Routine Service for Renault 4 in Ireland

[jacktherev]

Hi all

I live in Antrim in Northern Ireland and have an excellent Renault 4 with very small mileage. I am not mechanically minded nor do I have the time. I was wondering if ther is anyone in Ireland who could carry out a routine service for me?

I am willing to pay the going rate but would like someone whomhascavpassion for and knows something about Renault 4s.

Please email me.

Jack the Rev

 

[ggcton]

Have you thought of your local Renault dealer?
Here where I live in Louth Lincolnshire the dealer (Pocklingtons) is one of the older family run businesses.
They have mechanics who have been around a long time and remember the old cars.
They have worked on my R16 R6 and 4GTL in the past and they put themselves out to try and find parts.
I know this would not have been the case when I lived near London and they had little interest in older cars.

 

[jacktherev]

Have tried

Ggcton
I'm afraid this part of the country is a bit like London. All the Renault dealers are relatively new. I went into a Renault dealer near me and the guy in the parts dept said he had never heard of a Renault 4.

No much point in leaving my car in there.

 

[RichardIRL]

There is an owner called Maurice Roddy in Dundalk who runs an Opel garage. He runs two Renault 4s and might be worth a try. Otherwise there is somebody in Dublin who services mine. You can email me (you have my email).

 

[benchseat]

Routine servicing on the R4 means changing the oil regularly, oil filter less often, plugs and distributor cap less often still, radiator coolant once every five years, and keeping an eye on the condition of the tyres.

For servicing you need a sump spanner, an oil filter wrench, a plug spanner, and (to get the wheels off since the wheelbrace is useless) a 17mm ring spanner. The cost of these is fairly low and they can all be bought online.

The only other thing you need is a dry garage. R4s are, if you haven't realised it already, one of the worst rust-traps on the planet (exceeded only by late-plate Citroen 2CVs). If yours was one of those manufactured in Ireland in the late 1970s the problem will be even worse as their build quality was non-existent.

Being "not mechanically minded" is a psychological limitation, not an inevitable state of being. What you need is to be able to spare a couple of hours with an experienced enthusiast who will explain how these things are done — and to be willing to learn. There must be plenty reading this Forum who would be prepared to help.

Anyone buying a classic car must accept the fact that they have to carry out routine maintenance and servicing themselves in order to protect their investment. To be fair to Renault dealers, it is not possible in today's economic climate for them to dedicate time and manpower to learning how to service a car which ceased availability in the UK 26 years ago and is now seriously obsolescent.

 

[stephen porter]

R4 servicing.

Anytime you are over here in U K our garage would be happy to service your R4 (I began my career in the motor trade in 1973 working on Renaults)Were based in Deeping St James Lincs. Not too local I grant you!

 

[jacktherev]

Thanks

Stephen

Thanks for the offer but its most unlikely that I will have the R4 over but if I do I'll keep it in mind.

Thanks again

Jack the Rev