Orchid XP v8 wrote:
>
> ...it's grey.
>

Yes, yes it is.

>> I doubt it's not turbocharged.
> 
> Really?

Yep.

> The turbo version apparently generates an extra 30 BHP.

And an enormous amount of torque.

> My previous car (exact same brand and model, just the previous revision)
> had a clutch which behaved normally. (Although it was starting to wear
> out TBH. One more reason to get rid of it!)

It must have been broken :-P. My mother's 1.gen Megane did have the
French clutch.

> Turns out the button on the door handle will lock the door - if the key
> is in range.

...even if the key is inside the car?

> [Insert joke here about the legendary tendancy of the French to not work.]

It's not a question of working or not, it's a question of different
styles. It does it's job quite nicely after all, doesn't it? Therefore
it works.

> This morning I drove to work on a dark, cloudy day - but the computer
> still decided I didn't need my lights on. *I* would have kept them on
> anyway...

Then you should tune the automagic up to light them up easier.

> The wipers leave little streaks behind at exactly eye-height [but only
> on the driver's side].

Clean the driver-side wiper. If that doesn't help, change it.

> The rear wiper only sweeps 10% of the screen in the first place [because
> it's conical], and do almost nothing to clear even the area being swept.

Well yes, that is a common problem (the rear wiper being mostly cosmetical).

Change the wiper, it's worn out.

> And, unlike any other car I've seen, driving at speed seems to somehow
> *attract* water to the screen, rather than repel it.

The rear glass? Yes it does, because it's vertical. It's aerodynamics.

> So far I haven't been able to climb above 35 MPG - so that's 10 MPG
> lower than my old car. :-(

That's because you're not familiar with the engine and transmission.

According to SID (the on-board computer) I'm driving 5,7l/100km (around
41MPG - dunno if that's American or Imperial).

> Selecting reverse requires you to pull the little ring. But, unlike my
> old car, it's at the opposite end of the stick, which keeps confusing me...

Ah, you'll get used to it :-).

-Aero

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