HIGHLIGHTS

THE APPEAL

THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK

• First UK registered 11th December 2002
• DVLA generated ‘Record of Keepers’ wallet is in the history file
• First owner - Knutsford, Cheshire for 2 months
• Second owner - Doncaster, Yorkshire for 16 months
• Third owner - Baldocks Renault, Haywards Heath for 9 months
• Fourth owner - South London, for just shy of 16 years
• MOT until 7th March 2024 and has covered circa 285 miles since
• No advisories on the last MOT
• No advisories ever noted on any previous MOT’s
• Thick history file including old invoices, V5s and all previous MOTs
• Two keys (plus cubby key) with factory remote alarmed locking
• Immaculate, original leather zipper wallet containing every original booklet and pamphlet
• Original service book with VIN sticker plus a duplicate service book
• The service book shows ten service stamp entries up to 98,404 miles in September 2017
• The Cambelt, water pump and fly-wheel Pully were replaced at the time of last regular service at 98,404 miles
• The Accessories Belt and Tensioners were also replaced as a standard precaution at 99,443 miles on 26th July 2018 according to a written entry in the service book
• There is a Renault pamphlet in the history file that shows the positioning point for a cross tray in the boot - the equipment is mounted in situ and looks in good order - (presumably this is a rare original option - and one that we have never seen before)

THE INTERIOR

• True to the Paris Salon Concept Car design - the sweeping interior is beautifully appointed
• Very little sign of age or wear, reflecting careful ownership
• Half-Leather upholstery is in excellent condition
• The seatbelt plastic base sleeve that surrounds the belt exit on the huge front seats usually break and fall apart on Avantimes. These are both present and excellent on this car with just a single fine split on the driver’s seat-belt sleeve
• Door cards are excellent with correct and original trim fittings
• Interior door handles look excellent and free of chips or seat buckle scars
• Centre-console plastics and switch-gear surrounds are very smooth, smart and free from the tacky feel of aged soft plastic coatings synonymous with these vehicles
• Carpets are immaculate and protected by rare original over-mats, which are themselves in excellent condition
• Switchgear appears unmarked with perfect cubby doors, clips and even the fine vent plastics all present and correcting, appear in perfect order
• The dashboard is similar, showing no visible marks and no colour fade
• Clear dials and controls are all working correctly
• The original radio (controlled from the steering wheel) functioning as it should
• The beige headlining appears to be original and unmarked
• ‘Grande Air’ mode button effortlessly retracts the glass roof and simultaneously drops all four windows to create a pillarless driving experience like no other car
• The minimalist dash read-outs show everything correctly, with no warning signs
• The original jack and brace are correctly stowed beneath the rear passenger seats
• The boot area is unmarked with bright unmarked carpet and chromed loops
• The door seals and the giant boot seal are all present, correct and undamaged
• This car has been kept in a ventilated modern garage since 2006 and consequently, the condition of the soft plastics, rubbers and furnishings appear to have been very well-preserved

THE EXTERIOR

• Elegant Illiad blue metallic beneath customary silver aluminium roof rails
• The paintwork appears to be original but for the nearside flank which had a repair for a long scratch when the vehicle was 7 years old. There are a couple of imperfections in the nearside rear flank paint when examined closely, including a shallow scuff the size of a penny. However, the paint colour is very good and the finish has kept the presentation of this car to a very high level. The standard of this car is quite exceptional, hence the importance of pointing out this imperfection, albeit minor
• Signs of use and wear are minimal. There are a number of small stone chips to the front bumper and bonnet
• The silver roof rails on Avantimes have a habit of oxidising and forming blisters beneath the paint. The rails on this car are smooth, with no signs of oxidisation whatsoever
• Aluminium wing mirror housings are a weak spot but look excellent here
• The 17” alloys are specific to the Avantime and these were refurbished more than twelve years ago and still look magnificent today. The front two have developed a couple of very small blisters, whilst both rears still appear to be close to perfect
• All four-wheel centre caps are original and in excellent condition
• All tinted glass looks free of any meaningful scratches, chips or fractures
• Matching Pirelli tyres fitted all-round with good even tread
• Lights are in excellent condition with no signs of clouding, fracture or scars
• The Avantimes were built with galvanised chassis. Remarkably, the underside of this particular car appears to be virtually as good underneath as it is on top
• A spare space-saver steel wheel is fitted beneath the car and still has full black paint
• Stainless Steel Cat-Back exhaust system
• Renault Main-Dealer numberplates have some minor signs of age
• All drainage channels look clean and free of corrosion
• Sills look free of any signs of corrosion and appear entirely original
• All exterior trims and fittings look original, unmodified and excellent throughout

THE MECHANICS

• 1998cc 2-Litre Renault Turbo
• Six-speed manual gearbox
• Dipstick check shows golden oil - (2,000 miles since last recorded service)
• Starts effortlessly and settles quickly into a gentle and even idle
• Owned by an engineer for the sixteen years prior to the current registered keeper, the car history file shows diligent, no-expense-spared, upkeep during his clearly, conscientious ownership 
• No advisories on any previous MOT tests

SUMMARY