Be honest about your twingo...

[weebob]

Or the RS 133 as a whole. I know this site is devoted to them but how about a warts and all? Feel free to join in.

After nearly a year of ownership here's what I think. In no particular order...

- initially felt a little underpowered
- breaks are excellent
- flexibility of the two rear seat on a FF is awesome. Surprisingly good for prams, child seat etc.
- love the back end. Squat look with the rear aches is simply humpable.
- not a fan of the front, a bit bulbous
- looks a little tail.
- interior build is pretty weak in places. Although no better or worse than competitors.
- Renault dealerships service range from excellent to shocking, just like any-other brand I have bought.
- reliability has been excellent. Had one warranty problem in a year and that wasn't for anything major.
- fuel consumption isn't great. But what do you expect.
- simply a great handling car. Very predictable yet not boring. Balance is about the best I have ever driven in a front wheel drive car.
- Chassis out shines the engine, more ponies may ruin this.
- glad I bought a black one.
- hoping it doesn't become the new saxo in a few year time when they are cheap.
- standard seats are excellent for normal and sprinted driving.
- everyone I have taken in the car that had initial negative feelings about it changed their opinion pretty quickly.
- wish the stock tire size provided some or any rim protection.
- stock head unit was piss poor.
- wish the interior plastics where a little better, maybe soft touch, but if this added weight I'd soon back pedal.
- wish it was called the RS 133, and lost the twingo tag. Simply don't like the name.
- Shocking the cars it can pick off as soon as it's shown a corner.
- only car I can liken it too that i have spent any time driving is the 1275 cooper s. Enough power to get introuble.
- my three year old loves it. All or people have 'old person' cars
- the rattle from the tail gate is doing my nut in.
- wish the seat where a little hard wearing. After 23k the drivers seat is showing creases
- wish the previous owner didn't spunk oil all over the engine bay and what the **** did they clean the front wind screen with to scratch it so badly in places.
- prefer the cilo 182 alloys than the twingo cup ones.
- being able to turn the traction control off properly is awesome.
- the pedals are too small for my massive feet.
- metal pedals are a death trap.

 

[singlespeed]

appart from the colour and dubious goings on with your engine bay, that's not far from the mark.

Get the boot lock adjusted and it may sort your rattle. It did mine... Instructions on your other thread

 

[Proxy]

- the pedals are too small for my massive feet.

I got size 52.. dont know the UK or US, but here in germany 52 is like "what?"... already have problems to find shoes in that size... but somehow I like the pedals Wouldn't prefer bigger ones.. maybe its habituation

 

[matbry01]

Same rely mate and yes the peddles are a death trap especially when driving bare footed and catch your foot under neith it !

 

[Leanne]

Its a good summary you have put out there I will also agree with the pedals being metal is a little bit of a pain! But they look awesome so it makes up for nearly killing me when its wet out!
Also the RS mat annoys me because if I wear flip flops they catch and stop the clutch pedal from coming back up! So having to think about footwear prior to driving is a little bit of a pain! lol

 

[DrDrew]

It's a pretty good summary, though I seem to be able to get good mpg out of mine. On a motorway run, can get near the 50 mpg mark pretty consistently.

The dash plastics do look a little cheap at times, but when you're actually driving and enjoying your car, how often do you look at your dash, and it doesn't reflect in the screen at all, which is a nice bonus. All the things you interact with tend to be pretty awesome, in particular the seats and wheel.

I do find being able to feel the steering column on your toes when using the clutch pretty weird, but in general I really like the metal pedals.

My previous car was a 1.2 Clio, so the 133 felt pretty nippy to me, and the handling never fails to raise a smile. The variety of Renault service is a bit concerning at times. Found that out with my old car, but have found a great dealer not too far from me so am just sticking with them.

I quite like having a "small" car, that's so much fun, but can still get 4 adults in.

 

[miner154]

It's a great little car and I'm glad I had one.
It's loads of low speed fun TBH, SWB + RS = Fun Fun Fun

Only real niggles are some sqeaks from somewhere by the speedo
A bit slow to rev up, but the unit in my Civic was rev happy so that did spoil me somewhat 0k to 4k RPM was effortless and sometimes a bit of a pain in the wet

It's very good in the understeer dept as if it pushes wide a lift off (wuth the TCS off) tightens the line nicely with out any 'god I'm going to die' drama of Renaults of Old haha

 

[miner154]

- hoping it doesn't become the new saxo in a few year time when they are cheap.
.

Not enough of them about - the Saxo became the new Nova purely because there were zillions of them about and Citroen hars a harder time selling them than the more desireable twin sister 106 - so they gave them away with cheap insurance.

Young people lapped them up as free insurance was a great way to sell to youngsters.

Vauxhall used to give BSM free Corsas so when people passed their tests, they would gravitate towards a Corsa - this ended a year or 3 ago

 

[miner154]

Also the RS mat annoys me because if I wear flip flops they catch and stop the clutch pedal from coming back up! So having to think about footwear prior to driving is a little bit of a pain! lol

No it's called committed :lol:

 

[Leanne]

Haha funny you should bring this back up I wore those sodding flip flops again today nearly killed me off bloody things!

 

[weebob]

Haha funny you should bring this back up I wore those sodding flip flops again today nearly killed me off bloody things!

stop wearing hippy shoes!!!

 

[Leanne]

But they are so cute!! hehe

 

[Dutchie]

Haha funny you should bring this back up I wore those sodding flip flops again today nearly killed me off bloody things!

stop wearing hippy shoes!!!

+1

I was waiting in front of a traffic light when some bloody girl with flipflops couldn't find the brake pedal soon enough! wrecked my first car after 3 days of owning my drivers license!

 

[weebob]

Haha funny you should bring this back up I wore those sodding flip flops again today nearly killed me off bloody things!

stop wearing hippy shoes!!!

+1

I was waiting in front of a traffic light when some bloody girl with flipflops couldn't find the brake pedal soon enough! wrecked my first car after 3 days of owning my drivers license!

was she hot?

 

[Leanne]

In all fairness I usually keep a set of dolly shoes that are comfy to drive in, in the car put I jumped in with out thinking of changing them :? silly I know.

And weebob :lol: can't believe thats all you thought to ask after that! haha

 

[Dutchie]

Well, that was the first thing I checked too.. But unofrtunately, she had a mustache..

 

[Alex_225]

I've always been pleasantly surprised with the Twingo 133

I actually found it had more grunt than I was expecting. Having owned a Clio 172 and still owning the Megane 225 I expected the 133 to feel underpowered. As it happens it still feels nippy and very sharp to drive. I think I just expected less than the 133 gives.

The build quality is kind of what I was expecting although there are some odd bits that I think are a little unfinished or just not that well thought out. The choice of stock radio was a sh!t move, cheap doesn't come into it, it's gash. Also the door card doesn't meet the edge of the dash properly, have a look at the weird gap behind the mirror casing.

They are far rarer than I expected, which I love. Locally we probably have 2 other models which I see rarely. The Clio 182 was ten a penny in comparison.

- fuel consumption isn't great. But what do you expect.
- hoping it doesn't become the new saxo in a few year time when they are cheap.
- the pedals are too small for my massive feet.

Just in response to Weebob's post, I actually found the MPG rather good. My Megane won't give me more 25mpg unless I sit at 65mph on the motorway. I can see 50mpg on a long run in the Twingo.

I think the rarity of the Twingo will minimize it's chav potential. The Clio 172/182 is far more common yet I don't see many of them chavved up.

How big are your feet???? hahaha I've got size 13s and the only car I've ever genuinely struggled to drive is a Pug 106. Had to do my test in one and on the emergency stop, I revved the engined at the same time. (Minor point for 'control' :lol: )

 

[Monster Detail]

Nice summary, weebob.

My thoughts:

- I don't think the 133 will become the next Saxo; I think it will become the next Lupo GTI.

- The fuel economy annoys me because it can be really good if you don't put your foot down, but that's MUCH easier said than done.

- It would be good if the driver's seat could go further back. It's not a massive problem but if the seat went back a bit further, long journeys would be a bit more comfortable.

- Ironically, I really like the look of the front but I'm not so keen on the back.

- I'm really pleased with the power of the 133. It's not the fastest car our there but it's faster than 90%+ cars on the road and it can keep up with another 5%, not to mention when corners are involved.

- I also really like the noise; most people think I've modified my exhaust system when they hear it. I love how the sound has become significantly better with age/mileage and I think it's great that it sounds so good from standard.

- Finally, I love the practicality. It's brilliant that such a nimble, agile and fun little car has such flexible space. I've been amazed at what I've been able to fit in the car with the seats folded down or removed. It's also incredibly easy to move/remove the seats, which is superb!

Overall, I'm really happy with mine!

 

[miner154]

- I don't think the 133 will become the next Saxo; I think it will become the next Lupo GTI.

!

I nearly had a Lupo GTi to replace my shagged out 206GTi, but (at the time) was blown away by 197BHP,a gearstick in the best place ever and the slight oversteer bias of the Civic.

To this day I'd still have like more of a go in a Lupo and the Lupo looked great Civic was a bit puppy eyed from the front and breadvan from the side. Still it fizzed like Billy O and never went wrong

 

[miner154]

Haha funny you should bring this back up I wore those sodding flip flops again today nearly killed me off bloody things!

I'd say the Twingo was dropping gentle hints :lol: