Renault RX4 transmission clunking

I'm about to buy a 5-year old Renault Rx4.

Before you tell me not to:
1) I live in a hilly, snowy area, so I need the 4x4
2) It's a very good deal, well below the book price, well looked after,
with a full, over-serviced history.

On the test drive, I noticed a very slight clunk in the transmission,
when pulling away sharply from a standstill.

The seller tells me it probably a bush problem or engine mountings and
will arrange to get it fixed with the cost deducted from the selling
price.

This is ok, but it may be a different selling agreement if the problem
is something major. I'm very cautious about transmission repairs for a
4x4.

Any 2nd opinions for what the clunking might be?

"dylan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> I'm about to buy a 5-year old Renault Rx4.
>
> Before you tell me not to:
> 1) I live in a hilly, snowy area, so I need the 4x4
> 2) It's a very good deal, well below the book price, well looked
> after, with a full, over-serviced history.
>
> On the test drive, I noticed a very slight clunk in the transmission,
> when pulling away sharply from a standstill.
>
> The seller tells me it probably a bush problem or engine mountings and
> will arrange to get it fixed with the cost deducted from the selling
> price.
>
> This is ok, but it may be a different selling agreement if the problem
> is something major. I'm very cautious about transmission repairs for
> a 4x4.
>
> Any 2nd opinions for what the clunking might be?

Propshaft UJ worn? I had the same sort of noise both on my SIII and on my MG
Midget - both cured with new UJ bearings....

dylan <[email protected]> wrote:

> Before you tell me not to:
> 1) I live in a hilly, snowy area, so I need the 4x4
> 2) It's a very good deal, well below the book price, well looked after,
> with a full, over-serviced history.

And before you buy it, consider this:

It's a Renault.
Renaults are ****e.
Renault and reliability are not words that go together.
Neither will you find Renault and build quality mentioned in the same
sentence unless it is in a negative sense.
And of course the Rx4 is a pointless pile of crap that is neither one
thing nor the other.

By all means get a 4x4. Try to get one made by a company with a track
record of building 4x4s.

A Fiat Panda 4x4 would probably be more reliable.

--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

-- Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Steve Firth came up with the following;:

> A Fiat Panda 4x4 would probably be more reliable.

And is a very capable solo off-roader, within reason.

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!

Paul - xxx <[email protected]> wrote:

> Steve Firth came up with the following;:
>
> > A Fiat Panda 4x4 would probably be more reliable.
>
> And is a very capable solo off-roader, within reason.

Well... the old Fiat Panda will actually go up and down my land (30-45
degree angle) without damaging the soil. A Land Rover can't do that.

--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

-- Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Steve Firth came up with the following;:
> Paul - xxx <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Steve Firth came up with the following;:
>>
>>> A Fiat Panda 4x4 would probably be more reliable.
>>
>> And is a very capable solo off-roader, within reason.
>
> Well... the old Fiat Panda will actually go up and down my land (30-45
> degree angle) without damaging the soil. A Land Rover can't do that.

Neither can your Ford Exploder ..

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!

"Steve Firth" <%steve%@malloc.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1h131s6.1mc9wlgciflmcN%%steve%@malloc.co.uk...
> dylan <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Before you tell me not to:
>> 1) I live in a hilly, snowy area, so I need the 4x4
>> 2) It's a very good deal, well below the book price, well looked after,
>> with a full, over-serviced history.
>
> And before you buy it, consider this:
>
> It's a Renault.
> Renaults are ****e.
> Renault and reliability are not words that go together.
> Neither will you find Renault and build quality mentioned in the same
> sentence unless it is in a negative sense.
> And of course the Rx4 is a pointless pile of crap that is neither one
> thing nor the other.
>
> By all means get a 4x4. Try to get one made by a company with a track
> record of building 4x4s.
>
> A Fiat Panda 4x4 would probably be more reliable.
>
I've got an XR4x4 for sale...

"dylan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm about to buy a 5-year old Renault Rx4.
>
> Before you tell me not to:
> 1) I live in a hilly, snowy area, so I need the 4x4
> 2) It's a very good deal, well below the book price, well looked after,
> with a full, over-serviced history.
>
> On the test drive, I noticed a very slight clunk in the transmission,
> when pulling away sharply from a standstill.
>
> The seller tells me it probably a bush problem or engine mountings and
> will arrange to get it fixed with the cost deducted from the selling
> price.
>
> This is ok, but it may be a different selling agreement if the problem
> is something major. I'm very cautious about transmission repairs for a
> 4x4.
>
> Any 2nd opinions for what the clunking might be?
>

It might be the transmission about to grenade. OTOH it is probably nothing.
Or anything in between.
There, that has covered the whole range of possibilities and you now owe me
a pint ))))


Huw

Paul - xxx <[email protected]> wrote:

> Steve Firth came up with the following;:
> > Paul - xxx <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> Steve Firth came up with the following;:
> >>
> >>> A Fiat Panda 4x4 would probably be more reliable.
> >>
> >> And is a very capable solo off-roader, within reason.
> >
> > Well... the old Fiat Panda will actually go up and down my land (30-45
> > degree angle) without damaging the soil. A Land Rover can't do that.
>
> Neither can your Ford Exploder ..

Bit of a trade off, on phat on-road AT tyres it dpoesn't damage the
soil, neither does it get up the hill when wet. On MTs it's fine but it
leaves grooves.

--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

-- Benjamin Franklin, 1759