My parents very kindly gave me their old Megane, as the trade-in value was so low, and I was looking for a new winter car. .
It's an '02 Dynamique + (or something like that). With luxuries such as A/C, sunroof, leather wheel, 6 disc cd, and leccy mirrors and windows. 75,000 miles, with nice alloys and metalic silver.
After unplugging the fresh air/recirc motor to stop the annoying clicking on start up where the gears have broken, everything else still works. There's not a spot of rust, although the paint on one of the wings has gone a bit matt under the clearcoat. Looking at the service records, outside of consumables and a cambelt, it's had a TDC sensor, a track rod end, and both rear brake cylinders replaced. Not too bad for 11 years, but not that great for only 75K miles. It has had a few coil packs in that time though (replaced by the old man), and came with a couple of new spares in the glovebox.
But I must say, it drives very nicely in typical french style, with everything feeling pretty tight and rattle free. The only fly in the ointment is some of the interior plastics have gone all sticky, with some sort of soft feel coating going all soft.
It will be interesting to see how well it fares over the next few years. My current winter/runabout car, a 2000 Skoda Felicia, has only needed a radiator and an exhaust piece in the last 4 years. And despite being as rotten as a pear, has always started and got me everywhere. In fact, taking into account the purchase price, all servicing and repairs, tax and 3rd party insurance, it has cost me less than £450/year.
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Hooray! Another one for our side. That's you, me and MJW1994 on here. Anyone else I've missed?
Is yours the Mk1 or Mk2 Megane? I think they changed shape about 2002.
Petrol manual I assume? 1.4, 1.6 or 2.0?
Good luck with it, hope it performs well for you. No reason why it shouldn't if it has lived this long and not been scrapped.
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It's the last of the Mk1, with a 1.6 16V engine. I think they were throwing in a few extras to try and clear them off the forecourt.
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Ah, good. I think the Mk1 far superior to the Mk2. Solid car. Renault 2002-2006 = avoid. Before and after those dates, they're as good/bad as everything else. Generally speaking.
Also, the best cars are those made at the very end of a model's lifecycle. Most niggles/problems sorted by then.
Last edited by: Alanović on Wed 11 Sep 13 at 10:37
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Or they find they can get away with less durable components!!!
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Those early Mk2 Meganes (the ones with that bulbous backside) weren't very good, my Uncle had one and he didn't keep it long.
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I lacked the fine motor control to handle the brakes, they were insanely sharp.
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I think they still are. The Scenic's brakes are very sharp compared to other cars I've driven. You get used to them though, a light-touch is needed.
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Yes, I've noticed that although the steering and gearchange are fairly wooly and rubbery, the brakes are certainly fierce.
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>> Yes, I've noticed that although the steering and gearchange are fairly wooly and rubbery, the
>> brakes are certainly fierce.
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Typical 'proper' French car then!
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>> Those early Mk2 Meganes (the ones with that bulbous backside) weren't very good,
I never went in one that I can remember, but I loved the advertising and saw them on the road where they were very quiet and surprisingly quick as often as not.
Where have they all gone?
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Wed 11 Sep 13 at 20:03
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>> >> Those early Mk2 Meganes (the ones with that bulbous backside) weren't very good,
>>
>> I never went in one that I can remember, but I loved the advertising and
>> saw them on the road where they were very quiet and surprisingly quick as often
>> as not.
>>
>> Where have they all gone?
>>
Scrapped due to incurable faults or faults too expensive to repair. When Car Mechanics did a Used Car Guide on the Mark 2 Laguna, the clear message was: don't buy a diesel (they blow up the turbos), don't buy an automatic(the electronics fail) and they all suffer from frequent mainly electrical faults due to poor deign and materials.. so don't buy a petrol one as well.
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The mk2 Megane and Scenic are designed to last 3 yrs or 60k. A Renault UK customer services representative told me so.
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There must have been a conscious, and appallingly short-term, decision by Renault about 2000 to buy . make cheaper, poorer quality components. I had seven big Renaults in a row between 1980 and 2001, the last a 1998/R Laguna V6. All were company cars, bought new and all reliable, the last three (Espace, Safrane and the Laguna) doing six-figure mileages.
I'm glad I moved in 2001 to a new job with higher salary but no car, so was obliged to get something that held its value (a Golf TDI estate, the start of a continuing happy relationship with VAG).
But it was a remarkably stupid decision by Renault. At least a 2002 model that has lasted this long should have had any poor components replaced by now.
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But it was a remarkably stupid decision by Renault. At least a 2002 model that has lasted this long should have had any poor components replaced by now.
In many cases by replacements with the same built in faults. Renault cynically never changed some of the design faults - winders I believe - so a replacement component was as bad as the original..
All Ghosen's fault and he's still there.
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Renault Megane - Got myself a Renault! - Alanovich
