“Those who told me on the Internet that I just had to scrap my Safrane will be happy… She's going.
“It is a resigned Michel Rolland that we had in the middle of the week to announce the sad end of a beautiful story.
This 71-year-old retiree alerted us on January 13 to the condition of his 2000 Safrane, 372,000 km on the clock and a completely new decoration: a photo of the Concorde flying over Manhattan on the bonnet and a farewell message to the prestigious supersonic on the rear window (“Farewell to Concorde”).
A few days later, the Norman changed his mind and intends to extend the life of this collector's item by making it an exhibition model.
The septuagenarian from Argenteuil, who no longer has the means to pay for repairs, had sent a registered letter to Luca de Meo (general manager) and Arnaud Belloni (marketing director) to get help for the diamond brand.
“I really want to thank everyone at Renault, they were very nice,” Michel tells us from Benerville-sur-Mer (Calvados) where he lives.
Several people called me back, sometimes at half past seven in the evening.
They made me come with my car to the garage in Deauville and paid me a complete check-up ”.
The inspection confirms the fears: "There are 10,000 bullets just for the mechanics", blows the ex-driver, who in mid-January drew up a list of problems as long as the arm: "The engine purrs a little too loud, the dashboard vibrates, screws are missing everywhere.
The other day I got one on my foot.
The temperature needle makes the yoyo… We should look at the bearings and the shock absorbers… The fuel door is damaged and the headlight washer pump must be changed.
"
"She won't go to the junkyard or not right away"
Problem, the model was stopped in 2002 and the Ile-de-France technical teams are skating as the technical control approaches.
“It will not pass, confirms its owner.
They wanted to lend me a Talisman while I was looking for the parts, but then they called me back to explain to me that they could not be found and that it was too expensive to make 10,000 euros for repairs when the engine could fail at 400,000 km.
I understand them.
I told them to let it go, that I didn't want anything.
I have to be reasonable.
"
At Renault, we claim to be "attached to the character", while confirming the outcome: "We understood very well its link with this car and we tried to do everything, with beyond the price, the difficulty of find compatible parts.
The firm has promised its loyal client a visit to the Renault collection in Flins.
Another manager wants to give him a hand in his search for a used car, "a Kangoo for a few thousand euros and, if I have more money one day, a Talisman".
The abatement passed, Michel Rolland imagined another end than scrapping the Safrane with which he liked to go to the end of the track, at Roissy, for the return from New York from the Concorde.
A final parade for the custom gray sedan, which had acquired a certain notoriety at the mercy of airshows all over France.
"I am going to contact Air France to suggest that they put it at the headquarters at Roissy", breathes the one who is a member of the Association of Concorde and Supersonic Professionals (APCOS).
“If they agree, I take the engine off and give it to them to display.
Otherwise, I'll sell it for parts to someone who has one, but it won't go scrapping or not right away.
"Atypical character, Michel concludes the story in his own way:" I will take care of my wife.
My Safrane is 20 years old, she is 70. "
