17th Dec 2010, 18:04
I was a senior in college when my parents bought me an R-10 for graduation. That was in 1968 and I was to pick it up in Paris. But that was the year of the riots, and I spent many days in the Paris headquarters of Renault as the factory was slowed down by the disturbances. Finally, I got my car, a white one, and drove it all over Europe and the Northeastern U.S., as well as a move to California. I had trouble with the accelerator in the winter in New Hampshire when it stuck. The manual pull handle for the forward trunk broke several times. But the seats were wonderful! I sold the car in 1978 for close to nothing. But I miss my car greatly!
24th Jun 2014, 02:27
I have had several R10's in New England. They never rusted because I would hose them down every week.
The first was a '67, brand new, next to my VW Beetle. The Rene was more up-to-date and had better gas mileage and was more quiet. Fun to drive. I couldn't wait to drive it. It went on many long distance drives from Boston to St Louis. Never got tired. Very reliable, nothing ever went wrong. But after 100,00 miles my wife did it in. She could not shift correctly, and ruined second gear.
Traded it in for a push button automatic. It was OK, not as smooth, but this car turned out to be a lemon. Also it was because it had new emission devices and a different carb. This stuff did not work, it was horrible to drive. And so was my brother's VW Beetle that had the same problems.
Later I bought several used R10's from people who had them in their back yard. They were all good. I made money selling them to buy my college daughter a new Plymouth Horizon. What a mistake that was. I wish I still had a R10 to drive compared to my 2013 Hyundai Accent.
One thing I found on the R10, the gear shift was very sloppy, I would remove the rubber bushing at the bottom of the gearshift under the car and would put in a wooden block; it shifted like a VW after that. Very direct.
4th Nov 2010, 23:23
Wow, what a car. Had a 69 R10 in 82 my senior year in high school. My girlfriend loved them fold flat bench seats! Anyway I'm looking for one to convert to electric, with the room up front and rear engine, electronic transmission removed ample battery space. I got 55mi to the gallon in southern Illinois. It would fair well here in Hendersonville NC. Direct drive with a 30-40 HP electric motor would suffice in these here mtns. If you have one that's not running and don't want to part with it, this is an option to finding all those engine and transmission parts. Just a thought.