The old man, the R12 and Renault care service: a moving story from Argentina
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Who has never wanted to make their granddad smile? And, why not, make their dream come true? That’s what Gonzalo did. This young Argentine managed to give his granddad Alberto the gift he had always dreamed of: a Renault 12. This touching story took an unexpected turn when the local Renault care service teams decided to help them both restore the vehicle.
BY THIBAUT COLLINEAU-DE-MEEZEMAKER
Alberto traveling down memory lane at the wheel of the Renault 12 his grandson gave him
It’s never too late to make your lifelong dreams come true! Or for a family member to help you do it. This is what happened earlier this year to Alberto, a retired 76-year-old from General Pico, a city in the province of La Pampa. He had always dreamed of owning a Renault 12, the first car he had driven. He was fascinated by this model, which he defined as “robust” and “indestructible”, but could never afford to buy one.
Renault, a family affair
Emotional moments
So someone else made it happen! Gonzalo, one of his grandchildren, decided to wow his granddad. With the money he had saved up working as a DJ and the proceeds from the sale of his own motorbike, he managed to buy the dream gift: a 1993 Renault 12. It needed a lot of repair work, but Alberto was thrilled.

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It was a special moment because seeing my grandfather smile is beautiful. He has always helped his grandchildren and he deserved to be fulfilled in return. I’m really happy to have given him this gift.
Center stage in Argentina
It could all have stopped there. But then the Argentine press picked up this touching story. And it swept across the country. Alberto and Gonzalo were asked to tell their story on national TV. That was how Renault heard about it and decided to help them refurbish the car.

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When we heard Alberto’s and Gonzalo’s story, we were deeply moved and wanted to make them even happier!
It was a golden opportunity to put Renault care service’s raison d’être—to keep all its customers’ cars on the road for longer—and its expertise into action. The Argentine after-sales arm contacted Gonzalo and Manera Pérez, the dealership in General Pico. They had all the parts they needed to refurbish Alberto’s Renault 12 and got to work straight away. Then they went the extra mile: Renault Argentina also decided to service his revamped car for life for free.
Alberto traveling down memory lane at the wheel of his new Renault 12
Pablo Sibilla, President & CEO, Renault Argentina
Gonzalo, Alberto’s grandson.
Saving the best for last
The adventure continued for Alberto and Gonzalo: Renault took them on a tour of the Santa Isabel plant in Cordoba, which built Renault 12s until 1995, to show them how theirs was made in 1993.
It was a moving visit tinged with nostalgia—two feelings that inevitably overcome Alberto every time he sits at the wheel of his Renault 12.