Why the lack of interest Now

[Greeney in France]

I think you are right but what I said earlier about dealers crushing 15yr old plus in part ex is not going to help.
In the UK if I had "spare cash" I could nt put through the bank:eek: I used to buy and sell the odd car or 2 but I think that is near impossible here unless its a classic or falls in a cheap bracket of €2000ish.
the mentality "here at least" is that a car is a functional tool and it only gets replaced when absolutely necessary and then its go and buy a new one from a dealer, there are hardly any second hand car dealers like you get EVERYWHERE in the UK.
Thats one of the reasons I think that people think their R4 that has sat in the field for 10yrs is still worth 1000€ because it "marche bien" when they put it there and to them its functional. Even if the chickens lay there eggs in in it serves a purpose.:roll:

 

[woody]

Still many R4's on the road here in the Vendee/Deux Sevres area, I see at least one a day if not more!!
Interestingly I have been noting the sale of R4's on the French Ebay over the last 3-4 weeks. Anything with a CT seems to command a price of at least 500 Euros However no less than 6 this week did not get any bids and did not sell. Maybe it's distance that discourages many sales, you have to go a hell of a way to see any of these cars in most instances and one might suspect that the journey is not worth while, the French idea of a good usable vehicle leaves much to be desired. Most just hanging together by rusty bits and pieces!!. My experience is such that if it's still usible they keep it. Unlike the UK with road tax etc, it costs very little to keep a car here.

 

[Greeney in France]

I forgot to add they dont have a tendancy to want to "keep up with the Jones'" either which means they dont worry what others think.
My lovely neigbours drive a 90s BMW 3series and you occasionally hear locals say "they drive a bmw you know" never jealously though sometimes with a "its german you know"added (at least in this area anyway)

 

[Martin Hall]

To add to what I was saying before
How could this little beauty be only worth 800 euros 500 pounds
If only I still had the room to keep them i would buy this

http://www.leboncoin.fr/vi/11786336.htm?ca=6_s

 

[Greeney in France]

That is lovely i think i may enquire my favourite front too

 

[malcolm]

I've often wondered why there doesn't seem to be any great interest in the UK for the 850 cars. Suppose it's because there aren't many around any more. I do find them so much nicer than GTLs.

Though the early grille cars have a 3 speed gearbox, and I can see that being a hassle. I used to feel they looked a little grumpy too, but they are growing on me. I have a future '65 project where all the special bits are in good condition, just everything else is past redemption.

 

[Greeney in France]

Funnily enough I saw a little red pompier F4 at the CT station hier with just the same enigmatic smile, I asked the technician to ask if it was for sale and left my number he said it was a 1967, and as it was faded around the stickers you could still see the pompier signs

 

[angel]

To Martin Hall: We should accept that R4 prices are generally low, because that's the market. I have always used the example of a very good 2CV which can easily reach 6000 euros and a R4 in the same condition can just reach 2500 euros. It's just the demand/offer, parts availability, "trend" etc. Classic cars that have a high price usually have a lot of not-in-the-know buyers. It's very seldom for somebody to search for a R4 just by saying "I saw one, liked it and I want one". Most of R4 buyers owned one in the past or had a close friend who let them drive it or such. As most of us say "you should live with it to love it".

Malcolm, I agree that the 850cc is a sweeter car, but keep in mind that a lot of people buy a R4 as a practical classic (with the full meaning of the word!). That means better open road performance and hillclimbing, usable brakes, more modern interior...I

 

[Marcas]

Prices in Brittany

I was interested to read Martin's post about Renault 4s in Brittany as I spend a fair bit of time there. I'm not in the market for one just at the moment but would be curious to know if it is possible to get a late model car in decent condition and, if so, what is the going price in that part of the world.

 

[Greeney in France]

Well I am not in the north but south centre.
I have just stripped a 93 car (it came from near Orleans) and if that is anything to go by it suffers just the same fate as any you might get from the UK.
The cars that I have picked up around me are not half as bad and would suggest the further south you could go the less likelyhood it would have suffered from rust Prices can vary though too but most are demanding €1000-1500 for a usable with CT more like 2500for something a bit tidier with low klm or a special like a bye bye or parisiene 3000plus I have even seen them for €5000 :eek:

 

[Marcas]

Prices

I currently drive a left hand drive 30 year old beetle cabriolet which I have kept in reasonable nick for the past 15 years by careful attention to anti-rust treatment. I hope to have space for another classic at some stage in the next year or two and liked the look of the R4 and the idea of driving something that did 40mpg. It sounds like there are a lot of expensive to put right rust buckets out there. Are even the late cars not rust proofed at all well or is it possible to get hold of something with decent bodywork?

 

[Greeney in France]

I stand by what I said about rust, if you aim for Mid to south France or pay the extra in the UK for a well sorted one, the R4 is a great little classic easy to work on and they dont really need alot of work or money to keep them in good order You have to remember this is a forum so 90% of the time its about problem solving but I think you will find 90% of the ownersip time they are a joy There is something adorable about them and thats coming from a citroën fanatic

 

[Marcas]

Prices

I'm not disputing your appraisal as I have no knowledge of these cars. My only experience of Renault was a rather ugly Renault 11 which I scraped after it failed the MOT when it was about 17 years old. It failed on structural rust underneath the car while door bottoms wings etc survived in good condition. Having looked at your picture of the 1993 Renault 4 chassis posted elsewhere on the forum it strikes me that it would only be worth considering a car that was sound in this area if it were possible to find one.