RE: Renault Megane R26.R: Spotted

[PaulJC84]

Lots of these go across to HK now. £ weaker so the demand is pushing up the prices.

Black ones are always cheaper too.

Would love to have a go in an R26r to compare to the normal R26.

[rossub]

Turbojuice said:

rossub said:

Turbojuice said:

Not sure why you would ever spend 32k on this when the next gen Megane Trophy R can be had for the same price, if not less.

Yeah why spend a mill on an F40, when a new equivalent would be cheaper

It's the ultimate gen 2 megane vs the ultimate gen 3 megane, not a fking f40

You’re missing the point. I don’t even like them, but I can still see that the two cars you are comparing are not really comparable value wise.

[anonymous-user]

Turbojuice said:

rossub said:

Turbojuice said:

Not sure why you would ever spend 32k on this when the next gen Megane Trophy R can be had for the same price, if not less.

Yeah why spend a mill on an F40, when a new equivalent would be cheaper

It's the ultimate gen 2 megane vs the ultimate gen 3 megane, not a fking f40

F40

[Ahbefive]

j_s14a said:

Really?

Similar power, Honda NA and higher RPM limit, Honda 70kg lighter, both 2.0, FWD, LSD, etc. I think it is a valid comparison, and even if(?) the Megane is a better drivers car, it will only be marginally so, so not justifying an enormous additional cost.

Yes really. I have been past enough DC5s on track in my R26 (nonR) and am yet to be overtaken by one to know that the R26R is in another league entirely.

[Mike1990]

Ahbefive said:

j_s14a said:

Really?

Similar power, Honda NA and higher RPM limit, Honda 70kg lighter, both 2.0, FWD, LSD, etc. I think it is a valid comparison, and even if(?) the Megane is a better drivers car, it will only be marginally so, so not justifying an enormous additional cost.

Yes really. I have been past enough DC5s on track in my R26 (nonR) and am yet to be overtaken by one to know that the R26R is in another league entirely.

Perhaps just average drivers on track ?

I’ve driven neither, but a normal R26 is very similar to a DC5 so couldn’t imagine the difference being that much ?

[j_s14a]

Ahbefive said:

Yes really. I have been past enough DC5s on track in my R26 (nonR) and am yet to be overtaken by one to know that the R26R is in another league entirely.

If you were to learn and drive the DC5 as you have your R26, I doubt you would see an enormous difference. That is the only 'apples for apples' comparison.

If comparing it for track use, you do bring up another valid comparison. £5k will get a decent R26, now I doubt anyone interested in this 22k mile car will track it (at least seriously), put another £5k into the vanilla R26 and surely it will run rings around an R26.R?

[Terminator X]

coxy0072004 said:

reef67 said:

My pulse did quicken slightly on spotting that. Surely there has to be a Dealer or two from Keighley with integrity?

I do often wonder how many customers we lose just from being in Keighley? A perfectly good car but then people see the location and dismiss it.

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rl...

Tbf I'd avoid at all costs just because of area and rep.

TX.

[clarki]

I had no17 from new. Paid £20k had it for 5 years, worth every penny.
It was much better than those Honda things round a track, much faster. They've no torque and suffer badly as a result.
It is only a megane though and over 30k seems mental. Enjoyed mine but was happy to move on and I don't really miss it tbh.

[rossub]

coxy0072004 said:

reef67 said:

My pulse did quicken slightly on spotting that. Surely there has to be a Dealer or two from Keighley with integrity?

I do often wonder how many customers we lose just from being in Keighley? A perfectly good car but then people see the location and dismiss it.

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rl...

The answer is a lot. I wouldn’t even think about a car from Keighley.... or Bradford.

[Ahbefive]

clarki said:

I had no17.
It was much better than those Honda things round a track, much faster. They've no torque and suffer badly as a result.

This is my experience even with just a regular R26. The only Honda I have struggled to keep up with on track was a 300bhp supercharged and tracked equipped ep3.

[hypnotic]

I’m sure it’s epic but I saved 2/3rds by buying a 1 owner low mileage RS 250 cup earlier this year which is probably 99% as good has more creature comforts and puts a stupid grin on my face every time I drive it.

[reef67]

coxy0072004 said:

I do often wonder how many customers we lose just from being in Keighley? A perfectly good car but then people see the location and dismiss it.

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rl...

Tarring people with the same brush seems to be the modern malaise, shame really.

A cracking car at the money, good luck with the sale.

I'll be dreaming of it tonight...same as I was dreaming of the 2.5k 182 Cup on The Bay earlier this week, and of the Giulia race car I'm currently obsessing over...

[TopazCerb]

015 is pearl white rather than glacier white

Picture taken at Silverstone during the MotorsportDays.LIVE event a few weeks ago:



I was offered a Alpine A110 Premiere Edition last night at list from my local Renault / Alpine Centre and was seriously contemplating putitng the Megane up for sale today (for considerably less than the one advetised in this article I might add) but decided I can't bring myself to do it.

They are fantastic cars both on road and track.

[petrolhead888]

I have a 2007 R26,

I have put R26R Wheels on it and Road legal Nakang AR1 Tyres on it (more extreme than R888) A Red Half cage, Plastic windows all round except the Windscreen, Similar seats to the R26R with harnesses, Rear seat delete, Uprated the brakes with far better discs and pads , braided hoses, Good quality coilover kit with adjustable camber, good quality alignment by a Renaultsport Specialist, Decat with Ktec full exhaust system, Good Quality Quickshift gearlinkage, Removable snap on Sparco Steering Wheel, R26R rear spoiler, Rear wiper delete, Sound insulation removal, Airbag and seatbelt removal. etc etc etc. And for Under £10k I reckon this to be the best front drive car ive ever driven and that includes the Golf Clubsport S we had in at work not so long ago.

.I love it and with a lot of R26`s being broken for spares the value should stay roughly the same if not increase.

Ive had plenty of half decent cars and still have a 205 gti Rallycar and yet I love this car, it is so pointy.

What I`m saying is these R26r`s are fantastic and the real deal but why not built yourself something better for a lot less!

[CacheMonet]

Its a shame now that these kind of cars will not get used on a track due to fear of loosing money on them... may as well go for a clio 197/200 and stick it on some nice rubber for a fraction of the cost - then who needs mechanical sympathy!

[C.MW]

No way I'll get this over the Integra Type R (DC2 or DC5) for over £30K. You can have a pristine JDM model imported for that kind of money. The ITR is arguably the single best FWD sports car ever made (said PH, not me) and add to that its proven reliability record and it's a no-brainer. Plus, their values are creeping up too. Not that I don't appreciate the 26.R, far from it and I'd love to have one but in that price range there are alternatives that may serve the purpose better.

[hufggfg]

Ah! 002 is my old car! I purchased it from Renault, and then had the head unit and speakers fitted (it was my daily, so couldn’t handle having no audio at all). Can’t remember when I bought or sold it of the top of my head, but if anyone wants details then let me know and I can work it out.

Absolutely loved the thing while I had it, I now have a 275 Trophy (not the R unfortunately) and while it’s more usable day-to-day, it’s not comparable at the limit.

[Simon Owen]

I've had three RS Megan's, first was an R26 F1 Team etc etc etc and finishing with a 275 Trophy on Onlins. They were all awesome, laters cars feel more grown up but could argue the R26 had the edge fun wise down a B road. Suspension control on the Ohlins was as good as I have driven.

Eventually I tired of steering corruption though, it's not terrible but it is there, helped by new rubber but heavy throttle on bumpy roads with camber needs moderation. You can drive round it but I decided I'd had enough and went NA and RWD ..... I miss the way the RS changed direction and how you could chuck it about but not the torque steer !!!!

[greenarrow]

Mike1990 said:

Ahbefive said:

j_s14a said:

Really?

Similar power, Honda NA and higher RPM limit, Honda 70kg lighter, both 2.0, FWD, LSD, etc. I think it is a valid comparison, and even if(?) the Megane is a better drivers car, it will only be marginally so, so not justifying an enormous additional cost.

Yes really. I have been past enough DC5s on track in my R26 (nonR) and am yet to be overtaken by one to know that the R26R is in another league entirely.

Perhaps just average drivers on track ?

I’ve driven neither, but a normal R26 is very similar to a DC5 so couldn’t imagine the difference being that much ?

Whenever we get a thread like this, It always seems to be derailed by DC2 fans who have a rose tinted view of their favourite car. The R26 will much faster than a DC2, the R26-R even more so. Not being funny, but when it was new, the DC2 was used in a number of UK magazine track day features and the results were not exactly amazing. It couldn't beat an E46 328i around Silverstone and failed to beat a phase one Clio 172 around Pembrey. It was also 2 seconds behind a bog standard UK Impreza Turbo at Castle Combe and in another feature was only 0.7 secs ahead of a 106 GTI (all of 120BHP) at Castle Combe. So it hasn't a chance against either of the R26s.

I found some lap times on Fastest Laps.com. Hockenheim for example, the standard R26 F1's time beats the DC2 by 2.5 seconds. At Bruntingthorpe the R26F1 was faster than a BMW 335i and 2 seconds ahead of a Honda S2000. The R26-R beat a 300BHP prodrive Impreza at Bruntingthorpe and its Top Gear lap time beats the EVO 8 FQ300, an Impreza WRX STI and has only been beaten by one hot hatch I believe, a 265 Trophy. I doubt the DC2 would beat the EP3 Top Gear lap time, frankly, which is nearly 5 secs slower.

So, there really is a noticeable difference......

[moonigan]

Came very close to replacing my M3 with one of these but they are unusable as a DD due to lack of normal seatbelts which was corrected in the next gen Trophy R.