Great video… Great car… I've had mine since new (well it was a dealer demonstrator) and 21 years later I have yet to find something that I would replace it with. I also have the Mars red 3 L V6 in privilege spec, and with the satnav. It's taking me to Paris and beyond on more than one occasion. It even makes me want to drive slowly. I once drove cross country between Gloucester and Cambridge at under 50 mph in open air mode listening to an audiobook and not caring one jot as vehicles zoomed pass on the occasional duel carriageway. At the moment I am researching electric vehicle information and thinking that maybe Sunday in the future the V6 may be swapped for an electric conversion and another 20 years of joyous driving could ensue.
Oh thank you, very kind words and amazed you've had yours since new! Bet you have some great stories of the early days and how it was supported by Renault. Ive had mine nearly 10 years! You clearly have the best spec ;p. I've yet to take mine overseas but that's set to change next year! It's a brilliant car to just cruise in and soak up your surroundings. It's more than a car, it's an experience! I'm sure electric conversions are gathering attention, for me original will always be best, fuel will be available the rest of my lifetime! Just another 20 years until historic status. Hopefully see your car around at some point, I'm up in Worcestershire
Thanks for the video. I like the enthusiasm, it shows that you really like this rare car. I have one in taiga green, with the 2.0 liter engine. driving it for the sixth year in everyday use. Hungarian licence plate. It has 245.000 kilometres on the clock ( 50.000 with me). No major problems with it. It WAS my dream car, I searched four years for one and I was soooooo lucky to find it in my favorite color.
Thank you for watching and commenting! That’s amazing that you have one to n that colour, that’s the best colour and super rare. Taiga green was called ‘Java’ Green in the UK. I love that colour, very jealous! It’s great you’ve used yours a lot, I’ve maybe done about the same mileage in my car too (50000km). The Avantime is my dream car too but it needs some attention. I hope you continue enjoying yours and glad there are Avantimes as far as Hungary!
@@saliherkan1 thanks Salih! Yeah I’ll definitely invest in a microphone, unfortunately I couldn’t up the volume in editing. Yeah I do love the colour, although I love all the Avantime Hues! Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback
My godfather owned one so i've driven one and i've been driven in one and i think it's an absolutely brilliant car :D the sad part about it is the maintenance costs and everything else related to it because it's a major pain. Buuut i still think it's a brilliant car overall :D
Hi, that’s great you’ve driven one and knew someone with one! You are absolutely right, the maintenance costs are high and finding the right parts a right pain but it’s such a great car it’s just about worth it as it’s an epic car! Thank you for watching and commenting and for the avantime love!
@@CarsofGlasgow haha thankyou. That model has sat on the dash since I bought my Avantime 11 years ago. I had the 1:43 model first, then upgraded to the 1:1!
@CarsofGlasgow that's amazing you have an LC. not enough people were brave enough to buy one. Has to be one of the most beautiful and shockingly designed car of the 21st century. Is yours the hybrid or V8 NA?
Haha thank you kindly! It's just stuff I choose to own! The Avantime has a lot of airtime I think especially with the popular car RU-vidrs but I hope to make more awareness of over looked cars like my Vel Satis and C4 VTS, and the crossfire too! Hope to do more videos very soon! Thanks for watching and commenting
Such a beautiful car that era of Renault was fantastic the shake your ass era as it was called car styling as only the French can ,,, i for one would to see design like that return
I agree it was an amazing time for Renault, very individual and modern, yet rather good looking cars! So many Renaults had great styling then through the range but they all managed to look different. I think the problem Renault has now is that all their cars are too conventional, like hatchback or SUV, so no interesting models to do something different! RIP Avantime, Vel Satis, Scenic, Wind, Laguna ! Thanks for watching l!
It's such a great-looking car. Renault predicted a far less brash and vulgar future than what ultimately came to pass with today's chrome-laden, awkwardly proportioned "crossovers". 🙄
Absolutely! Glad you agree! Yeah modern crossovers morphed hatchbacks and coupes plasted some high ride height base and the styling is in the garnish rather than the shape. The avantimes design is almost elegant, as it’s so clean and unfussy but so distinctive
Thankyou! Thanks for watching and commenting. The video could do with some worth but I just wanted to get across how cool the Avantime is! glad you like it :). The interior is so nice and it’s such an experience. They also spent lots of money on crazy things. It’s a different sort of luxury.
As Queen said, an englishman who appreciates french engineering makes me more human. Nick's pleasant personality is suited to presenting legendary cars.
Really cool car. Back in the late 90s my Grandad had the then current Espace which always had a premium feel for the class of car. Had lots of Renault's myself and from the early 2000s I had the 3dr Mégane 2 and Laguna 2 Privilege which have many features which resemble your car. Lots of inspiration from the Vel Satis Concept car.
Hey thanks for watching and commenting. You’re clear a family of Renault fans! Yeah the shape is definitely influence by the Vel Satis concept, but the styling details moved onto the Vel Satis. I also own a Vel Satis 2.0T Privilege that I will be doing a video on soon!
@@carmanick I loved my 2005 phase 2 Laguna Privilege. It was a diesel but so refined and we'll equiped. I did once drive a V6 and found the engine and gearbox to be very smooth and responsive. Maybe it suited it better than the MPV style body. I'm currently in the process of putting a 1997 MK1 phase 1 Mégane coupe back on the road.
@@markonmotoring I do believe Renaults are really under appreciated, people focus on a reputation rather than the cars. It’s great you’re putting a mk1 megane coupe on the road, they are a dying breed which were once plentiful! Great looking car and the 2.0 petrol engine is a cracker. I’ve had a couple of scenics which I loved and a mk1 clio which was a great car. The mk2 Laguna is a great undervalued car too and it looks great!
@@carmanick Mine is only a 1.6e Fidji. Really wanted a 2.0 16v F7R but they are near impossible to find now, especially really origional ones. My Dad had one if the first 1.6e in the UK back in 1996 on a M registration which started my love of the coupe. We've had our fair share of Clio 2 and R5s between us too though mostly low to mid spec models. From interesting design to lots of features, there was always something special about them.
Buy them up! This is a seriously collectable car, if you can afford the maintenance and the poor fuel economy, that is! They're currently being sold at knockdown prices.
Very true. Not sure mine is a great example but I bought in 2013 for £2300. You can still get them quite cheap but low mileage models are now going to classic car auctions and getting very good prices!
Nick, what you're describing with the gearbox sounds like old oil causing lack of oil pressure in the valve body. May be worth doing a transmission oil flush, (if you haven't already). This is the characteristic of the SU1 gearbox when the oil goes thin - its the exact same symptoms on the Vel Satis. Shunt when D engages and hanging on to 3rd gear. Great video though, very informative about the Avantime, I feel like you went very detailed!
Yeah that SU1 gearbox! I have changed the oil, I bought 3x the capacity so that I did a thorough flush and to be honest it made no difference. I think it perhaps has a hydraulic issue that needs resolving. But the issue you describe is exactly what mine is doing! My video is perhaps too detailed! I need to find a better balance and shorten the videos but I want to share the details that seem to be missing from other videos and show what I appreciate as an owner rather than a journalist for when the car was new...!
I worked in France at the time. One of my (French) colleagues said that this car was evidence that “sometimes French cars are too French even for the French”
Haha that’s a great line. Yeah I think it definitely was an acquired taste and was perhaps a big leap of faith too, especially for the money. Luckily some people were brave enough to buy them so I could buy one a decade later!
This is such a great review! You deserve much more views! That's really good! I am about to fall in love with this car too. The closer car that has ever been produced is maybe the Tesla Cybertrunk. It was so modern at its time and in 10-20 years it will be a classic like DS. From the video, the automatic gearbox does not seem too bad. It seems pretty reactive. I guess the biggest issue with it and the car in itself is finding spare parts... How many km/miles was your car at the time of the video?
Hi Vincent, that’s very kind of you to say, and thanks for watching and commenting! My Avantime has 114000 miles, so it’s not too high but has had good usage! It is hard to show the problems with the gearbox in the video but it is a bit hopeless! I think it may need a refurbishment and lots of 18 year old cars with automatic gearboxes probably need some attention! I agree it is a very modern, revolutionary car in so many way, it is not just one thing, but many clever things in the Avantime, just like the Citroen DS. A true legend and I hope people look after the ones that are remaining! Thanks again!
Your gearbox needs it's control valves cleaning and oil servicing, this will get rid of the shunts and delays. It uses the Aisin AW55-50SN gearbox as used in the Vel Satis I believe which I own. It will make a huge difference!!
Hey, yeah you are right the gearbox is shared, it’s also used within Volvo and Saab models. Is this something you’ve had done on your Vel Satis? I’ve had the oil changed, which cost a fair bit and made little difference. I reckoned it was an issue relating to a valve or solenoid.
@@carmanick Yes, it's the valves that need cleaning. I know a Vel Satis specialist which can service your gearbox for you properly. Theres a certain way to clean them. If you leave it too, late, then you can cause valve body damage and only a Sonnax shift kit may help this, otherwise, you would need a new valve body.
Hi, thankyou for watching and the kind words. It is a really good car, i would have like to pay better tribute with some cinematic footage, but it's been hard filming by myself!
@@sandyburnett3454 Hi, thanks for watching and I completely agree. I’ll never sell mine to will never reap the benefits but I the value definitely helps in terms of insurance valuation!
@@carmanick I wouldn't say a fan but it's pretty visible that car was not understood at it's time. It has some modern lines even by today's standards. It'd be a great success nowadays, of course with some changes here and there, such as a more refined interior and more aggressive headlights.
@@TobiasOliveira685 that’s fair! I’m not sure it’d do so well today, 3 door cars aren’t so popular today and neither are big renaults! But it’s very popular as a classic car now, I guess it’s rare and it’s got a cool following. If it was sold today it would help renaults brand image though with some changes like you say! Thanks for watching :)
@@carmanick agreed. It wouldn't be a best seller but looking at the Captur I can see a slight resemblance. What catches my attention the most ist the visibility and the sense of space given by the lack of column B. Another plus would be the enormous popularity of SUVs today, which didn't happen at that time. You're very welcome my friend. You've got a new subscriber.
