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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... :-)

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... :-)