If anyone has been following my exploits over the years, there is no secret about my love of European economy cars.
They are vehicles that almost always punch above their weight. Sure, many are slow, small, unreliable, poorly manufactured, and seemed to have come from the factory with corrosion. Despite these many downfalls associated with cheap transportation, those that love them have developed an anthropomorphous attachment to them. Maybe it is the looks. Many low buck automobiles are developed with an eager looking face like that of a naive child filled with excitement and ambition. That is what gets me with many of them. The fervor of these little cars reminds me of Bilbo Baggins, running out of the Shire shouting "I'm going on an adventure!" I cannot help but smile and follow along.
Perhaps that is why I always have this little Dauphine at the back of my mind. For years it has sat in a locked tow yard behind a local dealership. The first time I spotted it some twelve years ago, I simply gazed and smirked at the little car. It was worn and faded but it did not look defeated. It looked as though it was simply waiting with vigor for it's next endeavor. I quickly found the front door and marched into the office.
WesleyWho do I talk to about the Renault!
The person at the desk responded to my exclamation and summoned a man from a back office. I was told the car was not for sale. I was given no reason or explanation as to why. Just simply that no one could have it. I left downtrodden. I then made a habit of monitoring the Dauphine. I would occasionally see it moved about the lot. Sometimes it would disappear for weeks. It made me think possibly an offer was made that could not be refused. Then, it would reappear, in a different part of the lot. This time, I inquired again with a fair cash offer. Still, no sale would be made to me.
I continued to watch as the little car was bounced around the lot. It would again vanish and return a few more times. Such strange activity for a car with nothing going on. The little Renault would never change in appearance. It did not seem to age beyond it's current state. No better yet, no worse. I began to feel as though the tow company were treating the car as an inconvenience. It was merely changing places because it was in the way. I thought I would try one last time to acquire the dour sedan.
I walked into the tow company, this time with my cash offer concealed in an envelope. My new strategy was to ask about the car once more and lay the cash out along the counter. I had hoped no one could refute my offer when it was layed out in front of them. When I made clear my motives, I could see the look on the company owner's face grow into amusement as I was laying out the cash. He then felt he should tell me the reality of the situation surrounding the Dauphine.
In essence, my assumptions were true. However, the car was not the inconvenience I thought. They had been stuck with the car for quite some time. There was no paperwork on the car and little information on the previous owner. Legally, the tow company could only sell the car for scrap and to a licensed scrap dealer. The owner, fearing that a sale to a scrap dealer would mean the end for this Renault, opted to keep the car on his lot and away from the crucible. But, he did not want to risk his company in selling to me, even if it meant granting the car a renewed life.
The Dauphine disappeared again a few years after my last inquiry. It has yet to return back to its lot. Now, I hold on to a few pictures that I had taken, wondering of what could have been. I also have a framed Renault Dauphine advertisement hanging in my workshop. It is a little shrine. Should the car ever return, I may look into gaming the system and getting myself a scrap license for the sole purpose of purchasing this car. It would be a welcome addition to our cadre of ambitious economy cars. I will cross that bridge should it ever show on the path again.
Stay ambitious.
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Comments (8)
Beautiful words, we've all felt that way one time or other for a car on the other side of the fence.
I can remember scrapping one in the past it looked a lot better than that one too.
It's all for the best, though. The Dauphine was rubbish.
Most French cars are. But they still have that je ne sais quoi.
A little bit short sighted comment. Those popular cars have given wheels to a lot of peoples and gave us a lot of sports cars. Dont forget that this car was conceived only ten years after WWII. I'd love to have a 4cv, a dauphine or a 2cv.