[Closed] Opinions on Espace Diesel

If you're carrying a more than 5 people then sod a car get a carrier.

can't remember when changed shape got a 55 plate grande espace
upside - kids think is a great monkeymobile and you can get a lot of gear in the back, jolly comfy but it is a bus.
downsides - seats in / out are very heavy much more so than the knackered galaxy i sold, moving back forwards is nice but no big deal

mpg lot less than galaxy
card key is a pain and not reliable - big downer
door open very wide - with kids this is an issue versus sliding doors on previa etc

My mate bought 2 ! I think they are a 53 plate and a 51 plate?

He loves them but they both break down worryingly often. He's had them for about 8 months and so far, from memory..

Brake master cylinder, CAT went, something electrical meant that they couldn't get into one, alarm kept going off, kept cutting out because of a sensor, need I go on?

He recently tried to PX them both for a Mondeo.

The ground your running them into may be closer than you think.....

I'd check the Honest John section of the Telegraph online. Owner comments, recall info, road tests etc - good souce of info

smurf

Echo the above...

When they're brand new and under warranty, they're great! but once a few years old and things start breaking, its just some sort of vicious cycle.

Not sure what else to suggest! But don't do it!

jt

That's confirmed my thoughts when looking the cars over. Will avoid. Thanks all.

My mate bought a 53 plate one and has in less than a year spent more than the purchase price to keep it running!...major electrical problems (like shorting out the electrics, all the windows opening while the car is parked overnight, dodgy alarm, all electrical power lost on motorway etc etc), cat went, suspension broke (2x), brake problems...he hates the thing - and his wife cannot lift the seats in and out as they are so heavy, so they sit in the garage 99% of the time.

Buy a Galaxy/Sharan/Alhambra.

Also, we looked at 'big' mpvs, but decided that even with three kids, and weekly need to use the 7 seats, we would only need the 'huge' space of big mpvs for holidays or occasional weekends. I am so glad we bought the smaller on (Touran) - its far more adaptable, cheaper to run, easier to drive round cities in etc and we simply bung on a roof box for holidays. I think big mpv's are less 'efficient' with the space.

Agee with above...I love the design of Renault cars, but mine became a real pain at about 5 years old. I think the parts are pretty expensive compared to the likes of Ford / Vauxhall so it's expensive when things go wrong.
I'd only buy again if still covered by the manufacturers warranty.

Great advice from the folk above. Always worth checking Honest Johns' website ,whatever car you're after. Strangely all large MPVs seem to have reliability problems. Tough call.

If you're going to be juggling the seats regularly the Zafira has to be on the shortlist? Flip down rears, fold up mid seats, no removal required.

My Dad had a VW Sharan and the seats were really awkward to lift due to their weight, the Espace ones must be a real pain!

I'm in the same position as fubar, I love the Renault design but I couldn't run one when it wasn't in warranty!

I ended up buying a Kia Sedona, its been fantastic, we're on 80,000 miles now and its been great. Its not the best for economy, (I'd look at the Galaxay/Alhambra for that) but for size and price nothing could beat it. new you could buy the top of the range Sedona for the base price of the Espace. The kia is bigger inside, has sliding doors which are a boon on such a wide car and has been reliable, what more could we ask of it?

I have a Renault Master van for work and its not bad but its already had to have the whole fuse box replaced at £3.5K!! Luckily under warranty!