RenaultSport Megane...............diesel
Discussion
Thought it was about time I put my latest car on here seen as I spend a lot of my time on PH!
Rewind to October last year, a little’un due in Feb 11 and my car at the time (Astra SportHatch 1.9 SRi 150ps diesel) was due to go back to the leasing company so I needed something else. Criteria was pretty simple, it had to have 4/5 doors, be diesel (20k per year), a bit different and ultimately quick when I wanted it to be along with good handling. I looked at all sorts of possibilities from Alfa 159’s, Octavia VRS’s to 3 series BM’s but at the time nothing matched my price range for the sort of spec/mileage I wanted. I almost bought an Octavia VRS petrol as well thinking sod it to the mpg etc until I checked the insurance, at 27 with 8 years NCB and no points it was still ridiculous so that idea got scrapped.
At the time we were also looking to swap the missus’ Corsa for a 4 door something or other to accommodate the massive pram she bought and whilst looking round a garage she pointed to a Megane and said I really like that, to which I immediately said no way, you’re not having a Renault, they’re unreliable/crap/French etc!!
So one night I was looking through the classifieds, unsure where to go I ended up in the Megane section and just put diesel into the search, up came this, top of the list. To cut a long story short I went and viewed it the next day and collected it a few days after that, to say the missus was unimpressed would be an understatement!
Ownership has been a mixed bag really. On the right road, on the right day it is simply fantastic, handling is unlike any other FWD hatch I have ever driven (that includes a 91 Mini Cooper S RSP I had when I was 18), god knows what the petrol version is like let alone the R26 but Renault certainly got this part of the car right! The engine is quiet for a diesel, much quieter than the Astra and pulls really well, especially in 3rd and 4th, apparently from 50 – 70 it is actually quicker than the petrol! Spec wise it also has absolutely everything you would want auto xenon’s, heated leather, cruise, climate, panoramic roof, brembo’s and hands free built in.
Reliability wise it has been ok. Few electrical gremlins (as expected) mostly sorted under warranty apart from an issue with the keyless entry buttons on the door handles which I ended up complaining to Renault about and they sorted it in the end. Apart from that it has been serviced and had 4 new tyres which at £125 each for Toyo’s I don’t think is too bad, plus they made the world of difference to the handling compared with the ditch finders that were on before (let’s just say lift off over steer on wet roundabouts wasn’t much fun!). It’s a totally different car to the Astra, I knew when I got in that what would happen from start to finish, the Renault is different and I can see why people say you should try and add a fast one to your car list at some stage. My only issue is the build quality, I went in with eyes wide open as to what it would be like and it hasn’t disappointed, there are various rattles but to be honest I’ve just got used it now. On the flipside nothing has fallen off so I suppose that’s a bonus. People always moan about dealer customer service, I bought this from an independent but have taken it to Renault Manchester, of all the cars I have owned they have been without doubt the best dealership I have ever dealt with!
I tried to sell it recently (in a bid to get something bigger) but in the end I’m actually glad it didn’t sell because having to replace it with a Vectra or something similar would have been a nightmare!
Only mod at the moment is an ITG panel filter which makes cock all difference apart from an annoying whistle on the motorway. Future plans are a remap DPF delete pipe along with an alloy wheel refurb.
What do you think?
Rewind to October last year, a little’un due in Feb 11 and my car at the time (Astra SportHatch 1.9 SRi 150ps diesel) was due to go back to the leasing company so I needed something else. Criteria was pretty simple, it had to have 4/5 doors, be diesel (20k per year), a bit different and ultimately quick when I wanted it to be along with good handling. I looked at all sorts of possibilities from Alfa 159’s, Octavia VRS’s to 3 series BM’s but at the time nothing matched my price range for the sort of spec/mileage I wanted. I almost bought an Octavia VRS petrol as well thinking sod it to the mpg etc until I checked the insurance, at 27 with 8 years NCB and no points it was still ridiculous so that idea got scrapped.
At the time we were also looking to swap the missus’ Corsa for a 4 door something or other to accommodate the massive pram she bought and whilst looking round a garage she pointed to a Megane and said I really like that, to which I immediately said no way, you’re not having a Renault, they’re unreliable/crap/French etc!!
So one night I was looking through the classifieds, unsure where to go I ended up in the Megane section and just put diesel into the search, up came this, top of the list. To cut a long story short I went and viewed it the next day and collected it a few days after that, to say the missus was unimpressed would be an understatement!
Ownership has been a mixed bag really. On the right road, on the right day it is simply fantastic, handling is unlike any other FWD hatch I have ever driven (that includes a 91 Mini Cooper S RSP I had when I was 18), god knows what the petrol version is like let alone the R26 but Renault certainly got this part of the car right! The engine is quiet for a diesel, much quieter than the Astra and pulls really well, especially in 3rd and 4th, apparently from 50 – 70 it is actually quicker than the petrol! Spec wise it also has absolutely everything you would want auto xenon’s, heated leather, cruise, climate, panoramic roof, brembo’s and hands free built in.
Reliability wise it has been ok. Few electrical gremlins (as expected) mostly sorted under warranty apart from an issue with the keyless entry buttons on the door handles which I ended up complaining to Renault about and they sorted it in the end. Apart from that it has been serviced and had 4 new tyres which at £125 each for Toyo’s I don’t think is too bad, plus they made the world of difference to the handling compared with the ditch finders that were on before (let’s just say lift off over steer on wet roundabouts wasn’t much fun!). It’s a totally different car to the Astra, I knew when I got in that what would happen from start to finish, the Renault is different and I can see why people say you should try and add a fast one to your car list at some stage. My only issue is the build quality, I went in with eyes wide open as to what it would be like and it hasn’t disappointed, there are various rattles but to be honest I’ve just got used it now. On the flipside nothing has fallen off so I suppose that’s a bonus. People always moan about dealer customer service, I bought this from an independent but have taken it to Renault Manchester, of all the cars I have owned they have been without doubt the best dealership I have ever dealt with!
I tried to sell it recently (in a bid to get something bigger) but in the end I’m actually glad it didn’t sell because having to replace it with a Vectra or something similar would have been a nightmare!
Only mod at the moment is an ITG panel filter which makes cock all difference apart from an annoying whistle on the motorway. Future plans are a remap DPF delete pipe along with an alloy wheel refurb.
What do you think?
Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:
I really like that - am actually considering one for my commute. What sort of mpg are you getting? I know that's a very boring question but for me (I do alot more than 20k a year; more like 40-50k at the moment) it's v important!
With fuel prices the way they are it's definitely not a daft questions these days! Round town I will probably get between 450 - 500 miles out of a tank (roughly £75 to fill it up from empty). According to the OBC that relates to anything from 33-38 mpg but I tend not to drive it economically!! If I took it easy this would easily be more like 550 miles and low-mid 40's mpg wise but to me this isnt the way to drive the thing!
The best I have had yet came on an economy run I did a few months back, Manchester to Abergavenny and back on the first day and then Manchester to Newcastle the day after. The return journey on the second day I was keeping pace with trucks and taking it seriously easy! Finshed up at 700 miles out of a single tank and 56mpg, very boring but good to know it's capable of it if needs be!
Thanks Maty - interesting to note. Looks like it's got a smaller tank than my E39 530d does (that takes almost 70 litres if I brim it) but much better mpg. I'm getting 42mpg (tank to tank rather than obc calcs) at the moment.
I'm at the service station so much I'm part of the family......
I'm at the service station so much I'm part of the family......
That looks great as a 5dr, in that colour and with the Renault Sport kit on it. Nice car, and if you can get 50mpg+ when you're careful an economical one as well.
What's the reliability like on these? We ran a mk 1 Laguna that got more and more rattly but kept on going and still is years after we sold it with 130k on it, I remember a chap here had one on 257k, but then by all accounts the mk2 laguna was terrible... Renault seem to have a hit and miss record.
What's the reliability like on these? We ran a mk 1 Laguna that got more and more rattly but kept on going and still is years after we sold it with 130k on it, I remember a chap here had one on 257k, but then by all accounts the mk2 laguna was terrible... Renault seem to have a hit and miss record.
Thanks for the comments, the red definitely does stand out!
I've covered 15k in it since October last year and I've not had any mechanical faults yet. However it's now getting on for 60k on the clock and I'm under no illusions that this is going to be problem free motoring.
What sort of things does this DCi engine suffer with then? The only issue I noticed was a lack of power from time to time, you'd floor it and it would just kind of hold back. A major service seemed to sort this although on one occasion I have seen engine management lights come on and a warning saying check injection...........asked about this on the RS Megane forum and no one seemed to know the answer. It's never done it since but we'll see what happens over the coming year!
I've covered 15k in it since October last year and I've not had any mechanical faults yet. However it's now getting on for 60k on the clock and I'm under no illusions that this is going to be problem free motoring.
What sort of things does this DCi engine suffer with then? The only issue I noticed was a lack of power from time to time, you'd floor it and it would just kind of hold back. A major service seemed to sort this although on one occasion I have seen engine management lights come on and a warning saying check injection...........asked about this on the RS Megane forum and no one seemed to know the answer. It's never done it since but we'll see what happens over the coming year!
Great car..
The other half has a Leon Sport TDi which I am about to sell and get her a Megane RS175.
I have been speaking to a few owners on RenaultSport forums and your the first to have any problems!
I will be looking for a 3 door with around 40,000 miles. Don't mind what colour!
The Leon has been good, never let her down, but she wants something that will stand out and still give her 45mpg+ (my idea of a push bike did not go down well)
Thanks for posting.
Dan
The other half has a Leon Sport TDi which I am about to sell and get her a Megane RS175.
I have been speaking to a few owners on RenaultSport forums and your the first to have any problems!
I will be looking for a 3 door with around 40,000 miles. Don't mind what colour!
The Leon has been good, never let her down, but she wants something that will stand out and still give her 45mpg+ (my idea of a push bike did not go down well)
Thanks for posting.
Dan
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