Renaultsport Megane?
Discussion
Ok - I'm on a bit of a 'what car' trip, and I've been thinking about a few options lately, veering widely between B6 Quattro Avants, and Jag S-Type Rs...
But, I'm toying with the idea of something that's cheap to buy, AS WELL as cheap to run, while also being 'fun', 'quick' and 'practical'.
This has led me to consider 'hot hatches', and the Megane certainly seems good VFM. I know they're accomplished, and I kbow that many left the factory with rather more than the stated 225 horses, so they are quick.
My concerns are the famous Renault quality control, the image (I've just turned 40 - will I look daft?) and the refinement levels (would a journey from London to the Lakes leave me feeling like I'd just gone ten rounds with a heavyweight boxer for instance?)
For info, I'd be looking at something around an 06-07 plate, so the 'one with the bum'
Any views from owners most welcome
Ta all.
But, I'm toying with the idea of something that's cheap to buy, AS WELL as cheap to run, while also being 'fun', 'quick' and 'practical'.
This has led me to consider 'hot hatches', and the Megane certainly seems good VFM. I know they're accomplished, and I kbow that many left the factory with rather more than the stated 225 horses, so they are quick.
My concerns are the famous Renault quality control, the image (I've just turned 40 - will I look daft?) and the refinement levels (would a journey from London to the Lakes leave me feeling like I'd just gone ten rounds with a heavyweight boxer for instance?)
For info, I'd be looking at something around an 06-07 plate, so the 'one with the bum'
Any views from owners most welcome
Ta all.
TTwiggy said:
the image (I've just turned 40 - will I look daft?)
I'm in my early 30's, I'm powerfully built (the bad way), and I now own a Ford Puma. Having never looked at myself in the car I don't really care, it's not like I need to impress anyone in it and I'm bigger than this guy
Marf said:
TTwiggy said:
the image (I've just turned 40 - will I look daft?)
The real question is "do you care if you look daft?"Chrisw666 said:
TTwiggy said:
the image (I've just turned 40 - will I look daft?)
I'm in my early 30's, I'm powerfully built (the bad way), and I now own a Ford Puma. Having never looked at myself in the car I don't really care, it's not like I need to impress anyone in it and I'm bigger than this guyTTwiggy said:
Well, daft isn't really what I meant. I live in SE London, and a year in an Alfa 147 GTa was almost enough to put me off hot hatch ownership for life... 'I is racing you bruv. You don't know it bruv, but I is racing you.'
Haha gotcha, well yeah, you may well attract the wrong crowd there, bruv. 
I test drove one about four years back, I was sold but my licence wasn't good at the time and had no no-claims so it was going to cripple me.
About two years ago a friend of mine picked up a low mileage R26 for a song. I couldn't say a bad word about it. Very involving to drive, great steering response and supportive sports seats. Driving one is a very nice place to be.
About two years ago a friend of mine picked up a low mileage R26 for a song. I couldn't say a bad word about it. Very involving to drive, great steering response and supportive sports seats. Driving one is a very nice place to be.
TTwiggy said:
My concerns are the famous Renault quality control
There's a suggestion that the cars built in Dieppe, i.e. the Renaultsport models, are better put together than the lesser models. How much truth there is in that, I'm not sure. As an alternative, you may want to consider the similarly sized Integra Type R (DC5 shape). Depends whether you like the vtec experience or not but they're surprisingly spacious, reasonably quick, fairly light, faultlessly reliable and generally good fun. Nor do they suffer from the inflated prices and hype surrounding the DC2.
Edited by Risotto on Thursday 23 February 16:26
Risotto said:
There's a suggestion that the cars built in Dieppe, i.e. the Renaultsport models, are better put together than the lesser models. How much truth there is in that, I'm not sure.
As an alternative, you may want to consider the similarly sized Integra Type R (DC5 shape). Depends whether you like the vtec experience or not but they're surprisingly spacious, reasonably quick, fairly light, faultlessly reliable and generally good fun. Nor do they suffer from the inflated prices and hype surrounding the DC2.
Not sure I'm keen on travelling everywhere at 8k rpm As an alternative, you may want to consider the similarly sized Integra Type R (DC5 shape). Depends whether you like the vtec experience or not but they're surprisingly spacious, reasonably quick, fairly light, faultlessly reliable and generally good fun. Nor do they suffer from the inflated prices and hype surrounding the DC2.
Edited by Risotto on Thursday 23 February 16:26
I have a R26 and love it. Mine has been great and never had any problems (although it has only done 16k miles), there are a few small rattles and squeaks every so often, don't expect audi interior quality.
The main difference between them is:
225: the original
cup chassis 225: slightly stiffer, handled better
R26: added LSD, Recaros and a few visual tweaks
R26.R stripped version of the R26
The 225's were face-lifted mid life which was reasonably subtle, look for the differences around the fog lights. There is plenty more detail (and a forum) on here http://www.meganesport.net/history.htm If your budget stretches to an R26, this is what I would choose.
Running costs are pretty reasonable. I get low 30s mpg on long motorway runs, mid 20s in gentle mixed driving and low 20s driving briskly. Decent tyres will last about 10-12k, my car ate a set of disks in the same time frame. Mine is perfectly comfortable on long drives (Cambridge to Edinburgh and back a few times a year), cruise helps a lot and the ride even with the stiffer set up of the R26 is surprisingly compliant (much better than a cooper s or the new clio cups).
The main difference between them is:
225: the original
cup chassis 225: slightly stiffer, handled better
R26: added LSD, Recaros and a few visual tweaks
R26.R stripped version of the R26
The 225's were face-lifted mid life which was reasonably subtle, look for the differences around the fog lights. There is plenty more detail (and a forum) on here http://www.meganesport.net/history.htm If your budget stretches to an R26, this is what I would choose.
Running costs are pretty reasonable. I get low 30s mpg on long motorway runs, mid 20s in gentle mixed driving and low 20s driving briskly. Decent tyres will last about 10-12k, my car ate a set of disks in the same time frame. Mine is perfectly comfortable on long drives (Cambridge to Edinburgh and back a few times a year), cruise helps a lot and the ride even with the stiffer set up of the R26 is surprisingly compliant (much better than a cooper s or the new clio cups).
Edited by AlR26 on Thursday 23 February 19:31
I had one of these last year for only 2 months - a new record for me in the shortest time I have kept a car!
But, I only sold it as I had a chance to make a big profit - £2k!!
Mine had an exhaust and K-Tec remap and so was running around 270BHP. It was very quick and handled amazingly, very go-kart ish. Much better handling car than most comparable hot-hatches.
I liked the look of it - they're very much a marmite car.
MPG average for me was around 25. It is the sort of car you can't cruise in, it just wanted to be ragged all the time, part of the reason I got rid really as I like a relaxing drive some of the time, and it's not the best place to be for a long run, quite a harsh ride (hence the great handling) and spec is not great.
One thing to note is that come 70k miles they will need a cambelt, and that is a tricky job, probably £800 to £1k at Renault, £600+ indy. You will see a few cars around this mileage being sold, so make sure they have it done or get some money off to do it.
All in all, well worth a punt, you might just love it.
This was mine:
But, I only sold it as I had a chance to make a big profit - £2k!!
Mine had an exhaust and K-Tec remap and so was running around 270BHP. It was very quick and handled amazingly, very go-kart ish. Much better handling car than most comparable hot-hatches.
I liked the look of it - they're very much a marmite car.
MPG average for me was around 25. It is the sort of car you can't cruise in, it just wanted to be ragged all the time, part of the reason I got rid really as I like a relaxing drive some of the time, and it's not the best place to be for a long run, quite a harsh ride (hence the great handling) and spec is not great.
One thing to note is that come 70k miles they will need a cambelt, and that is a tricky job, probably £800 to £1k at Renault, £600+ indy. You will see a few cars around this mileage being sold, so make sure they have it done or get some money off to do it.
All in all, well worth a punt, you might just love it.
This was mine:
I quite like the shape of them, it's them being a Renault that worries me!
I know all about expensive bills to do with the engine as i currently have it's bigger, fatter sister, a Scenic.
A friend of mine has has 2 Clio sports now & he gets rid everytime they get near 70,000 miles as on both his bit's start to go wrong, i presume it's the same with a Megane Sport?
I know all about expensive bills to do with the engine as i currently have it's bigger, fatter sister, a Scenic.
A friend of mine has has 2 Clio sports now & he gets rid everytime they get near 70,000 miles as on both his bit's start to go wrong, i presume it's the same with a Megane Sport?
It'll be expensive to run, and I think they still have more depreciation to do, although I'm not too up on used values right at this moment.
I'd buy the cheapest one I could find that stood up to a look over (I'd want one with tidy bodywork and wheels etc, and one that'd had brake discs and pads recently as they aren't that cheap when compared with other similar hot hatches that aren't running 4 pot brembos on the front axle).
I haven't driven one so I can't comment on how they handle except I'd imagine it should handle beautifully as my old Clio F1 was lovely.
Expect electrical problems, but I think there is some credence to the "Dieppe is better" concept - my Clio was better built in the details, for example paint finish etc was a step above a typical renault. I'm a fan of Renaults, I think they suffer a bit of a poor reputation but they do offer a lot of car for the money when new, so I think you have to take the rough with the smooth.
Buy one. Expect to have to fix it. Have fun.
I'd buy the cheapest one I could find that stood up to a look over (I'd want one with tidy bodywork and wheels etc, and one that'd had brake discs and pads recently as they aren't that cheap when compared with other similar hot hatches that aren't running 4 pot brembos on the front axle).
I haven't driven one so I can't comment on how they handle except I'd imagine it should handle beautifully as my old Clio F1 was lovely.
Expect electrical problems, but I think there is some credence to the "Dieppe is better" concept - my Clio was better built in the details, for example paint finish etc was a step above a typical renault. I'm a fan of Renaults, I think they suffer a bit of a poor reputation but they do offer a lot of car for the money when new, so I think you have to take the rough with the smooth.
Buy one. Expect to have to fix it. Have fun.
I sold a Porsche 997 Turbo to buy two cars to use in the South of France the first a Mercedes SL65 AMG (convertible and lunatic speed on the autoroute also no hassle with speed bumps) second car Renault Megane R26 white with all the decals. This was a 2008 car with 10,000 miles on the clock and absolutely immaculate.The cup chassis makes for a firm ride but is not intolerable.The car was surprisingly fast with good pick up at low revs and you do not need to thrash the car to make quick progress. I like everything about the car however the engine does lack character but that is a minor quibble bearing in mind the price. Great car for those twisty little roads around the Cote d'Azur. Oh and by the way I am 64 years!!
No real major worries on the R26. Window regulators can go and are around £100 to replace (from memory).
And I would pay a bit more and get a R26 over a 225. LSD and Recaros are worth it, not to mention the great suspension set up.
If I had a budget of £8k I think this would be where my money would go
And I would pay a bit more and get a R26 over a 225. LSD and Recaros are worth it, not to mention the great suspension set up.
If I had a budget of £8k I think this would be where my money would go
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