To buy a french diesel or not, THAT is the question?
Discussion
My beloved Laguna Alize 1.9 diesel was damaged when a lorry's brakes failed and rolled down a hill, smashing the bonnet, wing, bumper, radiator, lights, etc in the process. The other driver has taken full responsibility and everything is being handled on his insurance, although I don't know what dirty valuation tricks the company is about to try yet. Negotiation tactis on a postcard please.
Anyway, I'm assuming it'll be an insurance write off so I've been looking at other 2nd hand French diesels (still have a Laguna attachment I suppose, god bless her). But my friend informs me that some newer French cars have become difficult to service yourself without the specialist tools. Some cars don't even have a oil dip stick or sump plug, apparently (the bast**ds!) I was looking at a newer model Laguna or a Pegeout TD hatch, but this information has left me feeling rather nervous about going French again.
Shopping list:
- 1.8 - 1.9 diesel turbo
- Hatchback
- 3 or 5 door - no kids, so just 2 doors will do (girlfriend can lap-hop)
- Easy to service i.e. change oil, filters, headlamps, etc
- Budget: £750 - £1,500
- Milage: 80,000 - 90,000
- 120+ BHP - needs to cruise comfortably at 90 - 100
- As few a number of damn sensors as possible (this may be an unrealistic request nowadays)
Should I buy a Ford or Vauxall perhaps? Would those makes be cheaper for parts and easier to service/maintain?
Any advice would be most welcome, and the best answer gets a Laguna engine management light bulb mounted onto a dirty EGR valve.
Anyway, I'm assuming it'll be an insurance write off so I've been looking at other 2nd hand French diesels (still have a Laguna attachment I suppose, god bless her). But my friend informs me that some newer French cars have become difficult to service yourself without the specialist tools. Some cars don't even have a oil dip stick or sump plug, apparently (the bast**ds!) I was looking at a newer model Laguna or a Pegeout TD hatch, but this information has left me feeling rather nervous about going French again.
Shopping list:
- 1.8 - 1.9 diesel turbo
- Hatchback
- 3 or 5 door - no kids, so just 2 doors will do (girlfriend can lap-hop)
- Easy to service i.e. change oil, filters, headlamps, etc
- Budget: £750 - £1,500
- Milage: 80,000 - 90,000
- 120+ BHP - needs to cruise comfortably at 90 - 100
- As few a number of damn sensors as possible (this may be an unrealistic request nowadays)
Should I buy a Ford or Vauxall perhaps? Would those makes be cheaper for parts and easier to service/maintain?
Any advice would be most welcome, and the best answer gets a Laguna engine management light bulb mounted onto a dirty EGR valve.
Plonked over 20K miles on my 2007 Mk2 Laguna 1.9DCi (130) over the past year, nothing has dropped off it just yet... just a matter of time however. Seats aren't the best, but it'll do 50mpg if commuted considerately. Fine on the motorway and in 6th all the torque is at motorway speeds pretty much, so a reasonable(ish) cruiser.
Not too tricky to service yourself I'd expect, I just use a collect/service setup and it comes back freshly oiled and filtered at the moment though. Did the front pads/discs for the MOT myself, easy job and far cheaper, so not too bad.
What else... well the Sat Nav is utterly utterly s
t, I mean just avoid one with it fitted, it really is that awful; the ride isn't all that refined; the A/C is a bit hot or cold and takes a lot of fiddling to get just right; it makes my right leg ache a bit at times (should have got the cruise, yes, I know).
From your criteria, and if I was buying again, I'd probably go for a Focus
Not too tricky to service yourself I'd expect, I just use a collect/service setup and it comes back freshly oiled and filtered at the moment though. Did the front pads/discs for the MOT myself, easy job and far cheaper, so not too bad.
What else... well the Sat Nav is utterly utterly s
t, I mean just avoid one with it fitted, it really is that awful; the ride isn't all that refined; the A/C is a bit hot or cold and takes a lot of fiddling to get just right; it makes my right leg ache a bit at times (should have got the cruise, yes, I know).From your criteria, and if I was buying again, I'd probably go for a Focus
To buy a french diesel or not, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to the suffer social stigma and outrageous fortunes of a french oil burner,
Or to take arms against a sea of badly built french cars, and buy an MX-5,
And, by opposing, out drag 'em?
I may have been drinking.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to the suffer social stigma and outrageous fortunes of a french oil burner,
Or to take arms against a sea of badly built french cars, and buy an MX-5,
And, by opposing, out drag 'em?
I may have been drinking.
SWH said:
Plonked over 20K miles on my 2007 Mk2 Laguna 1.9DCi (130) over the past year, nothing has dropped off it just yet... just a matter of time however. Seats aren't the best, but it'll do 50mpg if commuted considerately. Fine on the motorway and in 6th all the torque is at motorway speeds pretty much, so a reasonable(ish) cruiser.
What are you used to driving? I thought my 2007 Laguna Dynamique had amazing seats and was a very capable motorway cruiser.All the research I did for the parents suggested the mk2 laguna was a disaster. I've never read worse reliability reviews. They went for a focus - very happy indeed. Their mk1 laguna was exactly what they needed at the time and it was a shame renault couldn't continue rattly comfort into the mk2 in the same way.
Eta go for the 1.8tdi (not the modern tdci). It's rattly but will go forever. Ps strangely our laguna was a 1.9 elize diesel as well in "crap" blue! The focus is a better car in almost every way.
Eta go for the 1.8tdi (not the modern tdci). It's rattly but will go forever. Ps strangely our laguna was a 1.9 elize diesel as well in "crap" blue! The focus is a better car in almost every way.
Edited by 0a on Friday 5th August 00:28
I'd a Mk1 2.2d RT Laguna for 18 months as a company car, did 60k in it. It was serviced twice in that 60k, and other than pads and discs and two sets of front tyres, nothing died, nothing fell off, and it was comfortable.
With a powerful 83hp engine, overtaking was a true art, however.
I would get another Laguna if I hadn't been spoiled by the Mondeo's comfort and handling which is leagues better than the Mk2 Laguna.
With a powerful 83hp engine, overtaking was a true art, however.
I would get another Laguna if I hadn't been spoiled by the Mondeo's comfort and handling which is leagues better than the Mk2 Laguna.
Kiltox said:
SWH said:
Plonked over 20K miles on my 2007 Mk2 Laguna 1.9DCi (130) over the past year, nothing has dropped off it just yet... just a matter of time however. Seats aren't the best, but it'll do 50mpg if commuted considerately. Fine on the motorway and in 6th all the torque is at motorway speeds pretty much, so a reasonable(ish) cruiser.
What are you used to driving? I thought my 2007 Laguna Dynamique had amazing seats and was a very capable motorway cruiser.RevNuts said:
Shopping list:
- 1.8 - 1.9 diesel turbo
- Hatchback
- 3 or 5 door - no kids, so just 2 doors will do (girlfriend can lap-hop)
- Easy to service i.e. change oil, filters, headlamps, etc
- Budget: £750 - £1,500
- Milage: 80,000 - 90,000
- 120+ BHP - needs to cruise comfortably at 90 - 100
- As few a number of damn sensors as possible (this may be an unrealistic request nowadays)
I can't think of any car that you'll be able to get that meets all of those requirements. Especially the mileage one.- 1.8 - 1.9 diesel turbo
- Hatchback
- 3 or 5 door - no kids, so just 2 doors will do (girlfriend can lap-hop)
- Easy to service i.e. change oil, filters, headlamps, etc
- Budget: £750 - £1,500
- Milage: 80,000 - 90,000
- 120+ BHP - needs to cruise comfortably at 90 - 100
- As few a number of damn sensors as possible (this may be an unrealistic request nowadays)
SWH said:
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/smilies.htm
The family wagon is a Saab 9-5 estate and pre-oil burning I had a Volvo 850 T5.... so that does give a somewhat unfair benchmark I guess. I'm wondering if in fact is has poverty spec seats in it and would benefit from a replacement pair; however I think I'd rather retrofit cruise control first
If you don't have cruise then I suspect it's pretty poverty spec seats too - I had cruise, climate, half leather seats, etc The family wagon is a Saab 9-5 estate and pre-oil burning I had a Volvo 850 T5.... so that does give a somewhat unfair benchmark I guess. I'm wondering if in fact is has poverty spec seats in it and would benefit from a replacement pair; however I think I'd rather retrofit cruise control first
Miss that car
r1ch said:
Gotta be a 306 hdi / dturbo hasn't it? Go on forever.
I went from a ZX 1.9TD to a 306 HDI and must say I preferred the 1.9, though having once driven a mates 306 with the 1.9 it may just be the way Citroen tune them. The ZX engine was sill fine when the suspension collapsed at 196000 miles, and the 306 engine was fine when I sold it with a leaking heater matrix at 130000 miles. The main thing that annoyed me about the 306 was they only ever did the 90bhp version of the HDI engine, in other cars they (and citroen) slapped an intercooler on it for 110bhp which would have been nice. The 1.9 had the Bosche pump and would happily run on veg oil with no modification, which the HDI couldn't do, and my current Skoda can't even use biodiesel.Kiltox said:
2005-on Laguna IIs are a vast improvement over the earlier ones. I believe the diesels need careful maintainance though
damm right - an immeasurable improvement in interior design / engine capabilities and reliability.my 2003 "1.9dCi 120" had a new engine, egr, exhaust, suspension system, tyre sensor within about 15k, and cost circa £6k (some of it renault-liable).
my later 2005 "2.0dCi 150" has just ticked to 191k - 80k in 2yr - and other than tyres / other consumables, has "only" needed a new battery, electronic handbrake and clutch. expensive jobs but engine runs fine and has been touchwood ultra reliable (even after the ph prerequesite 'map to 190bhp).
so - for a laguna 2b? to paraquote clarkson, "yes, you can get one for £1500, but for the love of god, dont".
stepping o/s the french connection, how about a slightly older octavia pd? 306d? elderly a4 avant tdi?
Kiltox said:
SWH said:
The family wagon is a Saab 9-5 estate and pre-oil burning I had a Volvo 850 T5.... so that does give a somewhat unfair benchmark I guess. I'm wondering if in fact is has poverty spec seats in it and would benefit from a replacement pair; however I think I'd rather retrofit cruise control first
If you don't have cruise then I suspect it's pretty poverty spec seats too - I had cruise, climate, half leather seats, etc Miss that car
SWH said:
Yep, it's an odd spec 'Nav' one, although I've no idea why someone would want the Sat Nav.... anyway, not really that bad, just could be better. Right price at the right time, and 50mpg, makes for a happy enough commuter
Lot of car for the money providing they're maintained well TBH.There's a 54 plate one sitting clamped down the road from me (DVLA - no tax) - wondering if I can adopt it from DVLA before they crush it
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