Hi backroomers,
Since you were all so helpful with my last thread, how about this one... in my quest for a used Megane II, I've read (here on HJ and elsewhere) that the early cars (2002 especially) had all kinds of problems, which have been sorted on later ones.
But does that mean that buying an early model now would necessarily be a bad idea? Is it still likely to be causing trouble, or is it more likely to be the case that the unfortunate 1st owner has shaken out the faults (either under warranty or otherwise) so that all the defective parts have been replaced by newer items?
I'd go for an earlier one (because they're a bit cheaper!) but not if the consensus is that I shouldn't touch them with a bargepole.
Thanks!
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Whether theyre early or late models, anything by renault is not going to be reliable, all those reliability surveys (what car? jd power etc) where renault consistently prop up the bottom of the tables cant be wrong! But im sure the renault lovers on this site will tell you otherwise.
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Yeah, yeah, I know all that... I know anecdotal evidence doesn't count for anything, but the Reanult 19 I racked up 50k miles in about 10 years ago was one of the most reliable cars I ever owned. Dull though...
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I drove one recently and it was quite a nice car. What put me off though was that instead of just putting a key in to start it, it uses a credit card "key" and a starter button. Fine you might think, but this isn't a conventional starter button. You simply tap it and sit back and the whole start sequence is automated.
It's completely unnecessary and is bound to go expensively and wrong at some point. Technology in cars is one thing, but it really annoys me when it's thoroughly pointless, and from a manufacturer which can't even make tyre pressure monitors work reliably.
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Got to admit the keyless entry thing does worry me a bit, when you've nothing to fall back on. The remote locking on my Beemer's had a couple of glitches when I've had to resort to using the key for what it was originally intended.
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You've nowhere to put you're credit card key as it wont fit on your keyring so you put it into your back pocket. Then you sit on it and the buttons and flatten the batteries. Design taking one step forward and two back.
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Got to admit the keyless entry thing does worry me a bit, when you've nothing to fall back on.
There is a small laser cut key embedded in the card. If you remove the end of the passenger door handle a key hole is revealed. This gives you access to the car.
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Thanks Big Cat, glad they thought of that (sorry this is just a ruse to get my thread to the head of the queue because I'm still interested in the views of Renault officianados to my original question...)
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"It's completely unnecessary and is bound to go expensively and wrong at some point. Technology in cars is one thing, but it really annoys me when it's thoroughly pointless, and from a manufacturer which can't even make tyre pressure monitors work reliably."
I think thats what they said about the elctric starter. Whats wrong with the starting handle?. The key card system was not allowed to be properly implemented at first in the uk due to insurance problems. The card was never designed to be inserted in a slot but just carried on the person. Hence the way the button works.
Would you put your car key in your back pocket and sit on it? Painful init. Do you put your credit cards in your back pocket? find they break and bend? why would you put the Renault card in your back pocket then?
Re the Megane specifically, yes they had initial problems. However most of the base car borrows heavily from the Laguna.
The 120 dci engine, 6 speed box, braking system, clutch, electronics are all lifted wholesale. Early lagunas had their fair share of agro but seem to be settling and were by the time they got used in the Megane.
32k up in the Laguna, nothing fallen off, nothing rattling, not a hint of a glitch or failure.
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Would you put your car key in your back pocket and sit on it? Painful init. Do you put your credit cards in your back pocket? find they break and bend? why would you put the Renault card in your back pocket then?
I think that the problem has been addressed with the Megane but on the Laguna card key it was impossible to put it on a set of keyrings and keys that most of us carry. The hole was at the wrong end! Hence the card would end up either in a wallet or loose. As arguably denmin is the most popular trouser the keycard would end up in the back pocket along with a wallet.
The Megane key indeed has a hole in it so it can be fitted to a keyring but isn't it rather oversized for this?
It's Renault trying to re-invent somthing that doesn't need re-inventing. I'll take a conventional key please.
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"It's completely unnecessary and is bound to go expensively and wrong at some point. Technology in cars is one thing, but it really annoys me when it's thoroughly pointless, and from a manufacturer which can't even make tyre pressure monitors work reliably."
Backroomers' opinions about good and bad technology could be an intersting new thread...
Personally I find things like rain sensitive wipers a pain in the ****. After all, how difficult is it to put your wipers on?
Whereas reversing sensors are, IMHO, a wonderful invention, since I'm pretty useless at parallel parking.
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