insured/taxed/MOTed/etc (which don't show the tax disc as its no longer a legal requirement in this country), both ironically suffered the same problem. This one is funny.
Shortly after I posted looking for a new gearstick for the diesel one, I found one from Renparts Ltd (great place for spares by the way) and as I saved up for so long trying to replace a cambelt I thought was on the way out that wasn't for the V6 (or blue espace! I need names for them, currently the silver one is called "Sonic" as it makes "Sonic" noises.). Which I sent to a garage and in about a week, they broke it. How you ask? Gear change cable fell off! It's not every day that a mechanic has to some how try and start an espace that stuck in first gear hold, they (and I) ended up pushing it... all 1.7 and a bit tons of the monster. 3 grown men, me as the weakest one managed to push it quite a distance at 4mph according to the speedo!
Then I sent the other one to Portsmouth, I bet my neighbours were like "What the hell happened to the Espaces? Oh wait, they are gone.. oh good!" as one I tried to drive to the garage in what I thought was 3rd turned out to be 4th which required a LOT of planning. Certain places, like I had to go to a petrol station near me (Tescos Fishbourne) then the A27, but the bit linking the A27 and Tescos was only 300 yards. The detour I took which was flatter and required passing fewer exits was nearly 2 miles.
Then after I got both back, I had fun with the blue espace on 97 octane fuel and pressed the pedal down... NICE! It moves and then I thought "I'll see what its like taking it to work."
IT got better, BMW's did not like the Espace at all, especially when I passed them with ease which must of crushed their egos.
Afterwards, Sonic went on a long trip with Nataliya (my other "half") and me which I honestly thought, as you probably worked out with the reputation Sonic has, it would break down before I got anywhere near Wales, let alone the Severn Bridge/Second Severn Crossing! For once, it did 580 miles(!) without a single problem. And better, where I went (Haverfordwest/Hwlffordd), I took it up a few hills, note we don't get hills as steep as those in the south of England. For a challenge, ... Read More
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| Disaster again. |
| by WessexElectricNutter ... November 10, 2014, 08:34:38 pm |
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So, since my last blog entry, I got rid of a car (focus) and the blue espace is back on the road, I also gained an Omega B but hey.
The Silver Espace has been riddled with yet more faults, its becoming a lot like a lemon. A power steering pipe burst and sent fluid everywhere, including (the entrance to) Guildford station carpark. AA patched it up and thankfully, the patch has lasted over 2,000 miles and I got a new pipe too. I found a calliper that was binding, so I replaced it, broke the replacement, got another, works. After a problem trying to bleed the bloody brakes.
Now a new problem, the gear control cable snapped on the day I write this. Driving off from Fishbourne roundabout, on the A27, reminding a guy his lights was off, *crunch*..... oh and the gearstick goes flop in 3rd and fourth. Great. Stop, turn it off, turn it on, still flop.... I think I got a bigger problem. Drove home in only third, clogging up most of the traffic with hazards on letting them know I got a big problem, but made it. However, looks like i got a control cable issue, I can't use first, second, fifth or reverse. I'm glad it happened about a mile and a half from home and not 200 miles like what happened to my clio when my brake pads wore out completely! And I thought the discs were warped.
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