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Nigel Tufnel

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Good day, all. Your sage comments would be appreciated, as I am not yet the proud owner of a R4.

The question is, how practical a classic is it for me? Fundamentally, I'm a biker who has had enough of a B-road commute (50 miles round trip) during winter, and I'm looking for relatively cheap, but interesting motoring. So that immediately cuts out most cars. However, I have liked the R4 since I lived in France some years back, as it ticks the boxes for me when it comes to cars - form, function and quirkiness. I have no issues with driving a car of about the same cubic capacity as my bike. I have owned and maintained cars built in the 60's and 70's (though when they were much younger) and am familiar with routine maintenance. I even put up a fairly good struggle with a Peugeot 104ZS before that particular salaud ground me down.

However, I don't have a garage, nor am I likely to, so the car would have to be parked on the drive, and restoration is a complete non-starter. So, should I start to get serious about looking for a R4 to use regularly as dependable transport, or should I admit defeat and look for a 10 year old Toyota Carina in Bargain pages?

I like the site and I'll value the comments.
 
Hi Nigel, I can thoroughly recommend the R4 (GTL in my case) for every day driving, as a first and foremost biker myself (Kwack GT750) and an R4GTL owner second, (necessary transportation for my wife and young children), i've been more than impressed with its capabilities. It's easy to work on, cheap to run and leans over further than your bike!!!!! Albeit in the 'wrong' direction.
All in all bloody good fun and I have every intention of keeping mine for as long as I can, ie untill its beyond saving.
If you've always had a hankering for one then I suggest you deny yourself no longer.
Go on you know what to do.

Rudi.:D
 
Hurray for R4s

Hi Nigel!
I too commute by bike, albeit a much shorter journey than you, and have a 1964 bike in immaculate condition for showing. Although I've lived with R4s I've never had one of my own, but next week I'll be fetching home my first. Just for fun. Just to pootle around, carry huge loads of garden rubbish to the skip and take the dog out. If you look at other threads you'll see what a great car they are. R4s are like old leather jackets, they look better a bit scuffed and well worn. Ask around and keep an eye on the 'For Sale' section in this forum. You can always ask Clementine or Frederick for advice. Go on, you know it makes sense! :D
 
Fred and Clem

Nigel, meet Clementine and Frederick doing what they do best on an R4. :clementi: Clementine is the brains behind the outfit and is the one to ask for advice, but Frederick likes getting his paws dirty and loves dismantling and mantling. :mrgreen:
 
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Bluebell said:
but next week I'll be fetching home my first.
Click to expand...
Oh heck - is it next week it needs to be ready? It's nearly there, honest. Went to London this morning for a meeting to find it had been cancelled! So wasn't in the mood for work in the afternoon so spent the time underneath the Renault. Welding is finished so MOT tomorrow with luck.

Welcome to the forum Nigel. I found Renault 4s fantastic for a 12 mile each way commute to work over country roads. They wouldn't be suitable at all for a 40 mile commute on motorways (too slow and noisy), but I've never tried anything inbetween.

Most of us keep them outside. The only real issue with the R4 is the rust in the floors and rear chassis. Most cars will need a bit of welding each year to get them through the MOT (unless they have been restored, but very few have). Buy a good one (one that doesn't need a whole lot of welding) and you'll find the spare parts are still available quite cheaply. I can't think of a cheaper car to run.

And of course there are plenty of nutty people to share advice with (as you may have found :D).
 
i wouldn't bother. "Relisted due to mistake in listing" suggests they sold it to someone who didn't want it when they saw it.

Good ones do turn up on eBay in the UK. But it's a waiting game. There have been a few good buys recently. Many have been French or Spanish imports. If I was going to buy another right now (which I'm not as there are 10 of the bloody things hanging around here at the moment) I might consider a trip to France, Spain. Croatia or Serbia. The cost saving would pay for the holiday.
 
R4s: Can Colour Affect Performance? Discuss

Clementine said:
And of course there are plenty of nutty people to share advice with (as you may have found :D).
Click to expand...
Speak for yourself Clementine! Nigel, here is a quote from an earlier post by Clementine:

.... do you really want a red one? While the red ones are generally less rusty, bear in mind that the blue ones have more powerful engines, the green ones are slightly more aerodynamic so have a higher top speed, and the yellow ones have the most comfy seats and brighter headlamps. Avoid white ones like the plague.
http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=730 :wink:
 
Bluebell said:
Speak for yourself Clementine! Nigel, here is a quote from an earlier post by Clementine:

.... do you really want a red one? While the red ones are generally less rusty, bear in mind that the blue ones have more powerful engines, the green ones are slightly more aerodynamic so have a higher top speed, and the yellow ones have the most comfy seats and brighter headlamps. Avoid white ones like the plague.
http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=730 :wink:
Click to expand...

R4s are like bikes, then! Apparently my blue Firestorm doesn't go as fast as the red ones! Or the yellow ones. Or the black ones. It's really very slow.
 
Just had another quick look at the R4Plus site and there's three for sale, one under left hand drive-in France, one under right hand drive-in Bath, Somerset which is a R4GTL in white and the other's been posted under the vans/pick ups heading but is another R4GTL in red also in Somerset.
I checked back with eBay and they're in Minehead, Somerset and Norwich, Norfolk so all told you've a choice of four, (given that the red one's the same car on eBay and the R4Plus site), so far!
If I come accross anything else i'll let you know.

Rudi.
 
Also don't ignore the red on on eBay if you have time for an inspection. Might have been a little harsh the other day (bad mood), but there is nothing in the photos that might suggest it isn't a decent one. The listing issues might well have been to clarify MOT status or similar issue as I don't think that sort of thing can be altered once the ad is up and running.
 
Go abroad and buy one, but beware, Spain is a right pain on the paperwork side, but at least, you know the car will not be riddled with rust, dunno about Serbia and the like, but there are people on the forum who will know better.
 
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