What a car....

renaultbiler · May 02, 2010, 08:16:55 PM

At the moment i have an Avantime outside, standing here for a couple of weeks - as i am doing some repairs for the owner.
Its a fantastic car, enjoying every minute with it. Cant help to see the car as the 4'th generation Matra Espace we never got, so they converted it into a fantastic 3 door toy instead.
Multiplexed computers, ESP, navigation ++++++++++++++++++++

The worst part of it is that this car will come up for sale this summer.... shit
And my wife absolutely adores it, the kids are extatic when i press the "open all windows and roof" button. I get wet eyes each time i open the door and watch the artwork of door hinges even though they are a problem in the end.

But its not my desired engine in it, a 2.2 dCi - and i want a 24v, its not very well cared for either, its been well used but in pure pleasure by the owner. Tear and wear everywhere (but with some work it will be okay)

So what should i do..... damn if i know..... I wish i never saw it. $:-\$

Anders Dinsen · May 03, 2010, 04:29:02 AM

Since my wife first saw an Avantime, she's had the same feeling about it. It's almost 5 years ago now and she is still literally dreaming about it!
Lennarts great photos from the day: http://www.sorth.dk/p/20051008

You have you buy it, Tom.

What else can I say?

/Anders

Drejci · May 09, 2010, 06:05:20 AM

My 2002 Avantime 3.0 v24 Privilege

Beautiful car! My dream car ever since it was first launched. Also quite reliable altho I have some issues with music in the car. CD changer and remote control are not working. The remote itself is fine and the receiver also but there must still be something wrong with the connection to the radio.
But the engine works perfectly and that is the most important thing

About that Avantime mentioned above. Everything can be mended but the engine in that car is the worst possible engine you could have. Avoid! The horror stories a have heard about 2.2 dCI.

renaultbiler · May 09, 2010, 07:22:41 AM

The 2.2 dCi had its flaws but they are all about the same few things going wrong, so that doesnt bother me. Especially since the G9T in Avantime have several fixes compared to the G9T launched in Espace JE two years earlier.

But i must be realistic, importing a 3.0 Avantime will cost 3 times more than what the car costs in eg Germany - so 10.000 euros will for me mean 35.000-45.000 euros when imported, since Italys reputation of mafia country is soon to be taken over by the norwegian government with all their taxes, fees etc - you name one and we most probably have it.

I still havent desided what i should do, but quite frankly its not a practical car for a family of 6, it is out of the question to sell off the Espace (naturally) and the Scenic is much more fit for everyday use. I already have a ego-car with my Alpine. Owning 3 daily-use cars is very expencive in Norway so its not very tempting.

I might rest another 10 years and hope there is still one for me somewhere to get home

Anders Dinsen · May 10, 2010, 10:33:45 AM

I agree... we hear horror stories with all engines: 2.2 dci, V6 (ask me!), 2.0T. There's a 2.0T on eBay.de now, it is reported to have both it's cylinder head and turbo replaced within it's relatively short life.

My heart is bleeding for the Avi too, Tom. I have to have it. One day

/Anders

Ralph2 · May 11, 2010, 07:00:46 PM

Tom hi, Rupert here. I had an Espace V6 for many many years and loved it dearly. Finally I shed the shackles of delivering and collecting student siblings from University and bought my dream car, the Avantime. Here is a poor phone picture on the day I changed cars. (The point of the photo is rather lost, as both cars had the same personal registration plate! Hey ho) Let me tell you a secret. You will love the Avantime, really you will, but you will always miss that espace....

renaultbiler · May 11, 2010, 07:24:20 PM

Well, my Espace isn't going anywhere

Its something magic about them so its for keeps, an Avantime will come on top

Ralph2 · May 11, 2010, 07:34:07 PM

...which, if I could have my time again, is exactly what I would do....
But then my wife could not have her car, nor I my bike. Money only goes so far I find

By the way Drejci, you should visit www.avantime-owners.com and join. There's lots's of info all Avantime problems, particularly CD changers and stuff like that. Very helpful chaps and a very good downloads section. (No I'm not being paid......)

Drejci · May 30, 2012, 01:24:29 PM

Short video about my Avantime and Avantime in general. Language is Slovenian but images are universal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_dd2HfsTSA

matramurena · June 04, 2012, 10:13:56 AM

Hei Renaultbiler,

At the moment I am in Norway with my Avantime. The V6 works wonderfully in the mountains here! I saw only one Espace 3 so far here, so it seems they are as rare as an Avantime here. Unfortunately I will not be able to bring my V6 with me when we move here, but it will be the 2litre due to the extreme import-taxes for a car.

What is your experience with parts available for a Espace 3 in Norway? The main parts for an Avantime will of course be the same. All the special Avantime-parts are a pain in Holland as well to get for a reasanable price, but due to the large amount of Espaces that were sold in Holland the standard parts are easy to find at scrap-yards or in old-stock when needed.

Matra_Hans · June 04, 2012, 06:42:57 PM

My experience getting parts for the Espace III in Denmark is: The Renault dealerships are hopeless as the car was never imported at new to Denmark. All Espace I, II & III are private imports, mainly secondhand from Germany. If I do the repair myself I get my parts from http://www4.kfzteile24-shop.de/ or similar or from German or French Ebay. There are a few independent Espace specialists in Denmark they are also ordering the parts from Germany or France.

Regards Hans
Espace III, Bagheera I, Rancho X, and Murena 2.2

RazorbackNOR · June 07, 2012, 09:01:22 AM

Quote from: matramurena on June 04, 2012, 10:13:56 AM
Hei Renaultbiler,

At the moment I am in Norway with my Avantime. The V6 works wonderfully in the mountains here! I saw only one Espace 3 so far here, so it seems they are as rare as an Avantime here. Unfortunately I will not be able to bring my V6 with me when we move here, but it will be the 2litre due to the extreme import-taxes for a car.

What is your experience with parts available for a Espace 3 in Norway? The main parts for an Avantime will of course be the same. All the special Avantime-parts are a pain in Holland as well to get for a reasanable price, but due to the large amount of Espaces that were sold in Holland the standard parts are easy to find at scrap-yards or in old-stock when needed.

Where in Norway are you now, and what kind of job did you get here?

matramurena · June 18, 2012, 12:14:55 PM

I was in Norway for a holiday. Now I have some job-applications send out so maybe I get lucky soon.

As far as spare-parts in Norway are concerned, I found out the hard way. On our way up to Gålå the power of the engine began to fade more and more, and with a puff of smoke the engine stalled. We had the car towed to the nearest bilmechaniker who found out that a sensor was broken that the engine uses for the timing of the bobine's and because of this the cathalist in the exhaust was completely blocked by dirt.... Nowhere in Norway was such a sensor to be found....

So he cleaned the exhaust and gave it a test-run. The engine wasn't completely running smooth, but it worked and had it's power back to get up the hills. We only had to drive the car back to Holland the day after and on the way to the Ferry we "only" stalled 5 times and managed to burn almost all of the engine's oil in a 250km trip. So in Germany just off the Ferry we had the car picked up and travelled the rest by train. I hope to get th e car in Holland soon and I hope it's only a gasket, but it just might be an expensive job...

We totally loved our stay in Norway again though! We decided to start actively looking for jobs and to ask a lot less for our house in Holland to get rid of that.

renaultsan · July 21, 2015, 10:54:49 PM

I love these and would have one in a flash. Trouble is the manufacturing date, anything built after early 1995 I cannot import into USA due to the stupid Yanks and their regs.
We as a family have a total of 10 Renaults dating from 1974 to 1992 including a GTA D500 and a 1986 Renault 25 ( Limo (not forgetting our 1990 Espace) and an Avantime would really fit in.