Used Renault Scenic advice please!

Shortarmsdeeppockets_2

I am thinking of buying a used 2001/2002 Renault Scenic (the midi MPV). I haven't had a Renault before and looking at some of the comments on here I'm beginning to think they are more trouble than they are worth.

Have had mostly Fords and Vauxhalls in the past. We like the shape of the Scenic, it's not as big as say the Zafira or the Touran and we are looking at prices up to £4k.Would like 1.6 petrol or 1.9 diesel.

Are these cars good for families and if not any resonably priced alternatives that can be recommended?

Many thanks

Dave_Brooker

Shortarmsdeeppockets wrote: »

I am thinking of buying a used 2001/2002 Renault Scenic (the midi MPV). I haven't had a Renault before and looking at some of the comments on here I'm beginning to think they are more trouble than they are worth.

Have had mostly Fords and Vauxhalls in the past. We like the shape of the Scenic, it's not as big as say the Zafira or the Touran and we are looking at prices up to £4k.Would like 1.6 petrol or 1.9 diesel.

Are these cars good for families and if not any resonably priced alternatives that can be recommended?

Many thanks

Aren't the auto gearboxes a bit of a problem area?

They sold stacks of them so they can't be too bad.

dnc1781

See:

parkers.co.uk
-owners reviews

honestjohn.co.uk
-car by car breakdown

peachorlemon.co.uk

ajtrader100

The auto gear box sticks - a lot. Renaults in general aren't great cars. Very little car for your money. Head towards a Zafira, C-Max, or another Midi MPV, even Kia Sportage (slightly larger) are much better equipped and great value for money.

Bokkens

Rubbish!
I have just traded in my scenic sport Alize 112,000 miles on the clock ( absolutely faultless since the day I bought it) and Renault gave me £2500 part ex on a new one.
The 2.0 litre petrol manual is excellant,quick enough and smooth ,plenty of storage,ABS, power steering ,double sun roof,tinted glass all around,alloy wheels etc,loads of boot space flexability with the rear seats folding or removeable when you need your car to be a skip to take mattresses to the tip etc.
The air con was manual on mine but excellant,CD and radio were very good ,servicing is every 18,000 miles typically about £250 .
It was quiet at motorway speeds and can easily cruise passed the 70mph mark for lenghty UK trips.
I would reconmend it.
Good luck.

mirrorimage0

mines fine only problem ive had is when the petrol was dodgy and it broke down but did get my money back for that,.

scotsblood

ajtrader100 wrote: »

The auto gear box sticks - a lot. Renaults in general aren't great cars. Very little car for your money. Head towards a Zafira, C-Max, or another Midi MPV, even Kia Sportage (slightly larger) are much better equipped and great value for money.

Have you actually compared specs on similar priced models?!

I do however have personal experience of the Renault Scenic.
Have just taken delivery of third Scenic following on from a Zafira, not a happy experience, tale of failures follows

Zafira, only stuck it for 15 months and 19k miles during which;-
Notchy gearbox, eventually failed at 13k miles despite vauxhall and their dealers saying it was normal. Replacement also failed after 4.5k miles. Both under warranty.
"limp home" mode caused seven recovery call outs in last five months!
Both rear door hinges replaced under warranty - excessive wear.
Driver and passenger seat rails replaced under warranty - excessive wear.
Trim fell off all over the place, replaced under warranty.
Numerous brake disks, pads, pistons, pipework and seals replaced under warranty.
Footwells filled with water till dealer spent a day putting sealant around bulkhead, again more warranty work!

Scenic one, a 51 plate 1.6 expression, lasted three years.
Fault one, interior light bulb blew half a dozen times till unit replaced under warranty.
On-plug coils replaced under warranty.

Scenic two, a new shape 54 plate 1.6 expression kept two years
Coils again!
Window motor linkage a week before recall to change them all!

Attitude of vauxhall and the two dealers we tried was very very poor. Cant count the number of times I was told problems were "unique to your car sir" or "a characteristic of that model" despite already appearing in whatcar and others "bad points" lists!

A significant difference in the type of problem and attitude!
Renault may not be the most reliable cars but both dealer network and renault have got us mobile again asap without suggesting faults were unusual.

If you are considering a Scenic look at lots, talk to dealers and if you find one they sold and serviced from new ask to see dealers service and warranty claim record, it will tell you all about the car!

Good hunting and don't be put off.

dieselglider

I would buy a petrol scenic, before I would a dci model, for reliability's sake. Also, a mechanic pal says he's quite impressed with the 1.6 performance/economy/reliability.

Shortarmsdeeppockets_2

dieselglider wrote: »

I would buy a petrol scenic, before I would a dci model, for reliability's sake. Also, a mechanic pal says he's quite impressed with the 1.6 performance/economy/reliability.

Thanks for all your comments!

I'm thinking of going with the diesel model but am now unsure. I've heard that Renault are fantastic when it comes to Diesels whatever model, and give great mpg. Also worried about filling up with petrol by mistake:o

Any more experiences?

Also looking at the Dynamique models as love the leather interior.

ChasingButterflies

It is probably something you would do anyway but check everything electrical on the car i.e. windows, sunroof etc.

Both my last 2 scenics seemed to delvelop "gremlins" with anything remotely related to the electrics. One was bought used and the other new...

With my last scenic which was an 04 1.6 petrol, manual gearbox I averaged about 36mpg. It was great for town driving - when we moved out somewhere in the country it didn't have enough "oommph" though...

When we were looking at scenic's we really wanted a diesel - but they were out of our price range.


I don't think leather comes as standard on the dymanique - well It didn't on mine! might be worth double checking...

Hope this helps,

Happy shopping!

pianeet

we were looking at a renault scenic for my father in law who wanted a car with a high seat position as he finds it hard to get in and out of cars after his stroke,after speaking to friend who works in a renault garage he advised against getting a scenic automatic as they have quite a few problems with there gearboxes,,
in the end he got a 52 plate suzuki liana,with all the bells and whistles ,21,000miles,fsh and years warranty from main dealer for £3500 so far it has been absolutley faultless and i would recomend a look before you buy a scenic..