France in Focus

I love my Renault Scenic 1.5dci - but "Betsy", that's what we call her, is getting on a bit and will hit the 200,000 kms by the end of the year. We have had her for nearly six years and paid 10,000 euros for her in 2015 with just over 90000kms on the clock. She is my third Scenic and has never let us down, unlike Number 2 who gave up the ghost twice in a matter of months, the first time outside the Doctors surgery and the Doctor recommended her garage to come and take her away - a blessing in disguise because the second time was in the car park at our local Intermarché and we were able to ring the garage and get rescued within an hour or so.

Having gone through that stress l thought we should think about trading in Betsy for a younger model before any serious (and expensive) problems arise - Much to our surprise our local Renault dealers in Tonneins, Marmande, Pineulh and Langon have no second-hand Scenics in our price range of 10-13000. Apparently very few are coming ônto the market and those that do, in our area, are 20000 or more. We are now considering giving Betsy a new gearbox, Distribution, tyres, having a couple of dents straigtened out and touched up and, as a special treat, having her professionally cleaned inside and out. My brother in law who is a retired garagiste reckons if we do this we should easily get another 50-70000 kms out of her. I'm not so sure - Does anyone have any advice please!

Seems the problem is worldwide. There is a shortage of new cars because of the pandemic and chip shortage, which has a supply and demand effect on used cars. I'm going to hang on to my German diesels for a couple more years yet and then it's all electric.

Quick addition. I have been surprised at business cards being stuck behind the wipers of our cars in supermarket car parks from car dealers. There must be a shortage!

Personally I have no desire for one of the new or newer computers on wheels and certainly will never go electric. We both drive 20-year old Peugeot diesels both with over 200k on the clock. I will repair or rebuild as necessary or maybe get lucky and find an even older replacement at a sensible "non-classic" inflated price.

Will keep our diesel citreon C4 for many years till can no longer drive.as we don't do many klicks a year, less now as we won't be going back to the uk.
Will never buy an electric, can't stand all the lies of them being causing no polution, no one speaks about the polution and deaths caused by mining the rare earths to say nothing of battery disposal.
Have said it many times I think hydrogen would be much better and there wouldn't be thousands of still good cars going to rust as convertion isn't a fortune.

For all the electric naysayers, have you ever driven one or looked at the economics/pollution figures in detail?

BTW it's like the vaccine, there will be no option in the not too distant future

I got a two year old Rio to replace my nine year old one about three months ago just before the chip shortage hit. Being a COVID car it had only done about 12000 kms. Very satisfied with the upgrade and with the new bits and pieces whilst it remains the same car underneath.

The only problem is that the replacement is petrol whilst the old one was diesel and I am having some problems adapting the different clutch and power.

DaveW wrote: ↑Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:37 pm For all the electric naysayers, have you ever driven one or looked at the economics/pollution figures in detail?

BTW it's like the vaccine, there will be no option in the not too distant future

Definately looked, thats why I posted.
Have you seen the problems round the world of mining the rare metals,
Have seen a number of programs about it, starting with the number of villagers who have died in Chili, in Portugal theres a huge revolt against mining it. Also there being a shortage of electicity in europe, whats going to happen when all are made to go to electric? Ps don't say more wind turbines, have you seen how much oil they need to keep going?

Doug wrote: ↑Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:54 pm

DaveW wrote: ↑Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:37 pm For all the electric naysayers, have you ever driven one or looked at the economics/pollution figures in detail?

BTW it's like the vaccine, there will be no option in the not too distant future

Definately looked, thats why I posted.
Have you seen the problems round the world of mining the rare metals,
Have seen a number of programs about it, starting with the number of villagers who have died in Chili, in Portugal theres a huge revolt against mining it. Also there being a shortage of electicity in europe, whats going to happen when all are made to go to electric? Ps don't say more wind turbines, have you seen how much oil they need to keep going?

Can you back up any of that with facts - links would be OK

I will no longer argue. You have your opinion I have mine.
Look it up yourself if need be.
I look at on line at a lot of news,
Many good French tv programs have been reporting it.
Now I'm out.

You are entitled to your opinion , I respect that.

Shame you can't back up your public opinion - with facts.