The generous headroom offered in the Renault Trafic createsthe effect of making the interior very spacious The abundance of windows on this particular model also makes itlight and airy. The driving characteristics of this type of vehicle are oftenbetter than coachbuilt examples, and, whilst spacious and box shaped, thelatter are a little more tricky to drive and tend to take up a large space onyour driveway. Additionally the vanlike characteristic of the Renault Trafic already lends itself to rear and sidedoor entry On the down side you will have a certain amount of heat lossfrom the single glazed window units and high tops do lack the interior space ofthe larger coachbuilt models. However, with the older Renault Trafic high topcamper vans, no one could argue, you get value for money Typically a high top van from new will cost almost as muchas a dedicated coach built version. Fitting out a panel van with all its anglesand solid frame is actually more difficult and very labour intensive. Be awarethat many of the Renault Trafic camper vans are not built with toiletfacilities. This one is no exception The Renault Trafic was first available in the UK in 1980 andis still in production today ( although radically different from the earlierversions ). The Renault Trafic and its various models were different from youraverage transit van of the 80s. Its sloping front bonnet and stylish designmade it an instant success The Trafic shown in this article is a 1989 model with a 1721cc petrol engine. This vehicle is easy to drive despite the fact it does nothave power steering. The seats, driving position, large windscreen cannot befaulted and it is a pleasure to take out on the road. On the down side it hasno interior light, no cigarette lighter and is very basic as far as the cabequipment goes. It also has a manual choke which takes a bit of getting used toif you drive a modern car. Economy wise this vehicle is not one of the best inits class but on a long run it should return about 30 mpg The accommodation is classed as a four berth and it is idealfor a couple with small children but I wouldnt want to try anything more thana one night stop over if I had two strapping teenage lads to cope with. That would be too cramped The accommodation features a double berth over the cab, adouble bed conversion, adequate seating, a table, sink, cooker, gas grill andhob, heating system and hot and cold running water. The on board water boileris exceptionally good, as is the fridge. This vehicle has been well thought outand every available space has been utilised in a most effective manner. I havenot had it verified but I am pretty certain that the coachwork inside thisvehicle is from Autosleeper which has a good reputation in terms of quality ofbuild. Buying a Renault Trafic Motor Home Like any other motor purchase you will find a wide varietyof vehicles on offer. The Renault Trafic is no exception. However, since forthe purposes of this article we are dealing with Renault Trafic models that aregenerally over 15 years old, there are a few things that can catch out anunprepared purchaser. One of the main things you should look out for is rust.Check the sills, chassis and underneath of any vehicle very carefully. Thereare some terrible rust buckets out there. Check also the bottoms of thedoors, particularly the rear doors and the front and back valance of thevehicle. A Renault Trafic petrol engine in good order will drivesmoothly and quietly for a van of this size. Oil leaks should be givenparticular attention. Upper cam seals on this vehicle are a well known problembut your leaky unit could also be as a result of a front crankshaft oil seal or more expensively a head gasket problem. Vehicle identification is from two plates in the enginecompartment. You should be able to locate a rectangular plate ( up to 1990 ) onthe right hand side of the engine compartment. You might find the oval shaped plate on the right hand inner wing panel.The paint code is a little more tricky. Look for a sticker on the left handbulkhead. Services should take place every 10,000 miles or once a yearif the vehicle is not used often. A very basic service would include the checking of wheelnuts for tightness and the tyre pressures including the spare of course. Youshould also change the engine oil andthe oil filter. The oil sump should bechecked for leaks and if necessary tighten the bolts underneath if they areshowing signs of being too loose. Cam seal leaks are common so check for anyleaks around the timing cover. A garage in the course of a service would also check andcarry out the following tasks; re tighten cylinder head bolts, adjust valveclearances, re tighten carburettor securing nuts and float chamber cover, checkthrottle and operation of linkage, tighten inlet and exhaust manifold nuts,check fuel pump nuts, tightness of top cover of fuel pump. You should also check the air cleaner element and replace itif it is dirty. Check the condition of the spark plugs and clean or replace ifnecessary. You should also check the points, engine idling speed and adjust theengine timing if necessary. The clutch and transmission oil should be drained andrefilled every 20,000 miles. This also applies to the rear axle. Drive belts for the alternator and waterpump should be checked and adjusted if necessary. The tension of the water pumpbelt should be checked. You should also check the tyres for wear or uneven wearwhich might be caused by incorrect tracking. Drive shafts, rubber gaiters,shock absorbers and all running gear, including an inspection of the exhaustsystem is recommended although much of this will be included in an MOT. The brakes should also be checked for wear or leaks in thecylinders. The flexible brake hoses should also be checked. You can actuallytake your vehicle to one of the many national chains offering free tyre, brakeand exhaust checks. I do this each year and at the same time I manage to get agood look underneath to inspect the underneath of my vehicle. Dont forget, your motor home has two tanks underneath it.One is for fresh water and one is for waste water. Dont forget to drain theseor you might have probems if the water freezes. Also check your anti freeze. Talbot Express Highlander Motor Home http://www.birminghamuk.com/camper/Talbot%20Express%20Details.htm Our Getaway Camping and Caravanning Club http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/ Renault Trafic Motor Home Register Motor Home Facts http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ Purchased: 14.10.2006 Renault Trafic: T1000 First registration: 31.05.1989 Registration Plate: F Registration Motor Caravan Private / Light Goods (PLG) 2400 KG Gross weight 1721 cc Petrol Engine 2 axle rigid body Colour: White Chassis Frame No: Engine No: Previous Owners : 7 02.06.1993 / 54,049 22.03.1994 / 63,082 23.02.1995 / 67,115 01.03.1996 / 71,190 07.03.1997 / 75,714 19.03.1998 / 79,488 11.03.1999 / 82,552 22.02.2000 / 85,752 01.03.2001 / 89,345 13.03.2003 / 94,825 30.04.2004 / 96,641 14.10.2005 / 96,953 24.11.2006 / 97,496 When looking over the vehicle you have to appreciate thatthis traffic was built in 1989. It did have rusty sills and some of thebodywork obviously was in need of some tender loving care. Considering its ageand apart from the sills the underside structure was still intact and in goodcondition. There was also some evidence of rust around the wheelarches. It is important to get one of these vans in good mechanical conditionas Renault parts from new can be quite expensive. If you know a bit aboutmechanics or are prepared to buy second hand parts then you may not find this aproblem. This van was purchased without and MOT but the previousowner was honest and fair in his selling of this vehicle and being a mechaniche had kept it well maintained and used it for occasional family trips out. Inthe past three years it had not travelled much. There were no unpleasantsurprises later. I spent a lot of time stripping the rust out and patching itup. The sills were replaced or filled where minor rust bubbles existed and thewhole underside was treated in black hammerite. The vehicle starts easily andruns smoothly. After spending a lot of time t cutting back the paintwork andpatching up rusty areas properly with drilling and filling, the vehicle hasbeen somewhat restored to its former glory. Faded and tatty paintwork on thefront of the vehicle resulted in a front end respray. The vehicle leaked oil on purchase but this was found to bethe crankshaft seal and a fault oil pressure switch rather than a suspected camseal. The OHC 1.7 litre engine is also used in other Renault vehicles such asthe Renault 21, Volvo 440 and the Renault 5s so engine parts can be found inmost scrapyards. For more photos of the camper van pleaseclick here 1984 Renault Trafic & Master Van Brochureclick here |
