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NEWS | EVENTS | GALLERY | FORUM

We are thrilled to welcome you to our little car club, where we share a love for all things Figaro! Our club is run by Sue and myself, and we are here to assist you in any way we can. Although I may not know everything about cars, our club is blessed to have a community of helpful and friendly members who are always willing to lend a helping hand.

We encourage you to ask any questions you may have, as we are here to make your experience with us as enjoyable and educational as possible. Furthermore, we are always on the lookout for great stories and articles to share with our community. So, don't be shy, get in touch with us and share your love of your figgy with our members.

Kevin, Sue & Belle (Figaro)

Contact us here: sales@figaroownersclub.com

Kevin and Sue report in with a 'THANKYOU' message to all our members, supporters, chapter coordinators and forum gang (especially Simon Smith) for all their help and support over the last 15 years.

Have a watch, it's short, heartfelt and fun!

As the car ages, plastic parts used internally will inevitably become more brittle and crack. The driver's side window switch surround is a good example of this. This video covers, how to remove, glue, sand and repaint the surround.

The job will take some time but if the car is not being used then you can simply remove the window switch assembly and lock it back up.

We are delighted to announce that our comprehensive Figaro website is available in Dutch, French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Italian and the default English.

Users select the language from the flags located in the top right corner drop-down menu and then everything is now in that language.

This extensive website is a treasure trove for Figaro enthusiasts, offering over 1,000 pages filled with comprehensive information on buying, owning, and running this iconic car.

Check it out now: Read more

For the first time in a long time, we now have a full complement of coordinators.

John will be looking after South East, Bucks, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex.

Mia will be looking after North East and Yorkshire, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Newcastle upon Tyne, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Gateshead, Darlington, City of York, North Yorkshire, West Riding and East Riding.

Jackie will be looking after Northern Ireland, Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone.

And Jane will be looking after the North West, Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Merseyside. Read more

We have been contacted by Clarion concerning the future support of the CD/Tape and Radio player in our cars. As of January 2024, support will now be handled by OEM Services. The company is headed up by ex-Clarion MD David Beer.

David has created a Figaro-specific page on their website so you can still receive important repair services and upgrades too. This is excellent news as we have always worried that at some point Clarion may walk away from the product.

CONTACT: OEM Services

Telephone: 01285 706277

Email: mail@oem-services.co.uk

Website: http://oem-services.co.uk/figaro

Scottish-based Garage FK10 (Dan Fallon) has been busy designing, and manufacturing yet more NLA (No Longer Available) products for our cars.

We have added all the products to our website under Customisation/Upgrades/Repairs which on some, will include videos of how to fit.

Again this is excellent news for owners as it means that we can keep our cute little cars on the road for years to come.

The Figaro roof seal was discontinued by Nissan a very long time ago. Used ones would fetch quite a premium due to their scarcity. The used seals would also require in-depth cleaning and repair to form a weather-resistant seal for the folding roof of the Nissan Figaro.

The Figaro Shop are now able to supply newly manufactured roof seals. These new seals are a direct copy of the original but manufactured using modern tooling and manufacturing techniques offering unparalleled reliability and the ease of fitment you would expect from a brand new component. The seal is supple and conforms to all the original fixing points and body lines so you can rest assured that once fitted, you will achieve a factory-like finish. Simple to fit with the use of your preferred polyurethane adhesive (we recommend the use of tiger seal).

Priced at £593.14 the seal is not cheap but unfortunately, we are paying for the relatively low numbers sold and the high cost of tooling such a complex shape. Learn more

We were amazed to read on Facebook's Figaro Smiles that another Figaro had been found in a barn! These must be such fun to work on and see just what's lurking under all that grim and dust!

New owner Darren Daly posted that the car had been shut away from the world for 10 years. A true barn find indeed. We cannot wait to see how Darren gets on and hope he will post the progress on Facebook.

Following the birthday, we decided to have some fun with a window sticker. Did you know that the average life span of a car is just 8.4 years (RAC source)? Furthermore, around 5.6 tonnes of CO2 are released during the manufacture of a single car. So if you had owned the Figaro for all its life, you would have saved over 15 tonnes of CO2 being released. We think that owners should celebrate the fact that not only are we driving one of the cutest cars ever made but we are also saving the planet!

Purchase from £0.79p Buy now

Didcot-based Figaro specialist The Figaro Shop has released a new service offering to rebuild the car virtually from scratch. Restored & Remastered they offer to build a high-quality car bristling with features such as a heated front windscreen, heated seats, 7" double din touchscreen stereo with Apple Play. Also boasts a five-layer professional repaint, fine-grain Italian leather front and back seats and luxury carpet.

Retailing at £59,995 it's certainly not cheap but they claim over 300 hours and 10 weeks of work go into producing these cars. View brochure

Following the roll-out of the ULEZ in London which now extends past the Ace Cafe we have been considering the viability of the event. Having lost over 30 members (cars) and felt that the event would not be well attended.

However, we are more than happy to organise a meet that if the appetite is still there so drop us an email and we will count up the level of interest.

Email: sales@figaroownersclub.com

US-Based Micheal Cohen has a keen desire to attend the IOM Rally but is located in the US! He has asked us to reach out and see if there is anyone who can hire a self-driving Figaro in the UK so he can drive to the event.

If you feel you could help then please drop him an email with costs and what arrangements will be required. Email: michaelsp1800@yahoo.com

Irish member Brendan Tighe sent us this picture of his Figaro with a surfboard strapped to the roof. Brendan said the picture was taken in Sligo located on the coast of western Ireland. Apparently, it's very well known for amazing surfing. We are thinking a 6mm wet suit is mandatory!

Changing the right parts is the important thing, just throwing money and time at new parts won't necessarily make the Fig drive better. Here are the items that we change during our bespoke restorations, do feel free to get in touch if you’d like further advice or clarification.

Firstly, let's identify the parts.

Firstly, having good shock absorbers and top mountings means the car doesn't jump around too much. They are the main component between the chassis and the wheels and must be true and fully working.

I've driven cars that have jumped wheels off the ground at the back as you change lanes and hit bumps. A good test is the simple bounce test. Press down on the rear or front wing and the car should rise back up softly and settle, with only the slightest bounce. In a type of floating motion. If the Fig bounces like a pogo stick it will hugely affect the ride, this can be so dangerous and many owners don't know a different ride so aren't aware of how unsafe their car is.

What often happens is that the shock absorbers leak out their oil, the oil is what assists them in dampening the bounce. If the shock absorber is leaking or damp during an MOT it will fail, however, on many of the Figs, the oil has long drained out. This leaves no evidence of leaking so isn't identified in the MOT. They do become dangerous; as there is nothing to catch that on the MOT check, so they can often go unnoticed sometimes over many years.

The next important point is the wishbones or front suspension arms. Those being in good condition will mean that the car travels quietly and safely across bumps, and worn joints will lead to noisy rattles and uncertain steering. This is never an enjoyable drive. Once worn these give that rattling drum sound that can be heard and felt through the floor. They can often be the culprit responsible for that wobbly steering and the reason that you don't have confidence changing direction at speed.

The final area of the front drivetrain we recommend servicing is the steering parts. The steering rack, as well as its arms and track rod ends, are vital to check, and replace if required. When you get used to your car you may not notice wear and tear. In our case, driving lots of different Figs, some with new parts and others with old or failing items, it's very easy to feel the wear and to hear the difference. These types of parts fail and usually show their face when you're driving over small humps in the road or on a poor surface. Usually, everything shakes and rattles, right through the steering wheel. They can also lead to uneven tyre wear and make it tricky to set and maintain the tracking. The steering wheel not being central is a giveaway that something is amiss.

Our most successful upgrade has been the development and supply of the rear suspension arm bushings, there is not something available until now but the difference is immense. Partly because of the wear and partly because the new ones are made from Polyurethane. This is a harder and more durable rubber so slightly stiffens the car too. They have been a great success and are the icing on the cake if you're doing a suspension overhaul. We have added pictures of the parts with some notes, as well as them on the car in their worn-out condition.

Although none of these parts will make your Fig feel like a sports car they will dramatically improve it, as well as increase the enjoyment and confidence you get whilst driving. They make the car safer, quieter, more reliable and in the long run save you money on tyres and and other items which wear as a result of poor suspension and steering parts.

We hope this was useful to you but if you need any more information let us know. It's also well worth having a read of Simon Smith's (our very own forum moderator) detailed guide he made whilst fitting our rear suspension bushings. If you're thinking about having a go, or are just interested, then this incredible guide is a must!

As always anything in this article or any of the links has been created to reflect our own experiences. If you decide to make any changes or carry out any work on your car we cannot in any way be responsible for damage to the car or harm to yourself.

US Based Robert J. Vondracek