Megane 250 Questions

[TurboFlorio]

If you're going for a testdrive in the megane, definitely don't forget to press the sport button and ask the owner to show what it can do if there are suitable roads. As a first time driving it you won't know how hard you can actually push it.

[git-r]

AB57 said:

Hi all,

I've had my mind set on a Mk3.5 Mx5 however I didn't realise for the same money I could pick up a Megane 250! Been doing a fair bit of research but I'm still confused as what the options are and how they are worded in ad titles/how to check when looking at a car.

I obviously want the cup chassis but would also like all the other extras. Would I be right in thinking I'd be looking at a sport but speced with the cup chassis?

The recaro seats look great, are they worth it over the standard seats? I'd like leather on either one but the recaros seem to be thin on the ground.

Also what are the running costs like in general, is it mostly wear and tear items and nothing major? I read about the ball joints being an issue, are these expensive to sort?

Thanks for any advice, it would be much appreciated!

Yup, you're correct, a 'full fat' renaultsport megane specced with the cup chassis if that's what you want. There's very littlw difference between a cup and full fat cup. The latter being very slightly heavier with a few more electronics like dual climate control, think the former lacks auto wipers/lights and full leather.

If you do go for a cup, they're utterly brilliant on track but if you're not planning on a lot of track days then it might become tiresome, they're hard on bumps! The non cups would be much better if you're only using it on the road in terms of comfort.
The optioned recaro seats really lift the interior and make it look better, not sure they offer Much extra in terms of support though.

I've been gobsmacked at how cheap consumables are, a full set of Renault pads front and back for £100 delivered, and they're excellent! I think the only reason some say they're not that good is because the fluid isn't changed regularly.

If you go into any Renault dealer you won't get these prices, 5 mins on google and you will tho. RSmegane forum is great source of info.

[roadie]

Good thread this, I am contemplating a 250 or potentially a 265.

Just how much more supple and compliant is the non Cup over the Cup? I'm really after something that can ride well and soak up bumps without crashing and banging all over the place like my Civic.

[TurboFlorio]

Never driven a non cup, but if you want most comfort, aim for 18inch wheels and perhaps the standard seats instead of the recaro's.
The recaro's hold you great, but they also let you 'feel' the road, I like it, gf doesn't.

[KPB1973]

roadie said:

Good thread this, I am contemplating a 250 or potentially a 265.

Just how much more supple and compliant is the non Cup over the Cup? I'm really after something that can ride well and soak up bumps without crashing and banging all over the place like my Civic.

I'm not sure which Civic you refer to but here's my tenpenneth having owned a few Type R's.

As an estimate, i'd say a non-Cup Megane is approx 10% softer than an EP3, 15% softer than a FN2. Lateral body control is probably a bit tighter in the Non-Cup Meg, but you'll still feel the road through your bum. It's still a hot hatch.

A Cup Megane is approx 10-15% stiffer than an EP3 / FN2 but to be honest, feels more 'of a piece' than either Civic in that the bodyshell feels stiffer, with fewer vibrations communicated into the cabin, and the ride isn't as brittle or skittish.

I always felt the Honda's could be deflected a bit on broken roads - the Megane uses its stiffness more to control its mass but doesn't skip around so much.

All very subjective, but I hope this helps.

[roadie]

That is massively helpful, thank you! I know exactly where you are coming from with the descriptions of Civics. I have the FK2 with the 1.8 engine. It's on the cusp of being 10 years old now with just over 59k miles.

It's the intrusion into the cabin of vibration over rougher surfaces and the aforementioned crashes and bangs over holes that annoy me the most. The suspension just feels really poorly damped and the handling is nothing special. I'm loathe to sink money into the Civic, as it is simply a tool of a car.

The Megane seems like it might suit me better. There's a 2016 non Cup near me that I need to test if possible, although the price is a bit much in my opinion.

Edited by roadie on Wednesday 19th July 14:22

Edited by roadie on Wednesday 19th July 14:23

[Skornogr4phy]

I'm on the optional Ohlins suspension, and whilst it's very stiff, it's not crashy. The standard cup suspension must be a bit less stiff than this.

[KPB1973]

roadie said:

The Megane seems like it might suit me better. There's a 2016 non Cup near me that I need to test if possible, although the price is a bit much in my opinion.

Non-Cups don't seem to hold their value as much as Cups, so you might have a bit of a double-whammy with depreciation if the purchase price is also a bit steep.

I don't want to sound negative but to my eyes, a non-Cup lacks so much of what makes the RS Megane an all-time great, and you might struggle to shift it on because of that.

Skornogr4phy said:

I'm on the optional Ohlins suspension, and whilst it's very stiff, it's not crashy. The standard cup suspension must be a bit less stiff than this.

I've never driven an Ohlins car, but I thought the fast road set up was supposed to be slightly softer than the standard cup suspension? See below...

http://www.evo.co.uk/renault/16760/can-ohlins-susp...

I'm interested to know if your experience has proven otherwise.

[PAJRS250]

As of yesterday, I've had my non-Cup RS250 for 5 years! I've never been on a track day and do 10,000 commuting miles a year in it. When I was test driving I tried a Cup with Recaros and a couple of non-Cup, one with 18" wheels and one with 19" wheels. I found the non-Cup quite a lot more comfortable, and I preferred the leather sports seats to the Recaros too. I went for the diamond cut 19" alloys as I thought (and still do) they look great.

As has been suggested, I think the Cup versions are actually more desirable (just not for me!) and hold their value better. That's not really an issue for me as it's held it's value really well for 5 years (bought it at 2 years old for £14500 and it's now worth around £7000 at trade-in prices). The non-Cup also has sat nav, and mine has keyless entry (although that might have been an extra, not sure).

Definitely worth trying out both a Cup and non-Cup version to see which you can live with. But from my experience, it's a bloody brilliant car in non-Cup version - I think suggestions it's just not the same car without the Cup chassis are a bit exaggerated. It's so damned quick and the grip is truly brilliant. And mine has been totally faultless. The only real expense was a change of cambelt last summer, but I always knew that was coming.

[roadie]

Skornogr4phy said:

I'm on the optional Ohlins suspension, and whilst it's very stiff, it's not crashy. The standard cup suspension must be a bit less stiff than this.

Awesome

Might you be able to provide further feedback on your Megane and how it is to live with in terms of the quality of its interior and hifi etc?

Thanks

PAJRS250 said:

As of yesterday, I've had my non-Cup RS250 for 5 years! I've never been on a track day and do 10,000 commuting miles a year in it. When I was test driving I tried a Cup with Recaros and a couple of non-Cup, one with 18" wheels and one with 19" wheels. I found the non-Cup quite a lot more comfortable, and I preferred the leather sports seats to the Recaros too. I went for the diamond cut 19" alloys as I thought (and still do) they look great.

As has been suggested, I think the Cup versions are actually more desirable (just not for me!) and hold their value better. That's not really an issue for me as it's held it's value really well for 5 years (bought it at 2 years old for £14500 and it's now worth around £7000 at trade-in prices). The non-Cup also has sat nav, and mine has keyless entry (although that might have been an extra, not sure).

Definitely worth trying out both a Cup and non-Cup version to see which you can live with. But from my experience, it's a bloody brilliant car in non-Cup version - I think suggestions it's just not the same car without the Cup chassis are a bit exaggerated. It's so damned quick and the grip is truly brilliant. And mine has been totally faultless. The only real expense was a change of cambelt last summer, but I always knew that was coming.

Brilliant, this is exactly the kind of feedback I am looking for. I just need to get out and try one!

How have all the boring day to day elements been in terms of MPG etc? Any quirks or annoyances?

Edited by roadie on Thursday 20th July 14:17

[PAJRS250]

roadie said:

How have all the boring day to day elements been in terms of MPG etc? Any quirks or annoyances?

Edited by roadie on Thursday 20th July 14:17

I've tracked my MPG on fuelly.com (over 26,500 miles!) and have got 31.6mpg. Not sure if this link to my stats will work: http://www.fuelly.com/car/renault/megane/2010/paj/...

That's pretty respectable given the performance I think.

Nothing really annoys me about the RS Megane to be honest. It's a real Jekyll and Hyde car; if you want a sensible, calm commute it can give you that, but put your foot down and it's a bit of a beast. The least impressive aspect in my opinion is the interior - it feels a bit dated to me, even with heated leather seats, sat nav, dual-zone climate control. But I guess it's getting on a bit now!

I hope you enjoy your test drive(s)!

[roadie]

OK that is great to know, thank you.

How is it on the motorway in terms of noise and refinement? My Civic sits at about 3000rpm just over an indicated 70.

This is the car that I am going to look at and hopefully drive tomorrow:

http://www.eacarsales.co.uk/used-cars/renault-mega...

[Blanchimont]

roadie said:

OK that is great to know, thank you.

How is it on the motorway in terms of noise and refinement? My Civic sits at about 3000rpm just over an indicated 70.

This is the car that I am going to look at and hopefully drive tomorrow:

http://www.eacarsales.co.uk/used-cars/renault-mega...

Bear in mind that's a non cup model.
Mine sits at about 2750 at 70.

[framerateuk]

roadie said:

OK that is great to know, thank you.

How is it on the motorway in terms of noise and refinement? My Civic sits at about 3000rpm just over an indicated 70.

This is the car that I am going to look at and hopefully drive tomorrow:

http://www.eacarsales.co.uk/used-cars/renault-mega...

It's great on motorways. Very quiet and you can pretty much just leave it in 6th since there's plenty of torque available for overtakes.

[roadie]

Thanks chaps. Yep, I am aware it is a non Cup, but I thought it would be a good starting point.

I will report back.

[roadie]

I drove the car on some roads I know today and was massively impressed. The car is an awesome machine! A really good combination of incredible (to me) power and a compromise between excellent handling and decent ride comfort and refinement.

I know that's a new car, but pricing seems very strong...

[Alex_6n2]

Don't forget you also get an LSD with the cup suspension, so it's not just a case of ride comfort but also getting the power down out of corners to consider.

It depends on how spirited you want to drive. Personally I don't find the cup suspension crashy, certainly much better than my Clio with cup suspension.

[roadie]

Yeah I'm going to look to test a 265 Cup over the next couple of weeks if possible to compare.

The non Cup did feel good though!

[Blanchimont]

If you get the chance, put it in sport, and rev it right out. It should rev to 6.5k, plus it seems to pull a bit like an NA car, where it doesn't tail off at the top.

[roadie]

I hope to get the opportunity! Although the 275 I tested was on a road I know, it is a narrow A road that is quite bumpy and it was damp...