Automotive

Mike’s and Nico’s recent comments had me recall some of the more interesting experiences with French cars in our family. So here’s a more complete profile of the ones that came and went over the years - sadly the last one being from the early 1990s (time ...  

Those I drove: The Renault 4, 25, Traffic, Renault 5, Twingos, Captur, Clios. The Peugeot 205 GTIs, 104, 106, 2008. Citroen 2 CV, Mehari, CX. Alpine A110 1300, A 310 V6. The only one I owned: Peugeot 205 XS. The only one I still own : Alpine A 110 ( 2019 ... 

But the ones owned were exceptional indeed 👌🏻 Curious, what your impression of the 310 V6 was?

As for the 310 V6, it was not the Turbo. Quite funny, but not super powerful. The A 110 1300 was funnier to drive.

Given your penchant for coupes 😊 I got really close to getting the V6 non-Turbo as a PhD student in Switzerland (they weren’t expensive back in the day) and subsequently regret not getting it 🤷🏻‍♂️ Also considered the last generation of the original Panam... 

But agreed with you - still doable. France is probably the best bet, as they are increasingly rare 🤷🏻‍♂️ Also curious about the A610…

Apparently comfortable and with great grip and traction levels 👌🏻👍🏻

If I recall correctly, there were some French cars in your stable over the years as well? 🤞🏻

I remember the Renault 14 my parents bought at some point (when exactly?). This exact color with dark bands on the front side. And I remember the Renault 16 of my best friend's parents as a child. His father brought us every week to the swimming pool. I t...  

Not one often seen! The 16 was a great car indeed - a rare one where the wheelbase was different on both sides (longer on one than the other) 😊

I believe the difference was over 2cm if I recall correctly 😊

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I remember very long trips, across France, where my brother and I slept (without seat belts, of course), one lying on the back seat, the other lying on the floor... ...  

As I was an only child my parents put a small mattress over the back seats so I could enjoy the comfort 😁 Different times 🤷🏻‍♂️

Otherwise you could always sit in an adult’s lap or stand in the back or move around a bit - all not very safe from today’s perspective but much more pleasant for a child than being in a child seat 😊

Given the accident and fatality statistics. Some people knew how to drive properly indeed but many didn’t really excel behind the wheel back in the day, either 😉

I take it no pictures? 😊🤷🏻‍♂️

My older brother totallled it one night, only six weeks after my mum totaled his Ford Sierra. I was 17 at the time and my parents refused to buy me a 50cc moped, after the 2 brand-new cars lost (no full insurance) my mum told me I could go and get a moed ...  

A Jetta was also the the first car in which I was driven at over 200 km/h. A red one, though, but I do not remember the engine. I wonder if our kids will have equally vivid car memories 🧐🤷🏻‍♂️

In many ways equivalent to the Camry. Disappeared from outside of Japan in 1992 but continued there much longer (on a RWD platform unlike the Camry).

Picture from: Toyota Canada ...  

And super reliable, unlike many of its contemporaries 👍🏻

Must have taken several days in each direction, though 👍🏻

Impressive 👍🏻👏🏻

The heat, the cigarette smoke in the car, etc., we didn’t care!

I guess there was no alternative we knew 😊🤷🏻‍♂️ And there was probably more excitement about both journey and destination back in the day 😊👍🏻

Few things generate a similar sense of excitement…

I knew it had to come from somewhere 😉

I remember my father had the R4 treated against it since new ( in German you call it Hohlraumversiegelung) and the fact that it didn’t rust was a wonder to many as a result. Actually the car I remember having the largest rust problem was a 2003 E-Class, w... 

Identical to this one, Jaune Citron (lemon yellow): Great car, very practical and spacious despite its very small size ! ...  

As you often get from the French. They have been responsible for most conceptual innovations over the last decades, the Germans then go out and try to improve on the execution. Everything from the minivan, the SUV and all the rest first came from French c... 

Being 1m98cm I still experienced one of the most comfy passenger rides of my life. ...  

Btw. do you fit in the Clio alright?

... were in my family before my own French obsession started Picture from around 1973, the red Peugeot 404 belonged to my aunt (I am sitting on her arm) , the Citroen was her brother's car (my uncle), My father had a Toyota I think. After that not one Fre...  

I somehow thought the 205 came a lot later - memory is slowly failing me 😊🤷🏻‍♂️ So, Clio or Megane? 😉

These past 15 months I only took the Clio out twice. Whenever I get out of the Mini Clubman and step into the Megane I'm really amazed how good it is, even coming to a point that I wouldn't change it for anything else. BUT .... I do remember getting out o... 

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Let’s see if a decent one is to be found 🤞🏻

Not sure how much they go these days, but for 20 K you can buy a very decent one and have some work done on it.

But decent ones at around 20, like you say 👍🏻

15 K probably buys you a good decent one and you can spend extra to make it perfect. If you have a 30K budget go for a 'perfect' one and then put some goodies on: LSD Lightweight wheels Spacers if necessary ECU + cold air intake Exhaust Akrapovic Have it ... 

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18 inch wheels, normally it's 17 inch like mine but I think 17 is better because they are lighter. But you have to see it in the flesh, it's really really nice in Red Bull disguise.