Renault Modus a good buy?

motorguy

And as if by magic, along comes an example of why i cant recommend and dont sell renault diesels.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4754597

londonTiger

TrickyWicky wrote: »

It's a Ren-Oh. Avoid like the plague. Having said that, I've had 4 and loved them all but they are utter money pits. If it's not the electricals it's the mechanicals. If it's not the mechanicals then it's the electricals.

They have made some very good cars over the years (the laguna had a 2L volvo engine and box for instance) but they don't do it often believing that the best way to make money is to force people to buy parts / servicing frequently. The consequence is that they have an appalling reputation at the moment. Look at VW though, everyone loves them, robust, pretty reliable, fan clubs, restoration clubs, brand new parts still available for VWs built in the 50's etc.

It shows a big difference in company mentality and customer loyalty. VW look after their customers and the customers love VW. Ren-Oh treat customers as cash machines and consequently they're slated heavily for it. VW is thriving, Renault dealerships frequently close down (my mate has worked for THREE!).

Having said all that, if you buy a Renault they're the sort of car you very quickly fall in love with. We have one on the drive, not used for a while but it's a great car and we love it to bits. Every toy you could want, comfy, lovely soft suspension etc but a bit quirky with the electricals.

Renault ( AND FRENCH CARS IN GENERAL) are what the British car industry would have been like had it not been completely obliterated.

Same old stuff, French car industry is partially owned by the French governement, have unions etc.

As someone from working class roots I can understand why some people will be fearful of job security but at the same time unions kill innovation and is cancerous for workforce mentaility. Management and workers need to work together and have a single shared vision. With unions there's an internal war inside the company and it shows in car production.

dibuzz

fivetide wrote: »

We have the 1.6 auto. It is fairly nippy and quiet to drive. the only things I don't like about it will e the same on the Modus I think. First the turning circle is very poor for what is not a very big car. Second the fuel tank is a bit on the small side.

I had one for 3 and a half years, it took a while to get used to ending up in the space next to the one I aimed for!

facade wrote: »

I have a Note, which is based on the modus floorpan, with a Nissan engine.

The note has a reputation for good reliability, but suffers from niggly faults:

The heater doesn't heat the drivers feet in the Winter
The front suspension is prone to bush wear which causes no end of clonks and bangs
The "flexible" wires to the boot snap off and the lock or rear wiper stop working
Some have a BECM fault that puts the rear fog lamp on all the time, so the bulb gets removed (check it works with the switch)
There are no roofrack hardpoints, so you have to jam one into the top of the door frame.
Rapid tyre wear with the OEM Contis
Rear toe-in issues which cause rear tyre wear.
Rapid disc wear.
Fan belt (auxiliary drive belt) squeals.

No doubt most of these issues are common to all mass produced cheap cars.

Having said all that, the engine and autobox are excellent

Out of those the only problem I had was the squealing fan belt, especially when first setting off with the air con on.
Heaters worked fine and only had 2 new front tyres at 36k miles.

The only down side for me was lack of boot space although I did like being able to hide all the usual bits that clutter the boot up in the false bottom.

I loved the high driving position and being able to get in and out of it so easily and would definitely have another.

jay87

I have a 2004 1.4l Petrol Modus, and I really like it.

I got it to learn to drive in, and had it 2 years now. Its service interval is 2 years or 18000 miles on petrol variants which suits me. It's proved very reliable, it's never broken down

Has brake assist, stability control, etc, makes me feel safe

For the money it's been great. Bought for £2250 with 70K miles 2 years ago.

Alias_Omega

Buy one with a "boot chute"...I thought that bit was ace...

Rapidassistant

My dad's got one - the 1.5DCI (86PS) diesel. It's a really nippy car with this engine, and the £30 a year road tax is a real money saver. They are extremely practical and quite nice to drive. That's the good news....

But the electrics are absolutely appalling. I've never seen a car to have as many niggling electrical problems as this one. He's had problems with the main ECU giving up the ghost (replaced under warranty - thankfully - as it was over £700 to replace), persistent bulbs blowing (the whole front section of the car has to be dropped in order to access the headlamp bulbs!!), the heater fan stopped working, the electric window on the driver's side packed up. All these issues have more than wiped out the savings on the road tax. Oh and naturally - the infamous EGR valve problem that seems to afflict all Renault diesels.....

Add to that the one-box design means they are an absolute pig to work on. These sadly are all common Modus problems - they are not exclusive to my dad's car - reading around the web.

So no - I wouldnt' recommend.

forgotmyname

This thread was from last year.

How does £30 a year tax save you money when the car is losing in depreciation and the cost of bulbs?

Too many people are hooked on the price of the tax. I have to think whoopee doo you save £140 a year on what i paid.
But then again i didnt lose £9k in 3 years on depreciation. (a mate the other day not linked to this thread).

He didnt get it though.