Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 41 total)
  • Renaul Megane and Megane Scenic
  • hora
    Free Member

    Thoughts? My purchase of a Xsara Picasso fell through when I discovered rust (still looking at these).

    They look quite nice and well priced/lots to chose from. The dash is one area to check but bar buying a good warranty/any experiences?

    Was thinking c56/07 reg.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    I’ve got an 05 Grand Scenic 1.9TDi I’ve owned from new.

    problems;

    Dashboard went pop a year or so back (so well out of warranty) – Renault supply a new one free and you pay the dealer £100 to fit it.

    The highest fan speed doesn’t work and the fuse/faulty wiring is buried under the dash so I live with it.

    One of the windows has got water in the motor recently so I’ve had to take the fuse out. Common problem apparently.

    It’s had a cv boot and tyres plus new pads and front disks and a couple of front suspension rubbers. There were a couple of recall items early on that got dealt with for free.

    Not done huge mileage (about 80,000) but the above is ‘all’ that’s gone wrong.

    Gets serviced once a year if it needs it or not.

    Towed our caravan all over and now our trailer tent, it’s got good torque, reasonably comfortable.

    Get 50+mpg on a longer drive (even towing), mid 30’s to 40 around town.

    It’s like a small van inside when you drop the middle row of seats so great for journeys to the tip or carrying bikes inside.

    Frankly, for what it is I couldn’t ask any more of it.

    Given I’m nearing the bottom of the depreciation curve with it now I think that for £1500-£2k a year ownership costs it’s given value for money.

    jekkyl
    Full Member

    all french cars = avoid. afaic
    anything german or if not then japanese ftw.

    hora
    Free Member

    Owned German and Jap. All cars 4yrs+ have age issues. If I bought a 05 Touran I bet it’d be a bill somewhere.

    mogrim
    Full Member

    I’ve got an 05 Grand Scenic 1.9TDi I’ve owned from new.

    problems;

    Dashboard went pop a year or so back (so well out of warranty) – Renault supply a new one free and you pay the dealer £100 to fit it.

    The highest fan speed doesn’t work and the fuse/faulty wiring is buried under the dash so I live with it.

    One of the windows has got water in the motor recently so I’ve had to take the fuse out. Common problem apparently.

    It’s had a cv boot and tyres plus new pads and front disks and a couple of front suspension rubbers. There were a couple of recall items early on that got dealt with for free.

    Not done huge mileage (about 80,000) but the above is ‘all’ that’s gone wrong.

    Gets serviced once a year if it needs it or not.

    Towed our caravan all over and now our trailer tent, it’s got good torque, reasonably comfortable.

    Get 50+mpg on a longer drive (even towing), mid 30’s to 40 around town.

    It’s like a small van inside when you drop the middle row of seats so great for journeys to the tip or carrying bikes inside.

    Frankly, for what it is I couldn’t ask any more of it.

    Given I’m nearing the bottom of the depreciation curve with it now I think that for £1500-£2k a year ownership costs it’s given value for money.

    Sounds fairly similar to my Scenic, except Renault wouldn’t give me a free dashboard when it went wrong 🙁

    Not sure I’d get another one TBH, while it’s not bad to drive and a decent size inside, the amount of things that have gone wrong has put me off Renaults for life…

    jekkyl
    Full Member

    It’s all subjective it seems Mr Hor. I’ve owned a peugeot, a renault and a citroen and found them all to be awful plastic affairs which didn’t inspire any pride and 2 of them were very unreliable. Conversely I’ve owned 2 audi’s A4s, 2 golfs and I now have a Passat and found them all excellent, fun to drive, reliable and did inspire pride.

    rickmeister
    Full Member

    French wine. German cars.

    Safer bet than the other way round….

    ianv
    Free Member

    I had an earlier model scenic (02) it was s–t. The ignition coils were always giving up and the car would refuse to start at random intervals and always at really awkward moments. Renault is the car equivalent of Ryan air, reasonably cheap but poor quality and dire after sales/customer care. Peugeot/Citroen seem much better.

    DaveyBoyWonder
    Free Member

    What on earth are you doing Hora? Compiling a car shopping list of the worlds most dull cars? The in-laws had two Scenics, a mk1 and then the later shape like you’re looking at (after a couple of old skool Renault 21s etc).

    I drove both the Scenics but only remember the newer one because of a) its god awful interior/dash/seats and b) of its borderline dangerous engine. Can’t remember exactly which engine was in it but it was MASSIVELY underpowered in a car that size. I drove it with 4 adults in (as you’d expect a car like to comfortably take) and anything other than a flat road you’d be dropping down 2 gears and really struggling. The only time I’ve driven a car that had less power was a 1l Smart Four4 but at least I was doing 30 around Huddersfield on the test drive vs trying to keep up with the pace of traffic on the M5 (and struggling).

    That said, I don’t think the outlaws ever had any major problems with it and it was very spacious.

    Can’t you get a Berlingo type thing for what you’re after? Or at least look at an older Passat estate or something. Please, even if its just for the fact there’ll potentially be one less French POS on the roads…

    hora
    Free Member

    Tell me about it. Its depressing. I need something to carry me through till March as I’ve still got a lease car till then. If I go over my mileage it’ll incur charges and trigger the need for a major service. Both of which I’d rather avoid.

    cr500dom
    Free Member

    Had a Megane estate, which was cavernous and cheap to tax and fuel.

    But I always knew a random fault and subsequent £500 bill was just around the corner.

    The door pockets fill up with water “They all do that sir”
    Random electrical faults, spare wheel plastic tray filled up with water too.
    EGR valve went(they all do that too)
    Ac compressor clutch went
    Broke 2 suspension springs
    It would drop onto 3 cylinders at idle, and no amount of injector swapping / cleaning / fuel changing etc would clear it
    Never got any worse so lived with it.
    Fan lost high speed setting which was great with the amount of water swilling around inside.

    Oh and just a mind-numbingly tedious thing to drive…… Over servoed brakes and steering coupled with woeful damping

    We Had it for 2 years, and I reckon even given the fuel/tax savings, it cost more to run and was less reliable than the Alfa Romeo it replaced.

    I would rather chew my own foot off than have another one 😡

    MrSparkle
    Full Member

    Scenic owner here: electrics are merde. Variety of problems but the most annoying one is the steroe which has trapped 6 of my CD’s in it (old skool I know) and won’t let me release them. Oh, and if the battery ever goes flat then you can be in a whole world of shit due to the electric handbrake. You can’t bump start the car and it takes a pretty heft belt from something like a 4×4 to jump start it.

    funkrodent
    Full Member

    As most of the above seem to be saying, steer clear of French cars. Like French women they should be used rarely and only then if they belong to someone else 😉 (I’ll get me coat)

    For 2nd hand duty I’d always go Japanese. Honda have a superb reputation for reliability and retain value, as do Mazda. Alternatively a Toyota would be ok..

    VanHalen
    Full Member

    just got a scenic about 3 months ago. quite a posh version. lots of toys.

    seems alright. mind numbingly dull to look at and i worry about losing it in car parks as it looks like every other silver modern car.

    given i normally drive a T4 van its quite sprightly to drive.

    I`m not expecting much to be honest and we’ll see how long it lasts.

    DaveyBoyWonder
    Free Member

    Given you’ve been driving a C1 for a while Hora, can’t you just get a little Fiesta or something to keep you going til the end of the lease? mk1 Fabia vRS? Cheap, fun to drive, silly frugal and 5 door to ace for the little un etc.

    Bregante
    Full Member

    How much you looking at spending hora? You can get an FRV for £3.5k and it’ll probably be a damn sight more reliable than a Scenic.

    ScottChegg
    Free Member

    Wife has had a diesel Grand Scenic since new on a 57 plate.

    Now done 80,000 miles. Needed nothing but servicing. First big bill was last month when the electric handbrake cable went £800 with fitting at a Renault dealer. Had a whinge to Renault customer services and they contributed 20% to the bill.

    Went to France in Feb in it, loaded to the gills with kidcrap. Loaded with lager on the way back. Never misses a beat. Loads of space and clever storage areas that the Galaxy before it didn’t have. The Galaxy always felt huge. The Reno is no bigger than an estate on the road. Lovely comfy seats and cushiony ride.

    So much so we’ve been looking at new one…

    FeeFoo
    Free Member

    I know the problems that French cars had in the past with dodgy electrics etc. but aren’t most modern cars today all pretty similar within their price bracket?

    The “avoid French cars” cliche is a bit out of date in my opinion.

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    Went to France in Feb in it, loaded to the gills with kidcrap. Loaded with lager on the way back.

    Exchanged kids for beer…? 🙂

    mboy
    Free Member

    I know the problems that French cars had in the past with dodgy electrics etc. but aren’t most modern cars today all pretty similar within their price bracket?
    The “avoid French cars” cliche is a bit out of date in my opinion.

    I agree in principle, but I will also agree that in general, French cars do suffer slightly more (or people are just more vocal about it) in the reliability stakes.

    I’ve had several French cars, and a number of German ones… The only car to ever leave me with a massive bill? Yup, you guessed it… A 1.9tdi VW Passat! The engine (which they will all do 500k miles without a rebuild sir) ceased with a mere 120k on the clock and a FSH! Proper shit me up it did too as I was doing 75 on the M4 when it ceased!

    Anyway… The key to buying a “reliable” French car… Buy one with the least stuff to go wrong! Electric handbrake and keyless entry? Hahahahaha! Good luck my son… And don’t assume that a FSH means that the car will be without faults. Buy a cheap, basic French car and expect to have to spend some money on maintaining it, and you will often be pleasantly surprised. Buy a big, luxury French car with electric everything and a FSH expecting it to do 3yrs and 60,000 trouble free miles, and you’re in for a BIG headache.

    Currently running around in a rat of a Y plate 1.9DCi Renault Megane (also had a scenic briefly before too, and they are practical inside!) that I bought for £650. In 15 months and 12,000 miles it has needed a new EGR valve (buy a genuine one, pattern ones last 20k miles if you’re lucky, genuine ones may be 50% more expensive but last 4 times longer) and that has been it! I have done some preventative maintenance on it, in particular cleaning the inlet manifolds out as well as fitting new EGR, but it’s been one of the most reliable cars I’ve owned, and probably the cheapest to run (avg 54mpg, up to 60 on a run).

    One note of warning… Scenic’s attract the school run mum insurance tax. Same floor pan, engines and even insurance group, but I can tell you from my own experience, a Scenic will cost nearly twice as much to insure (cos they’re all covered in parking dents!).

    hora
    Free Member

    Scottchegg selling?

    Bregante I owned a FRV when they first came out.. They are still pricey – even the leggy ones.

    hora
    Free Member

    Good nudge. If kosher I like this one;

    http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201310189356438

    sparkyrhino
    Full Member

    step away from the Megane.

    sobriety
    Free Member

    Currently running around in a rat of a Y plate 1.9DCi Renault Megane

    My one of those went bang in a spectacular fashion at 80mph in the outside lane of the M1. The DCi’s cam belt and alternator belt run next to eachother, so if your alternator belt tensioner fails, causing the alternator belt to fail, there’s a good chance it’ll go into the cam belt, jumping it into being off time and causing you to mash every single valve in the engine.

    It got rebuilt by me and my dad over christmas (he’s a mechanic) and then run for a while before being traded in, for my Dad’s new Seat. He gave me his old Peugeot 407, which as it turns out drives better and has been more reliable than the VAG car.

    So I guess the moral of this is: Cars, you can’t tell.

    EDIT: Oh crap, it’s a ‘hora what car/bike/wife/penis enlarger thread’, whatever you decide will be not quite right in about ten minutes anyway, so just go for a pretty colour.

    heavyman
    Free Member

    IMHO I’d say DO NOT GO NEAR.
    We bought a scenic 54 for the Missus and have just got rid of it, loads of probs and high MOT fix costs 🙁 Ended up with blown Turbo so could not even sell it, a large motor company took it as a trade-in luckily and we bought a Toyota Yaris, recommended by a mate who owns a garage, he says he only sees them once a year for MOT.

    Strangely enough the same mate warned us after we bought the Scenic that we would have bother with it, probably with electrics and turbo – maybe he sabotaged it 😕

    I also looked up most reliable cars for MOT’s and Yaris came out No.3 meganes were in the bottom 5 – Number 1 for passing was Toyota Aygo but they are even smaller than a Yaris.

    Wife liked the Scenic for the space in it.

    finishthat
    Free Member

    That Stream on autotrader looks good – I reckon for the peace of mind of Honda reliability a bit of extra fuel is worth it over the almost certain annoyances you would get from a cheap Megane.

    http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/honda/stream-2002/?section=owners-reviews

    DaveyBoyWonder
    Free Member

    I don’t see why Hora, that you’re looking at “I’ve given up and I’m waiting to die”-mobiles to keep you going until the lease runs out?!

    tomtomthepipersson
    Full Member

    We had an 04 scenic (auto, 1600).

    Problems included both rear windows’ electrics failing, coils packing up, air-con and fan going pop, floor cubby holes filling with water, boot lock randomly failing, remote key falling apart…

    We traded it in needing new front shocks, a new exhaust, with and a deep gouge down one side (big tear in the wheel arch & door and a chunk of bumper missing). Got 500 quid for it. Would have been happy with a fiver.

    mogrim
    Full Member

    Strangely enough the same mate warned us after we bought the Scenic that we would have bother with it, probably with electrics and turbo – maybe he sabotaged it

    Sounds like mine, forgot to mention in my previous post that the turbo also exploded while on holiday this year 🙁

    timc
    Free Member

    Read a recent Which article which had the Megane as the worst car & the Megane convertible as the second worst! 😯

    Reluctant
    Free Member

    On our 2nd Megane. They’ve both been great. The first one blew a coil in less than 2 years, replaced under warranty; other than that….no problems. Both French cars with keyless entry, auto headlights, auto wipers and all that jazz. 😀

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    France is full of people driving round in older French cars so it’s daft to say “avoid”. It’s about price, personally I am a German/Japanese car fan as I think the premium is worth paying for superior quality and reliability, but of course there are good buys to be had for Fench cars, personally I’d buy French before American (eg Ford)

    1-shed
    Free Member

    Test drove a scenic and although technically better than a berlingo/kangoo I just couldn’t buy one. I have a berlingo now and it’s great, but my puma drives better 😀

    Gary_C
    Full Member

    Steer well clear.

    LHS
    Free Member

    French cars, nice to look at, frustrating to pick up all the pieces that fall of them.

    parkesie
    Free Member

    Nothings fell off my french car except when i went through the monkey park at longleat.

    Yak
    Full Member

    I had a 2l petrol megane for about 4years. All good really. In addition to the usual services, it had 3 wheel bearings at about 80k and only one electrical fault – whilst on holiday in France, the brake pedal tended to make all the rear lights come on – brake, fog, indicators. Still had the desired effect of letting folk behind know i was doing something. About a 5min fix by the mechanic when i got back.

    Had a bit of rust at 105k then i sold it on. So overall – a pretty good car and did what i asked of it with a fair bit of neglect by me. Thinking about it, it probably matched the civic that replaced it for the low number of faults. I may have been lucky though it appears from the above.

    dmorts
    Full Member

    Got one, ’09 plate, 1.6 petrol.

    Pluses: space and flexibility, and it was very cheap. As with all french cars spare parts can be fabricated from cardboard.

    Minuses: It’s had 2 electric electric window motors, £100 and that’s the 80% subsidised rate. Reasonably nippy at lower speeds but scarily underpowered when faced with hills or a full car. To convert it to right hand drive they moved the steering wheel and the pedals, but nothing else. This makes finding and changing a fuse interesting….

    I don’t buy the German = reliable. Better build quality, design and nicer cars when they’re running, yup. But not more reliable and they’re just as expensive when they go wrong. My Seat (RIP) atests to this.

    If a Scenic is going cheap, they’re really not that bad for running around town or carting bikes about.

    dragon
    Free Member

    Folks have a Megane that on the whole has been very reliable and has over 100k on the clock. I had a Clio Y reg and it wasn’t good IMO, lots of faults and problems. Overheating engines due to corrosion of the wires running to the fan, failed drum brakes, failed electric window motor, CV boot that was forever coming loose, replaced drive shaft, replaced radiator. Saying that the engine always started 1st time even after 12 months of it not having been used.

    Personally I’d stay away from French cars from now on, especially as they are no longer cheap and most are no longer nice to look at either.

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