It was a Giant Test in Car magazine that clinched it. By late 1983 the much-loved Citroen Dyane (JES) was in terminal decline mechanically and structurally, and while all that was fixable the recent arrival of our very precious daughter Kate had raised awareness that driving in the Dyane was like being inside a crumple zone - passenger protection in any significant accident was non-existent.
So the hunt was on for something a bit more solid. It had to be French, for the summer holidays, so it was between Citroen, Renault and Peugeot. The Car article was a comparative test between a Renault 14TS, a Fiat Strada and an Alfasud, all mildly tweaked versions of the standard cars. The Alfasud won of course, as it was Car's favourite machine at that time. However, the Renault acquitted itself well performance-wise, had a good 1.4 litre engine, handled much better that the rather spongy standard version, and was well equipped for the time. Car's verdict was something along the lines of "if you like lots of buttons to press, this is the car for you". Well, after the Dyane, the thought of electric windows (front only) and a fifth gear was mouth-watering. I wanted buttons, lots of them, so the 14TS it was.
I tracked one down eventually, in white, at a showroom in St Martin's Lane, now the site of a Pret A Manger sandwich bar. This was NLM 711V, a couple of years old and in very good condition, and as the 14 had just been discontinued it was also going for a reasonable price. The Dyane broke down - electrics - on the drive up from Southampton to effect the part-exchange, but we did the deal and I proudly drove the Renault home.
There was a long hill on the M3 up which the Dyane had always laboured, forcing a change down to third long before the crest, while heavy lorries thundered past. On this first trip I found that not only did the Renault not slow down, it could accelerate in top gear from halfway up! 1.4 whole litres! This was an uplifting moment.
NLM stayed with us for just over three years, and was a delight. Unlike the experience of many others, I found it reliable and dependable. Although the suspension was slightly stiffer than standard it still rode exceptionally smoothly, but could press on along back roads when required. The fifth gear meant that it could cruise comfortably on motorways. It was roomy for four adults, and had a surprisingly large boot under its hatchback.
Its styling had always caused comment, and it had been marketed disastrously on its launch as a "poire", something from which it never recovered. It was rounded, almost plump, with a strong scalloped line on the flanks curving down to the rear wheel arch. I liked it, however, and now feel that it was way ahead of its time in both its design and the marketing campaign. Certainly it was much more characterful than the drab (but no doubt safer) design that Renault brought out to replace it.
So the hunt was on for something a bit more solid. It had to be French, for the summer holidays, so it was between Citroen, Renault and Peugeot. The Car article was a comparative test between a Renault 14TS, a Fiat Strada and an Alfasud, all mildly tweaked versions of the standard cars. The Alfasud won of course, as it was Car's favourite machine at that time. However, the Renault acquitted itself well performance-wise, had a good 1.4 litre engine, handled much better that the rather spongy standard version, and was well equipped for the time. Car's verdict was something along the lines of "if you like lots of buttons to press, this is the car for you". Well, after the Dyane, the thought of electric windows (front only) and a fifth gear was mouth-watering. I wanted buttons, lots of them, so the 14TS it was.
I tracked one down eventually, in white, at a showroom in St Martin's Lane, now the site of a Pret A Manger sandwich bar. This was NLM 711V, a couple of years old and in very good condition, and as the 14 had just been discontinued it was also going for a reasonable price. The Dyane broke down - electrics - on the drive up from Southampton to effect the part-exchange, but we did the deal and I proudly drove the Renault home.
There was a long hill on the M3 up which the Dyane had always laboured, forcing a change down to third long before the crest, while heavy lorries thundered past. On this first trip I found that not only did the Renault not slow down, it could accelerate in top gear from halfway up! 1.4 whole litres! This was an uplifting moment.
NLM stayed with us for just over three years, and was a delight. Unlike the experience of many others, I found it reliable and dependable. Although the suspension was slightly stiffer than standard it still rode exceptionally smoothly, but could press on along back roads when required. The fifth gear meant that it could cruise comfortably on motorways. It was roomy for four adults, and had a surprisingly large boot under its hatchback.
Its styling had always caused comment, and it had been marketed disastrously on its launch as a "poire", something from which it never recovered. It was rounded, almost plump, with a strong scalloped line on the flanks curving down to the rear wheel arch. I liked it, however, and now feel that it was way ahead of its time in both its design and the marketing campaign. Certainly it was much more characterful than the drab (but no doubt safer) design that Renault brought out to replace it.
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