2008 Renault Sport Megane 175
Discussion
Berkshire bred said:
I see it as no different to getting a 320d, putting a bodykit and an air filter on it and deciding it is worthy of m3 badges. If it wasn't like it from factory why is is worthy of them now? To me it is a deliberate act to try and deceive people into thinking that you have a better car.
I see your point, purist 
.I actually think they are pretty decent cars if you need the fuel economy. The one thing I'll never understand is how some people prioritise jobs. For example, persistent faffing with the bodywork and swapping out the entire interior while running ditchfinder rear tyres and re-using brake pads...
PorkRind said:
Berkshire bred said:
I see it as no different to getting a 320d, putting a bodykit and an air filter on it and deciding it is worthy of m3 badges. If it wasn't like it from factory why is is worthy of them now? To me it is a deliberate act to try and deceive people into thinking that you have a better car.
I see your point, purist .
Got a chip my 6 week old windscreen. I was not amused.
MOT is looming and the rear pads (that I fitted barely a year ago) are toast thanks to the sticking rear caliper. On the plus side at least I got my moneys worth
Counterholding the slide pins while undoing the bolts is normally a tricky affair so I sacrificed a spanner to make it easier
The discs needed replacing as well. On the Megane they have an integrated wheel bearing. Not only is the disc unique to the RenaultSport model, but the later cars need a different fitment due to a different rear beam. As such they are very tricky to find, and expensive. Renault want £300, but I managed to pick up a pair of Mintex for £122. £122, for unvented plain discs!
The disc is held on by a single 36mm bolt. I only had a 3/8" 36mm socket. Imagine what 220nm on a 3/4" torque wrench does to a 3/8" adaptor? RIP adaptor.
Luckily Amazon delivered me a 1/2" socket the next day.
When trying to rewind one of the rear calipers, it was virtually impossible, so I got a new one.
Bearing in mind I bought used rear calipers last summer and refurbed them (new seals & pistons), and I've now had to replace both of them with new ones, I'm wondering if they were both totally shagged when I got them, or if I've damaged them while refurbing them.
Running costs wise over the last 2 years were at the following:
Fuel - 12.7p per mile (46.9 MPG)
Consumables - 4.1p per mile
Servicing - 1.1p per mile
Repairs - 5.2p per mile
Depreciation - 1.9p per mile
Inc tax / insurance works out to a total of 30.5p per mile which I think is reasonable - slightly more than my last car (the MG ZT) but parts are more expensive and a longer ownership helped to hide some of the costs.
MOT is looming and the rear pads (that I fitted barely a year ago) are toast thanks to the sticking rear caliper. On the plus side at least I got my moneys worth
Counterholding the slide pins while undoing the bolts is normally a tricky affair so I sacrificed a spanner to make it easier
The discs needed replacing as well. On the Megane they have an integrated wheel bearing. Not only is the disc unique to the RenaultSport model, but the later cars need a different fitment due to a different rear beam. As such they are very tricky to find, and expensive. Renault want £300, but I managed to pick up a pair of Mintex for £122. £122, for unvented plain discs!
The disc is held on by a single 36mm bolt. I only had a 3/8" 36mm socket. Imagine what 220nm on a 3/4" torque wrench does to a 3/8" adaptor? RIP adaptor.
Luckily Amazon delivered me a 1/2" socket the next day.
When trying to rewind one of the rear calipers, it was virtually impossible, so I got a new one.
Bearing in mind I bought used rear calipers last summer and refurbed them (new seals & pistons), and I've now had to replace both of them with new ones, I'm wondering if they were both totally shagged when I got them, or if I've damaged them while refurbing them.
C70R said:
I actually think they are pretty decent cars if you need the fuel economy. The one thing I'll never understand is how some people prioritise jobs. For example, persistent faffing with the bodywork and swapping out the entire interior while running ditchfinder rear tyres and re-using brake pads...
The car came with ditchfinders but as they wore out were replaced with Vredesteins.Running costs wise over the last 2 years were at the following:
Fuel - 12.7p per mile (46.9 MPG)
Consumables - 4.1p per mile
Servicing - 1.1p per mile
Repairs - 5.2p per mile
Depreciation - 1.9p per mile
Inc tax / insurance works out to a total of 30.5p per mile which I think is reasonable - slightly more than my last car (the MG ZT) but parts are more expensive and a longer ownership helped to hide some of the costs.
Edited by Jakg on Thursday 20th September 16:53
Edited by Jakg on Thursday 20th September 16:56
Jakg said:
The car came with ditchfinders but as they wore out were replaced with Vredesteins.
Running costs wise over the last 2 years were at the following:
Fuel - 12.7p per mile (46.9 MPG)
Consumables - 4.1p per mile
Servicing - 1.1p per mile
Repairs - 5.2p per mile
Depreciation - 1.9p per mile
Inc tax / insurance works out to a total of 30.5p per mile which I think is reasonable - slightly more than my last car (the MG ZT) but parts are more expensive and a longer ownership helped to hide some of the costs.
]
Interesting enough, I have a Megane 1.5 DCi which I have owned for a year and 14,300 miles and the figures are as follows:Running costs wise over the last 2 years were at the following:
Fuel - 12.7p per mile (46.9 MPG)
Consumables - 4.1p per mile
Servicing - 1.1p per mile
Repairs - 5.2p per mile
Depreciation - 1.9p per mile
Inc tax / insurance works out to a total of 30.5p per mile which I think is reasonable - slightly more than my last car (the MG ZT) but parts are more expensive and a longer ownership helped to hide some of the costs.
]
Insurance £208 = 1.46p per mile
Road Tax £30 = 0.21p per mile
Repairs : £0
Servicing : £35 (ebay parts) = 0.24p per mile
Consumables : £228 (£208 Tyres, £20 wipers) = 1.6 p per mile
Depreciation : I paid £1200 for the car, I think it is worth £800 now. = 2.8p per mile
Fuel : 55MPG = 11.16p per mile
Total = 17.47 p per mile.
This is by far and away the cheapest car I have ever owned to run. It has absolutely zero driving pleasure involved, but if you want to save money this is the car for you.
Failed MOT on a worn ball joint and advisory on a worn inner tie rod. Annoying, as both parts are about 2 years old. I replaced pretty much the entire front suspension when I got the car to avoid random wearing out of parts!
Out with the strut
Collateral damage was a drop link - ball joints are fine but the head has eroded such that you can't counter hold it. Buzzed it loose and then couldn't tighten it or loosen it because it would just spin.
Removed the bottom end from the anti-roll bar instead and with better access I could get it off and replace it
The ball joints are available separately and can be pressed into the arm. Typically this is done with a press which is how I did it last time, but the arms need to be off the car and this is significantly more work.
Instead I picked up an on-car ball joint service tool. Basically a very large C clamp and various bits of metal. I probably could of done it with my hydraulic press and some old sockets, but I only had a weekend to fix it in and wanted to be prepared so bought one. I only really needed the metal bits but the whole kit was only £10 more.
Very easily pushed the old ball joint out with the aid of an impact gun.
Getting the new one in was slightly more tricky - I got it most of the way in easily enough but getting it the last few mm was basically impossible with the tool as it was, not helped by the large size of the tool and the flex in the arm bushes. Out comes the trusty hydraulic press...
Out with the strut
Collateral damage was a drop link - ball joints are fine but the head has eroded such that you can't counter hold it. Buzzed it loose and then couldn't tighten it or loosen it because it would just spin.
Removed the bottom end from the anti-roll bar instead and with better access I could get it off and replace it
The ball joints are available separately and can be pressed into the arm. Typically this is done with a press which is how I did it last time, but the arms need to be off the car and this is significantly more work.
Instead I picked up an on-car ball joint service tool. Basically a very large C clamp and various bits of metal. I probably could of done it with my hydraulic press and some old sockets, but I only had a weekend to fix it in and wanted to be prepared so bought one. I only really needed the metal bits but the whole kit was only £10 more.
Very easily pushed the old ball joint out with the aid of an impact gun.
Getting the new one in was slightly more tricky - I got it most of the way in easily enough but getting it the last few mm was basically impossible with the tool as it was, not helped by the large size of the tool and the flex in the arm bushes. Out comes the trusty hydraulic press...
Took it on holiday
Got a vinyl cutter at work - so obviously my colleagues vandalised my car when I wasn't looking
Window packed up again - waters made its way into the window motor connector. Reseating it fixed it, but annoying to get to.
The interior fan also packed up. Initially worked on settings 1-3, but not on 4 - all signs pointed to the resistor, so replaced that and the connector. But then nothing worked at all!
Ended up removing the fan and found it open circuit. I thought it'd be horrible to remove and while it's buried deep inside the centre console, and needs to be carefully tweezed past all the wiring / hardware to get it out, you only have to remove the glovebox to do it.
Got a new one and tested it in the footwell and worked fine.
Fit it all back together, and setting 4 no longer works!
Turns out there was a loose connection between the resistor and it's plug - i'm not sure if it was because it was a non-OEM replacement resistor and connector, but it wasn't quite clicking into place - drilled a small hole and used a cable tie to hold it in place and it's been fine.
Got a vinyl cutter at work - so obviously my colleagues vandalised my car when I wasn't looking
Window packed up again - waters made its way into the window motor connector. Reseating it fixed it, but annoying to get to.
The interior fan also packed up. Initially worked on settings 1-3, but not on 4 - all signs pointed to the resistor, so replaced that and the connector. But then nothing worked at all!
Ended up removing the fan and found it open circuit. I thought it'd be horrible to remove and while it's buried deep inside the centre console, and needs to be carefully tweezed past all the wiring / hardware to get it out, you only have to remove the glovebox to do it.
Got a new one and tested it in the footwell and worked fine.
Fit it all back together, and setting 4 no longer works!
Turns out there was a loose connection between the resistor and it's plug - i'm not sure if it was because it was a non-OEM replacement resistor and connector, but it wasn't quite clicking into place - drilled a small hole and used a cable tie to hold it in place and it's been fine.
MOT fail on a corroded brake line - luckily it's a part you can buy off-the-shelf from Renault
Broke out my new brake bleeder
Very clean brake fluid came out as expected
Window packed up again so replaced the TEMIC module. Unfortunately while it works, one touch up seems to have disappeared.
Having gone through several reversing cameras I tried to waterproof the next one with some silicone
Broke out my new brake bleeder
Very clean brake fluid came out as expected
Window packed up again so replaced the TEMIC module. Unfortunately while it works, one touch up seems to have disappeared.
Having gone through several reversing cameras I tried to waterproof the next one with some silicone
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