Unfortunately, many parts providers and sellers don't know or understand these vehicles and are advertising parts for a Series 1 Espace, that are actually parts for the Series 2 Espace, which is why they don't fit the Series 1!
It appears this has come about for one or two reasons, and the Haynes Espace workshop manual is partly to blame here. This is because they used incorrect naming terminology for the different models. The very first Espace was designed for Talbot, their partner at that time, but when they rejected it, they changed the design slightly to take various Renault parts such as powertrain, suspension and electrics etc., and it became the Renault Espace produced from late 1984 to the end of 1987, still using the original Talbot head lamps and was simply named the Espace.
By 1987 this Espace was selling well and demand for more was increasing, so Renault asked Matra for more and a follow up model. However, as that was going to need a bigger factory and time to engineer, they quickly produced a face-lifted model of the first Espace, sold from 1988 to 1990, and since it was largely based on that first model it was called the Series 1 Phase 2 model. It was given a more Renault model corporate look at the front, with Renault style head lamps sloped backwards instead of Talbot ones angled forward, and a different more rounded tailgate at the rear, to increase internal luggage capacity. In most other respects it was still the first Espace.
In 1991 Matra had a new larger, semi-automated, factory and produced the new replacement model. It had totally new bodywork with distinctive outside mirrors blended into the more rounded body styling, mounted well forward of the doors, plus many other changes including different engines and gearboxes, including automatics and a V6 option, and this was the true Series 2 Espace (see photo at the bottom).
Unfortunately the Haynes manual called this the Phase 3! This was because they misunderstood Renault naming procedure. When Renault face-lift a model, it's still the same Series but has a 'Phase' with a number added to its title, so when a model is face-lifted once, twice or occasionally more, they would be called a phase 2, or phase 3, etc. The Series 2 model was definitely not a face-lift or 'Phase 3' as it was a totally new model, and the original Espace (1984 to 1987) had never been called a Phase 1 either. But it seems many, including third party sellers, took this Haynes naming of Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 and confused these with the terms Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3, and thus the Espace Series 1 Phase 2 became the Series 2 in their minds and confusion has reigned since! Plus anyone who thinks the Haynes phase 3 is the same as the actual Series 3 Espace is in for a big shock. The actual Series 3 Espace came out in late 1996 for 1997 and was a totally different car again with a transverse power train, and highly complex electronics, where the first two series had had longitudinal power trains, and relatively simple electrics.
The second problem is that many of the sellers on the internet do not have the official parts lists nor access to them, for the very early Espace, as these are now over 25 years old and even the Renault dealers no longer have access either and therefore cannot provide the correct advice or accurate part numbers. I know this for certain as I have been to Renault dealers and given them my 1989 or 1990 chassis numbers and they no longer have them on their world database and cannot look up the correct part numbers for them! As I worked for Renault many years ago, I still have the correct information for these old vehicles and can check them myself. Consequently, I know these sellers are listing parts that are actually for the Series 2 Espace (code J63) but listing them as if they will fit a Series 1 (code J11) which often they do not.
For example, the front anti-roll bar on a Series 1 Espace is 21 mm diameter, so the bushes have to match, yet the bushes being sold on the internet were the wrong shape to start with, and had different mountings, but even if you managed to fit them, since they are for a 22 or 23 mm anti-roll bar they would be more loose than your worn original ones and would be no good to get an M.o.T. pass! These bushes are for the bars on a Series 2 Espace, the 22 mm is on the lower powered models and the 23 mm is for the Series 2 Espace V6 model. I think I have finally managed to get the Series 2 bushes being listed for the Series 1 stopped, but if you take a look at the photo below showing the two different bushes, you can easily tell which should be for which model.
Series 1 and 2 Front Anti-roll bar bushes
Another possibly very important item is the front radiator. Virtually all sellers are listing radiators for a Series 1 Espace that are actually for the Series 2 and won't fit. It is so obvious because in the first instance they are too wide at 670 mm core width when the correct one is only 620 mm wide, the input and output hoses connections should be short and straight, and the lower mountings should be two pins 540 mm apart under the core to fit into two rubbers in the lower cross member. The ones being sold have a long lower outlet angled upwards, the two lower pins are moulded in the plastic end tanks and are therefore much too far apart. They also have a pin sticking out each side at the top, which fit into two side mountings on the Series 2, that don't exist on a Series 1. The top mountings on the Series 1 are two shaped rubber blocks fitted ito the top channel over the core and brackets under the top cross member locate on those rubbers. The only correct radiator I've found for a Series 1 Espace is a Prasco RT 2025 (below) and is now extremely hard to find, mainly because there is little demand and because these sellers think there are plenty of the 'correct' ones around without realising they are not correct at all, and the ones they are listing are only for the Series 2.
Series 1 radiator: Prasco RT2025
There are many other examples or incorrect parts, so please be aware that unless the parts being listed fit both models, they may be incorrect. And you can't always go by the compatibility listings either as many times they are wrong! Some times they will tell you it doesn't fit when in fact it does, as well as telling you that it fits when it doesn't. The only way I can help is for you to get me to check against the official Renault parts manual. But I must have certain information first, so before you email me, please get together these details and let me have them all. First the VIN from the chassis plate and the vehicle fabrication number from the oval plate; then the engine number and engine fabrication number - these are on a plate on the front right hand side of the engine. And if you want anything for the gearbox, then I would need the gearbox number and gearbox fabrication numbers too, which are on a plate on the back of the gearbox. With those details I can look up and get the correct part number or details for your Espace, Series 1 Phase 2 (photos at the top), Series 2 (below) or even a Series 3 with transverse power train.
Espace Series 2
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