The way things were

[John M]

Now I am once again a Renault 4 owner after a lapse of about 40 years I am amused to look back and compare then and now.

A regular trip for me was from Leeds to North Wales. I did this most weekends to go sailing on the Mauddach Estuary and at the beginning of the season would hitch the boat (450 kg)on the back of the car and set off over the. then, quite new M62 motorway. I do remember that 850 cc made the journey up onto the top of the Pennines quite slow and in third gear unless there was a head wind and then it was down into second. The traffic then was a lot slower and I wouldn't do it now in the Renault. I still do the same journey with the boat but now I have 140hp and get over the Pennines in 6th gear. Not as testing and much more relaxed.

One weekend there was a terrible knocking sound from the front which I guessed was a drive shaft on the way out. On the way back home it finally gave up the ghost and parted company. I didn't belong a car recovery club so hitch hiked to the nearest garage and got a tow back to the garage. Note this was Sunday night in Wales with no public transport, but not to worry, I stuck out a thumb and got a lift in a Mercedes with a driver who was hung over from a trip to Ireland. As it turned out this was great as he asked me to drive so I did.

The next weekend I got a mate to give me a lift back to Wales clutching a new drive shaft which took all of half an hour to change in a lay-by at the side of the road. Contrast this with my Passat. A warning light came on and my local garage couldn't fix it and it had to go to the main agent for repair.
Ah how thing change. Nowadays the VW get used for all the boring stuff and when the sun shines the Renault and I go for a wander through the lanes and have a quiet leisurely lunch somewhere. Smiles all round.

2016 will hopefully see me on my first ever trip to France. I am told Brittany is worth a visit? Does any one know of nice places to visit and stay?
The pictures below are then and now photos of the boat I still trail all over the place.

 

[André4Renaults]

Brittany is gorgeous! We spent 2 weeks there last June and suffered mild sunburn, it was so hot! We stayed at a small hotel in Dinard and used it as a base to explore the area; St. Malo & Rennes are but 2 places an easy drive from there. We travelled there and back in a French car (but I'm ashamed to admit it was a Citroën Xantia, not a Renault 4!) and, aside from the lovely holiday, we spotted several Renault 4s, together with quite a few Citroën Duex Chevaux. The wine in the area is delightful and we brought back quite a lot (that's a drastic understatement!) together with some amazing cheeses! French Autoroutes are similarly easy to use and I'd recommend a travel cashcard to pay one's tolls; works like a cashcard but without any charges.

My outlook may be coloured by my ability to speak French very well, but Brittany is very Anglicised anyway, so you'd only need a limited ability to speak French & off you go! Enjoy!

 

[John M]

Thanks for the information. I don't have a word of French but I do have Gallic arm gestures and am very good at the shoulder shrug.

 

[André4Renaults]

Eh, les Anglais!!!

 

[jjad]

Great memories, and lovely boat (Wayfarer, isn't it?).

Glad that you have a Renault 4 you can enjoy. Modern cars are annoying in being difficult and expensive to fix. We've taken our R4 to France (camping) and had a great time. Enjoy!

 

[John M]

Yes it's a Wayfarer. I have had it since 1972 shame cars don't last as long, especially with immersion in salt water. I am hoping that once I have a tow-bar fitted we will be on our travels again.

 

[Mike313]

Re. places worth visiting in Brittany - there are too many to mention in a single post however here's a few that spring to mind. Paimpol, beautiful little town with a very attractive port and a nice beach. Plenty of quayside bars and restaurants and well worth a visit. Carnac, also on the coast, and famous for its standing stones (menhir I think they call them). Penestin is a nice little coastal town a little further south and they have a nice market there once a week. If you are near Malestroit they have a very good War Museum there that is well worth seeing. Quimper is famous for its folklore festival of Cornuaille - lots of folk music - in July most years. If you get as far south as Lorient in August you might be in time for the Lorient Pan-Celtique Festival, with bands from Brittany (or Breizh as they call it in their own language), Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Don't forget to sample the 'cidre' as this is apple country rather than grape country as well as the savoury pancakes called 'galettes'. I'm sure others can add to the list of "must-see's" .....

 

[Azazello]

I've never seen vineyard nor apple fields in brittany... but cider is really tasty!

 

[John M]

Thanks very much. It looks like you have planned my holiday. Great.

Just fitted new speedo with mph instead of the kph. I may well change it back for when I go to France. These old cars are a joy to work on compared to a modern one. I doubt I could have fitted a new speedo into my Passat in half an hour.

 

[tim1casa]

The one thing you will regret if you go to Brittany is not having your Wayfarer with you. I did Brittany from the sea nearly 40 yrs ago, and it simply was amazing. If you have the time, and are well organised, the sailing is just superb. The Morbihan, Belle Isle, Quimper, Camaret and if your brave the Raz du Seine are such amazing places. We didn't do North of Brest, but that looks equally interesting, with plenty of small rocky offshore islets. Inland, I believe, it is also amazing, like a French Cornwall, but much bigger. The seafood restaurants are the best, some prices are a little high in the most touristy areas like Camaret. Lorient is interesting for the old U-boat pens, but didn't think too much of it otherwise. Masses to see, plenty to do, but if you are a sailor, you will hate to be landlocked.

 

[John M]

By September I will need a rest from sailing having spent a couple of months sailing in Scotland and Holland and a week or so on the Suffolk rivers, a land locked holiday will be great.
Thanks for all the information. I am looking forward to enjoying it all.

 

[pepper]

Thanks very much. It looks like you have planned my holiday. Great.

Just fitted new speedo with mph instead of the kph. I may well change it back for when I go to France. These old cars are a joy to work on compared to a modern one. I doubt I could have fitted a new speedo into my Passat in half an hour.

If you have fitted a mph speedometer, doesn't it have km on it too?

 

[John M]

so it does!

 

[pepper]

That'll save a little time when you want to go abroad then...

 

[John M]

Just found an old photo of my first 4 taken in about 1971


I don't remember the registration number but it was green, 6 volts and 3 speed with a lovely bench seat.