Finalgear's Resident Kangoo

[Speedtouch]

As I passed today, I thought I'd share the car I get to drive with you.

Its a 1999 Renault Kangoo 1.4 RXE.
My parents bought it brand new ten years ago (V plate), and it's taken my mum to work ever since. We bought it as a second car (the first being my dad's company car, which was a Saab then an Audi) but then he lost his job, so it became our only car. So it does a lot of miles now.
Except we don't actually know how many, because the screen with the mileometer on is broken and has been for about 3 years.
And because of the circumstances we bought it (old Renault 5 was very very close to dying - so we needed wheels fast) it may be one of the only Kangoos about without air con. And man it sucks to not have it.

I think the worst thing about it, is just the way it looks and feels. The plastics on the interior are horrible - just while driving it I find the steering wheel almost uncomfortable to hold. The seats (especially the back ones, which I've had to suffer in for the past 10 years) are quite hard and pretty upright, so can give you a numb bum when on very long journeys.
It does have plenty of space in it. Headroom that is, though. It is very tall (when we bought it I could stand up on the seats without my head touching the roof), but very thin. So it does lean quite a bit.

The driving position is weird - you sit surprisingly high up, and pretty upright. The gear lever is seemingly miles away meaning you have to actually lean forward to change gear. The clutch weighs a tonne, and the gearbox is clunky, loose and inaccurate (it is 10 years old...).

However it ain't actually that bad to drive. Its quite chuckable (even if it does lean a lot) and the steering gives a good amount of feel back.
But don't try and go fast - it doesn't. I've tried 0-60 (sort of) and it was around about 25-30 seconds. If you are following a lorry in 5th at about 55mph, then go to overtake, be prepared for a wait. Floor it and it'll take a good 10 seconds to reach 70.

The car itself is still in tip-top condition. The only damage is two cracked wing mirrors (nothing to do with me - I had to learn with extra blind spots ). No scrapes or bumps worth talking about, and the interior is also completely as it was when it left the factory, except for the mileometer screen and the bulb behind the temperature controls - which are both multiple hundred pound jobs







I hope to grab some more pictures when I have the time to go out somewhere nice (rather than my Granddad's driveway) to get some proper photos.

[public]

Well, at least it's got character. You could be stuck with a Korean equivalent.

[Speedtouch]

It is a brilliant second car indeed, but not a first.

[jayhawk]

Everyone, when they first start driving should learn how to drive, uh....peppery cars.

My first car when I first started driving in 1992 was a 1986 Pontiac Parisenne land yacht. It even had rear wheel covers, so it looked I was borrowing by grandparents car. But, I could lay across the back seat, so that meant lots of fornicating.
I won't mince words there.

[public]

Originally Posted by jayhawk

But, I could lay across the back seat, so that meant lots of fornicating.
I won't mince words there.

To think of this happening in a Kangoo...

And no, without the rhino.

[Quiky]

Originally Posted by jayhawk

My first car when I first started driving in 1992 was a 1986 Pontiac Parisenne land yacht. It even had rear wheel covers, so it looked I was borrowing by grandparents car. But, I could lay across the back seat, so that meant lots of fornicating.
I won't mince words there.

Speaking of, I know some old people that drive one..

[Donington]

First of all, congratulations on passing your driving test!
Secondly, try to look past the Saxondale Pest Control van appearance of the Kangoo and think of the possibilities. A Kangoo type van car is great cause you can get a bunch of mates and girls and all the crap they want to bring with them and head off to the beach or whatever. You won't fit all that stuff and people in a Clio. It might not have the cred of a VW Bus, put it does the job.

...and don't ever feel tempted to take corners at any rate of knots in this thing!

[darkshark0159]

I'm glad your parents opted for the Nürburgring Edition Kangoo. Definitely gives it some racing cred.

I know you don't like it, but you should give it a serious cleaning inside and out. Even bad cars seem somewhat nice when they are all fresh and new looking.

[Speedtouch]

^ Yeah the NürburgRing edition... As a side note, it has not even been to Germany, we just put the sticker on this rather than my dad's company car...

And it does need a clean yes. I need to sometime in the near future.

And about the parties on the beach - we will hopefully be doing that as a mate of ours has a house on the beach (well, the Channel, but it's a beach) so we'll load a few cars up and drag them down.

I also realised today how much I want my own car. I would be so much happier if I could drive to school and just have my own set of wheels, but as we all know, my savings are no-where near enough to pay for the insurance.

[prizrak]

Congrats on your newly acquired right to drive! Don't feel too bad my first car was a 98 Buick Century that I had to share with my parents. It has a 0-60 time of something like 15 seconds, it was automatic and had a shifting logic of "GET TO TOP GEAR FAAAST" so at 30 you would end up in 4th gear unable to do anything. It had so little power that my g/f (who is far from heavy) being the car actually made a noticeable difference in performance.

Learn to drive this car well and when you get money you can upgrade to something more interesting

[Speedtouch]

I've had a quick look and think that I could possibly just be able to afford a nice old mid/late Astra 1.4, but it would mean all my savings and wages go on it, leaving me with nothing at all. And considering I want to go on a road trip with a mate in a year or two, that ain't too good.

[killpanda]

Congrats on your driving license

Now the real question is: Do you really need your own car yet?

[Cobol74]

Speed

You really need to get a car in Ins. Grp. 1, or worst 2 - it will cost you a fortune otherwise.


My daughter is taking lessons and is hoping to pass in August - already got her an old (1999) Yaris GLS 1.0 Vvti. One tip, I put myself and Mrs Cobol74 on the Policy and it was cheaper with us both on!

[Speedtouch]

^ Yeah I will agree that maybe I'm aiming way too high. The Kangoo is group 5, so isn't that cheap. I'll have another look.

@Killpanda: No, I do not need my own car. I live close to the train station which I have used to get to school since 2003 when I joined secondary school. But that is not the point - I have waited a bloody long time to be able to drive, and I'm sure some people won't understand me, but having my own car would make me unbelievably happy.

[killpanda]

Yeah I totally understand that, having a car means freedom and happiness!

I so miss my car right now

[Posmo]

Originally Posted by killpanda

Congrats on your driving license

Now the real question is: Do you really need your own car yet?

You don't buy a car because you need one, you buy a car because you want one

Although, with the UK insurance, you have REALLY want a car to be able to afford it

[Speedtouch]

^ I do REALLY want one, but I still cannot afford anything.

One problem is the fact I don't have much money at all to spend on the car in the first place, so getting a group 1 car is very tough. I've checked and for a Mk1 Clio 1.2 it would be about £1400 for the first year (all considered), which is way too close to my entire earnings etc for a year. I reckon I need a second job for the summer.

Strangely though, I have a friend who has a Rover 100 and has bought/insured it for about £600. That's a group 3 car, and I don't know how he did it... I think maybe getting onto the phone may be a better way to find out prices.

[darkshark0159]

Internet prices are always quite a bit more than in person quotes from my experience. I've never insured a UK car before, but I imagine that logic should still work.

[killpanda]

Maybe your mom can buy and insure a beige Volvo

[Speedtouch]

Uh, no. They can't. I've tried convincing them to change the car, but they won't budge.