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Rescued three goats; bought a Renault Megane Convertible

Published by Gavin Big-Surname at 21st July 2016
2000 Megane Cabriolet roof down

Last weekend, we bought three goats. Three male goats to be precise, destined for a one-way ticket to the market. The good news is: after living the good life in Dorset, all three goats are now enjoying a new life in a different part of the country.

The even better news: we now own a Renault Megane Convertible 1.6 16v Sport. Allow me to explain.

You know how it is: you’re stood listening to the conversation between the farmer and your wife when, out of the corner of your eye, you spot something French over on the other side of the farm. Something yellow and French. Something… wait, what – it’s for sale..?

At that point, the goat chat became little more than white noise as my thoughts turned to a summer with a Megane Convertible. The conversation continued without my input – all I heard was “goats blah, blah, blah, escape artists, blah, blah, blah, eat anything, blah, blah, blah, will escape, blah, blah, blah, next door’s roses, blah, blah, blah.”

Could I justify another French car on the fleet? Is buying a 16-year-old Megane with an electric folding roof really such a good idea? Should I simply walk away and get back to matters of a lonely goatherd, lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo? These are all rhetorical questions, because, having left my wife to deal with matters of the goat variety, there’s now a very yellow Megane Convertible parked outside.

In truth, it belongs to Mrs Big-Surname: a summer runabout to act as a tender for the big blue battleship, otherwise known as the Isuzu D-Max. In an act of unusually good timing, the purchase has coincided with a rather unseasonal (for Britain) heatwave, meaning the top has been down more often than it has been up. How very un-British. We seem to love our droptops, but curiously far too many people are reluctant to lower the roof.

Yellow Renault Megane Cabriolet

Ownership of a Renault Megane Convertible presents a number of firsts. Strangely, it’s the first Renault I, or rather we, have owned, and it’s also the first four-seat convertible to join the fleet. First yellow car: tick. First car bought without any history: tick. First car with an electric folding roof: tick. First £500 mistake: time will tell…

I’d like to say that £500 is a bargain price, but it’s actually the going rate for a Mk1 Renault Megane Convertible. Anyone unfortunate enough to follow me on Twitter will know that I’ve often held this car aloft as a prime example of cheap droptop fun: ranking it alongside the Peugeot 306 Cabriolet and Fiat Punto Cabriolet as the most PetrolBloggy ragtops of the era.

Seriously, any thoughts of rational decision making and common sense go out of the window when you press the Transformers button and set the roof mechanism to work. As the Megane does its best impression of Optimus Prime, you sit in wonder that such a feat of engineering can be acquired for just 500 notes. The Megane Cabriolet’s chief party trick is also its major selling point.

Of course, the mere fact that the roof still works is a bonus, as a roof stuck in the closed position simply turns the Megane into a slightly less pretty version of the Renault Megane Coupe. With a leaky roof and a damp interior.

2000 Renault Megane Cabriolet

It’s a classic PetrolBlog purchase. One minute we were saying there’s no need to add to the fleet, the next minute we’re heading back down the A35; D-Max and three goats following close behind. An impulse buy with only the DVLA’s excellent MOT history checker and a brief drive around the farm to act as homework and due diligence.

The first signs are good: no unwelcome noises, smells or smoke. It looks like it has lived on a farm for a number of months, but that’s because it has. The roof is covered in a thin layer of bacteria that could form the basis of a scientific experiment into earth’s earliest lifeforms, while the interior needs a good session with a vacuum cleaner.

But my hunch – and I hope I’m right – is that there’s a good and genuine car beneath the mud and grime. There are a few battle scars, including a dent that looks suspiciously like a cow has reversed into the Megane, but after 80,000 miles and five previous owners you can’t expect perfection. Certainly not when you’re buying a 16-year-old Megane.

Besides, there’s nothing quite like getting to know a new car and scraping away to reveal what lies beneath the grime. It’s probably how Tony Robinson felt when he presented Time Team, although I’ve yet to see the episode in which the man in the incredibly loud jumper chips away at an unfashionable French car from the turn of the millennium.

So there we have it: just as Germany was playing catchup with France, the French side of the PetrolBlog fleet gains a new member. More updates, including driving impressions and the results of the deep clean, will follow shortly. In the meantime, you can blame PetrolBlog if the fine weather comes to a grinding halt. Buying a convertible is like cleaning the car or putting the washing on the line: rain is sure to follow.

Some goats

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Henry, Hoover and Dyson – that’s the goats – are settling in well and have not, as yet, managed to escape. Much to the delight of the everybody else in the village – your rose bushes can sleep easy tonight.

Renault Megane Convertible video (with goats)

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9 Comments

  1. Richard Aucock says:
    21st July 2016 at 8:04 am

    Good work on the goats Gav but… WOW! A Renault Megane Cabrio! Respect!

    Reply
  2. Ben says:
    21st July 2016 at 12:40 pm

    Top purchase, look forward to updates!

    Reply
  3. Lawrence says:
    22nd July 2016 at 12:58 am

    Never heard of this car before….which isn’t surprising ‘cuz I’m an American and Renault was banned from these shores a generation ago. Or did they leave willingly? Memory gets hazy. (Having grown up in the greater Chicagoland area, I do remember the Renault Alliance convertible well https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/87-GTA-Convertible.jpg – do I get points for that?) Otherwise, this account is entirely familiar territory: spotting that slightly-off-the-beaten-path automotive bargain, the willing seller, one’s own repressed adolescent imagination suddenly kicking in…..a hasty negotiation ensures in which one pretends, however half-heartedly, to play hard-to-get. Money changes hands, some papers get signed, et voila! Another vehicle enters the stable.

    All of this rings so very true, especially at this moment as I contemplate expanding my own stable…..with a Jaguar X-Type station wagon….er, Estate. A new vista of automotive fantasy opens up.

    Hearty greetings from the heart of the U.S. of A. – Iowa.

    ~Lawrence (life-long British car nut)

    P.S. Congrats on (and to) the goats. They clearly love hamming it up for the camera.

    Reply
    • Gavin Big-Surname says:
      15th September 2016 at 8:12 pm

      Hi Lawrence. Apologies for not responding when you commented

      The X-Type station wagon is much-loved here at PB. Probably the only thing we share in common with the Queen!

      Out of interest, have you added to your fleet since you commented?!

      All the best.

      Reply
  4. Josh says:
    15th September 2016 at 7:39 pm

    I bought a ’98 Punto Cabrio back in March. My first Fiat, my first cabrio, and only my second car ever. Also my second car with no history. (I see this as part of the fun; trying to find out about the car’s past life.) With only 61k miles on it’s odometer at the time of purchase, what could be possibly be wrong with it? Surprisingly not too much, though I did pay approximately three times the cost of your Megane for the pleasure of having my name on the V5. I drove it home with the roof up (in a blizzard) but it’s had it’s top off for most of the 3k miles I’ve added to it this summer. It’s a hoot to drive – like the Renault it also has a 16-valve engine – and so far I have no regrets about buying it. In fact, I’d heartily recommend one! On my commute I see a pre-facelift Megane cabriolet, the same yellow as yours, sat on a driveway slowly deteriorating. I hope someone rescues it – I’d love to if I had the space. All the best with your ownership of the Meg.

    Reply
    • Gavin Big-Surname says:
      15th September 2016 at 8:10 pm

      Spotted a Punto Cabrio while on holiday in France. Quite a rare sight these days – respect to you for keeping one alive.

      I reckon a Punto – 306 – Megane triple-test could be quite fun.

      Enjoy your car and keep me posted with updates.

      Reply
      • Josh says:
        22nd September 2016 at 7:36 am

        Since owning mine, I’m yet to see another on the road. I’m aware, via the Fiat forum, of a few that are in use, and I’ve seen a few more sell on eBay.

        If there’s a willing 306 Cab owner out there, I’d certainly be up for a triple-test! Sounds like fun.

        Reply
  5. E-go says:
    7th June 2020 at 12:23 am

    Does the Megane roadster hubcap fit in the
    Megane coupe mk1 as well?
    Thanks in advance 🙂

    Reply
    • Gavin Big-Surname says:
      13th June 2020 at 8:19 pm

      Hi George. I’ve responded via email. Cheers.

      Reply

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