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Renault has a bit of history with slightly exotic controls. Take for example the Renault 4 shifter: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Renault4inside.JPG h

Renault has a bit of history with slightly exotic controls. Take for example the Renault 4 shifter: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Renault4inside.JPG https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Renault4inside.JPG When I got a ride from a friend long time ago, I was puzzled by how that operates. And, of course, there were two different W patterns manufactured at different times: one where R is top-left, and one where R is bottom-right (pictured above). However, with modern Renault shifters you can't put it into reverse when you didn't intend to, because there's that ring that you lift before it goes to R.

arethuza 10y ago
Many years ago we had a Renault 4 hire care in Morocco and my wife was driving and she wasn't happy using that control so she got me, the passenger, to change gear. She'd hit the clutch, shout the gear she wanted ("Second"), I'd change gear, she'd put the clutch in and on we'd go....
- brokenmachine 10y ago
  I hope you didn't have to do any hill starts...
  - ptaipale 10y ago
    Changing gears is not a problem for hill starts, you start in 1st gear anyway. Using handbrake to assist hill start could be a problem, but not in Renault 4, where it might actually be more feasible for a passenger to operate the lever: https://pim.famnit.upr.si/blog/uploads/Interfaces/hand-brake-R4.jpg https://pim.famnit.upr.si/blog/uploads/Interfaces/hand-brake... However, in modern Renaults some models (Scenic) have an electric handbrake near the driver door, where the passenger possibly cannot reach it. The electric handbrake is a hill start assist as such, though. And it's one of those electric subsystems that can break, is necessary for the annual MOT check, and is very expensive to fix... (900 € for the part, plus cost of work).
    - wiredfool 10y ago
      And all of the special electrical thingies in my Renault are keyed to the VIN, so you can't get a used/refurb part, they've got to be new. And the Renault dealer is the only one that can program the VIN into the part. I think my electric hand brake was 660€, but I've got a mechanic who's good at finding parts. But he still had to take it to the Renault dealer for programming. And it relies on a 161€ clutch position sensor (which is different than the interlock for startup sensor) Mechanically, Renaults seem pretty good. Electrically, I'm not so sure.
    - brokenmachine 10y ago
      > Changing gears is not a problem for hill starts, you start in 1st gear anyway. True, but in my car with a pretty slow first gear, on a steep hill you need to be pretty fast with the change from first to second.
  - arethuza 10y ago
    I actually don't remember too many problems - we drove from Marrakesh over the Atlas mountains and stayed at Ouarzazate for a while before driving back. The problem we did have was caused by a lack of clarity as to whose responsibility it was to keep an eye on the fuel gauge... :-)

arethuza 10y ago

Many years ago we had a Renault 4 hire care in Morocco and my wife was driving and she wasn't happy using that control so she got me, the passenger, to change gear. She'd hit the clutch, shout the gear she wanted ("Second"), I'd change gear, she'd put the clutch in and on we'd go....

brokenmachine 10y ago
I hope you didn't have to do any hill starts...
- ptaipale 10y ago
  Changing gears is not a problem for hill starts, you start in 1st gear anyway. Using handbrake to assist hill start could be a problem, but not in Renault 4, where it might actually be more feasible for a passenger to operate the lever: https://pim.famnit.upr.si/blog/uploads/Interfaces/hand-brake-R4.jpg https://pim.famnit.upr.si/blog/uploads/Interfaces/hand-brake... However, in modern Renaults some models (Scenic) have an electric handbrake near the driver door, where the passenger possibly cannot reach it. The electric handbrake is a hill start assist as such, though. And it's one of those electric subsystems that can break, is necessary for the annual MOT check, and is very expensive to fix... (900 € for the part, plus cost of work).
  - wiredfool 10y ago
    And all of the special electrical thingies in my Renault are keyed to the VIN, so you can't get a used/refurb part, they've got to be new. And the Renault dealer is the only one that can program the VIN into the part. I think my electric hand brake was 660€, but I've got a mechanic who's good at finding parts. But he still had to take it to the Renault dealer for programming. And it relies on a 161€ clutch position sensor (which is different than the interlock for startup sensor) Mechanically, Renaults seem pretty good. Electrically, I'm not so sure.
  - brokenmachine 10y ago
    > Changing gears is not a problem for hill starts, you start in 1st gear anyway. True, but in my car with a pretty slow first gear, on a steep hill you need to be pretty fast with the change from first to second.
- arethuza 10y ago
  I actually don't remember too many problems - we drove from Marrakesh over the Atlas mountains and stayed at Ouarzazate for a while before driving back. The problem we did have was caused by a lack of clarity as to whose responsibility it was to keep an eye on the fuel gauge... :-)