I BOUGHT A CHEAP, RARE RENAULT VEL SATIS FOR £2,000!

We all know Matt has a collection of premium cars but I love the fact he isn't a badge snob and gets excited over very dull things 😂

this channel never fails to educate me on obscure Chinese tire brands

A fine motor. The choice for a man for whom the fiat multipla is too mainstream.

It's not ugly, it's different from all the mainstream cars that look the same.

I remember having a hire car delivered to my home for work use many years ago, and the hire car guy knocked on the door and said I'd had an upgrade with a big smile on his face. Sat outside was 3L diesel Vel Satis, brand new, with only a few dozen miles on it. I couldn't imagine paying for one out of my own pocket, but it was without doubt one of the most delightfully bonkers cars I've ever driven, and I was sorry to see it go back.

The best you’ve featured all year! Useless cars but brilliantly cool and innovative

I absolutely love the Vel Setis such a unique and characterful car. The French are masters of how to break down stylishly. Great vid

Tbf the previous owner has done it credit.. But it does look like the handbrake surround does look like it's painted in magnolia emulsion 😂😂

In 2006 I nearly bought one of these. It was advertised in the Exchange and Mart. It was left hand drive and French registered and was ideal as we were moving to France. There were several left hand drive, French registered cars listed on the same advert. It might be as many as ten or eleven. One of them was a Smart car, with damage. I called the number and it was answered as 'Pinewood Studios'. I assumed that I had dialled incorrectly, but asked if it was the right number for the French cars for sale. It was and they were the cars used in the Parisian location filming for The Da Vinci Code. After speaking to the guy and finding they were to be sold as seen with no guarantees, I backed out. My only knowledge of the Vel Satis was the tv sponsor adverts at the time. The car was priced at around £6k from memory. When we got to France I wished I'd bought one as they were very sought after cars here and were selling for twice the price!

I bought one of these as a one year old in 2005 with 10,000 miles on it. Same engine. Registered as a Renault management car like they all were. Not quite as comfy as the XM and CX’s I had, but it was ok. Turbo blew at 110,000, sold for spares after six years and another 110,000 miles. As an 06 reg, that’s possibly one of about 40 found in Ireland that Renault couldn’t sell. That’s the original factory accessory phone holder - my Nokia 6310i lived in it. Found the cup holders yet?

It’s wearing a Hampshire registration as the vast majority were registered by Renault themselves as they arrived at Southampton docks.

The amount of cars I’m seeing coming through my unit where the service history falls off a cliff when COVID hit is staggering.

Wow, I’ve just found even more respect for Matthew. Comes from a family of Renault owners? Likes cars and houses. Lifelong Renault fan here. I’m 43. My first car was an R11 (bought at 16), I’ve had R21s (still have a rare R21 TXE auto with digital dash) and also a Savanna. Plus a ´92 Clio. Parents owned said Clio and still have a Clio estate plus had a couple of Savannas. My Aunt had an R18 GTX estate, Uncle had a V6 R30 and Savanna. Always knew Matthew had a bit of class, aside from the manners, humility and love of all badges in particular JLR. Good stuff!!!!

Thanks Matt. I always link the Vel Satis & the Vauxhall Signum together in my mind!👍👍

This was a lot of fun Matt! Being an old fart I am going to say I was one of the six folks you mentioned who had one of these when new. I’d just set up my business and had left behind my company Audi A6 and was offered an ex demo direct from a Renault owned dealer, they had loads of them all with 5 or 6 thousand miles and Renault were desperate to get them off stock and onto the road, the deal was truly astonishing, on a 12 month contract hire I got the 3.0 Diesel Privilege model and unbelievably paid £129 per month plus VAT (I only paid £129. Plus Vat up front) At the time promoting a new business I used to go to lots of networking events and many was the time folks would take the p*** out of my weird car but honestly it was great, it was quick extremely comfortable and cost me less than a Corsa to lease. I remember it fondly it was so spacious and wafted along, I never looked at it in terms of a ‘wow what a beautiful car’ sort of thing but it was a great thing 🙂

I had the predecessor to the Vel Satis, the Safrane. I loved that car. Some of it's tech would put modern cars to shame...

One thing that really stood out in this video… how quiet it is inside the cabin with regards to engine/road noise

The Renault chief designer for the 90s is the famous Patrick Le Quement and even he admits the Vel Satis is ugly. Le Quement has said on many occasions that the Renault bean counters got in his way and forced him to make ungainly alterations to the original drawings.

Park up somewhere ‘Scenic’ .. nice pun

Defo keep it and take it to Rustival! Didn't know you were a Hubnut fan 😁