Haynes manuals in general, Renault Clio in particiular.

[Nick Odell]

Went into Halfords to browse the Haynes manuals today. I want to buy one as a gift for a friend who has a 2013 Renault Clio.

None of the manuals on display for any of the marques went beyond

2011. Does this mean Haynes are a little slow at keeping up or is there something similar to a Part P for motor vehicle repairs that means people can't work on new cars anymore so there won't be any new ones?

Just to complicate matters further, this 2013 Renault Clio wasn't made in the UK or in France but in Argentina. Is there any international record keeping system that could tell me the specification of the Argentine built car and help me work out its European equivalent - if any? And is this the best newsgroup to ask these questions?

Nick

[harry]

In days of yore, Haynes used to buy a car and dismantle it for every manual. Dunno if that's still true. So you wouldn't get a manual until they had time to do this.

In any event, nobody will be messing while the car is under guarantee.

[harry]

Info here:-

[Scott M]

From a logistical PoV it must take them a few years to catch up, even if it's just shifting old stock of books. Generally, unless there's a model change (Phase X -> Phase Y) cars don't change that much and, from some reading the other month about Clios, the engines much the same as they have been for years even through a body change. Anyway, it's French so will suffer with the same disease the British car industry used to and change stuff mid-year, mid-week or depending on how they feel that day.

Scott

[tim......]

Info here:-

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Not sure that I like: "Over the lifetime of a vehicle, the aftermarket is worth perhaps as much as the new cost price of the vehicle"

Apart from brake pads, tyres and lubricants (the latter two not being made by the car manufacturer) I would have thought the average car nowadays gets through bugger all in spares

tim

[Adrian]

No, but there is such a thing as a new car warranty. Apart from the dealer's phone number, all you'll need to know before the warranty expires is in the handbook which'll have come with the car.

Do you mean "made" or do you mean "sold"? Apart from the estate (Turkey), all Clio IVs sold worldwide are built in France, but specs may change for different markets. If it's the old Clio III, then it could also have been built in Spain or India (but I suspect the Indian plant just supplies the Indian market).

Since it's a new car, comparing the spec on the Argentinian and UK Renault websites would be your best bet?

Probably uk.rec.cars.misc

[Dis Manibus]

uk.rec.cars.maintenance seems more popular.

[Nick Odell]

I mean made. See

The Clio in the right hand box about half way down (in the Santa Isabel factory segment)is the car we are talking about.

I'm not finding that terribly easy. I'm getting the impression that the Clio Mio, made in Argentina and sold in Argentina and Brazil looks like a Clio IV but underneath is a Clio II. Would that even be possible? Should I be looking for the manual for a Clio II?

I might give that a try - and the other motor group - whose name escapes me right now - mentioned in another post.

Thanks for ideas!

Nick

[Theo Markettos]

Emerging markets often get the production lines when the primary markets have finished with them (once saw an entire GM production line for auction, yours if you collect from Shanghai), so often their cars are a decade behind the current models. Wikipedia says the Clio II is still made in Argentina and Colombia and the Clio Mio is a II.

One way to tell would be the VIN, which often encodes the platform information. If you can find an EPC (electronic parts catalogue) that would also reveal quite a lot of information. Some bits may well be different (engines, emissions control, lights, mirrors) depending on local markets and regulations.

uk.rec.cars.maintenance is the place to go.

Theo

[Frank Erskine]

I think as somebody else pointed out any servicing would wisely be carried out by a dealer in the first couple of years, likely under warranty. Also it does take a bit of time for the Haynes people to get their act together to "learn" a particular model, play about and write/publish an appropriate manual.

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , Nick Odell escribió:

uk.rec.cars.maintenance has some knowledgeable regular posters.

[Halmyre]

It does sound over-optimistic (or pessimistic!). Even after thirteen years of Alfa ownership (one brand new, one s/h) I've spent nothing like the purchase price in 'aftermarket'.

[Mark]

--snip--

Modern cars get through loads of steering and suspension parts thanks to the prevalence of large potholes in the roads.

Cam belts generally replacing one or more times during the lifetime of the car.

[tim......]

not on mine.

The costs of the work make it uneconomical against the 2nd hand value so it's going to the scrappy when it needs doing

tim

[Mark]

What is it, a Trabant ;-) ?

[tim......]

a "bog-standard" rep mobile!

It'll be 10 years old with a couple of dents (not my doing) and the RC on the central locking no longer works so you have to do a dance with the alarm every time you want to get in.

I reckon it's worth 750-1000.

I haven't got quotes for this car, but last time I had a cam belt replaced I didn't see any change out of 350 quid. Add in the cost of the normal service, MOT and a couple of new tyres that it almost needs and we're up close to 600 quid.

If I get 200 quid for it from the scrappy, why spend this much on it?

It's not the car that I aspire to driving (it's too big, costs too much to insure, and tax[1]), and in the short term I don't need it at all.

tim

[1] Yes I know!

[Mark]

And only due for its first cam belt change?

YMMV of course. Generally I consider my vehicles to be worth more to me than they would fetch on the open market (except for the odd 'dog')[*] - if I know a car to be reliable and well maintained. I tend to buy as new as I can afford and keep until it's dead.

If you don't need it that does make a difference ;-)

My car is a 14 year old Audi. It costs a lot to maintain but I consider it to be worth it since it would cost a forture to replace it with something half decent.

[*] Which is why it is usually better to keep than sell.

[tim......]

yep, I was surprised too!

tim