Is this a good price for a new Renault Fluence?

Biscuits Brown

Hi

So we are fairly set on a new Renault Fluence. The dealer quoted us at about 15,800 for the basic and 16 odd for the mid spec. This includes scrappage which I think is almost 5,000.

This seems like great value to us. However, of course I wanted to get as good a deal as possible, however he did not seem willing to negotiate. So does this seem like a fair enough price? Is it worth my while trying to push him on it, or should we be happy with that.

We are also a bit under pressure because the Renault scrappage scheme ends next week, apparently.

Thanks for any help

Stevie Dakota

The Renault scrappage scheme has been on it's last few weeks for months now. I'b be surprised if they pull it before then end of the year.

Biscuits Brown

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

The Renault scrappage scheme has been on it's last few weeks for months now. I'b be surprised if they pull it before then end of the year.

Hmmm...can we afford to take that risk though?

we just missed out on Nissan's scrappage, not that we were that bothered...

Shane732

Biscuits Brown wrote: »

Hmmm...can we afford to take that risk though?

we just missed out on Nissan's scrappage, not that we were that bothered...

I wouldn't be bothered about the Renault scrappage scheme either!

Do you mind me asking why are you are going for a Fleunce? Would you not consider something like a Focus, Golf, Octavia? Worth looking at spending an extra couple of quid of something decent as opposed to a Renault that's going to depreciate like nothing else on this world.

The scrappage scheme may be decent on the face of it but if you look at it long term I think you'd be mad to go through with it.

bazz26

You have shop around to compare prices. The only way to know if you are getting a good deal is to visit another Renault dealer and see what they can sell you the same car for.

ltdslipdiff

Shane732 wrote: »

I wouldn't be bothered about the Renault scrappage scheme either!

Do you mind me asking why are you are going for a Fleunce? Would you not consider something like a Focus, Golf, Octavia? Worth looking at spending an extra couple of quid of something decent as opposed to a Renault that's going to depreciate like nothing else on this world.

The scrappage scheme may be decent on the face of it but if you look at it long term I think you'd be mad to go through with it.

I beg to differ !!! The Fluence is brand new, low emmissions, diesel, with loads of standard kit and a 5 Year Unlimited mileage Warranty !! Its also a nice drive and has loads of room. At € 21,595 without scrappage its still a very well priced car ! I guarantee this is a car that is going to hold its value better than its predecessor, then again that won't be hard ! OP, did you drive one and what did you think of the driving dynamics?

roosterman71

ltdslipdiff wrote: »

I beg to differ !!! The Fluence is brand new, low emmissions, diesel, with loads of standard kit and a 5 Year Unlimited mileage Warranty !! Its also a nice drive and has loads of room. At € 21,595 without scrappage its still a very well priced car ! I guarantee this is a car that is going to hold its value better than its predecessor, then again that won't be hard ! OP, did you drive one and what did you think of the driving dynamics?

There'll be so many 2nd hand renaults available in the next few years, ya won't be able to give them away. So the trade in prices against a different car will be on the floor.

ltdslipdiff

roosterman71 wrote: »

There'll be so many 2nd hand renaults available in the next few years, ya won't be able to give them away. So the trade in prices against a different car will be on the floor.

You could argue that with the sea of Focus's Golf's and Astra's out there too, but to be fair, IF the Fluence lives up to its promise of reliable and economical motoring, what will stop it being as desireable as the already founded alternatives? These popular cars still sell well on the forecourts. Renaults are much more highly respected in the UK and in mainland Europe, maybe they will be here too.......eventually !

roosterman71

ltdslipdiff wrote: »

You could argue that with the sea of Focus's Golf's and Astra's out there too, but to be fair, IF the Fluence lives up to its promise of reliable and economical motoring, what will stop it being as desireable as the already founded alternatives? These popular cars still sell well on the forecourts. Renaults are much more highly respected in the UK and in mainland Europe, maybe they will be here too.......eventually !

The difference being the prices, and the perception of Renaults. They don't hold their value in the same way Golfs, Focus' or Astras do. So they will depreciate more. Renault have done fantastic this year due to the scrappage and their aggressive pricing and marketing. But I fear anyone going in a few years to trade one in will be disappointed.

ltdslipdiff

roosterman71 wrote: »

The difference being the prices, and the perception of Renaults. They don't hold their value in the same way Golfs, Focus' or Astras do. So they will depreciate more. Renault have done fantastic this year due to the scrappage and their aggressive pricing and marketing. But I fear anyone going in a few years to trade one in will be disappointed.

Only time will tell I suppose!!

BrianD3

Way too much fuss is made about resale value, if the OP is very concerned about depreciation he shouldn't be buying any new car. If he is buying a new car, buying a cheap one like a Fluence is a good idea because the cheaper you buy, the less you have to lose. Also if he keeps it a good many years (it does have a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty as already mentioned) then it's better still.

In the last few years many people bought new cars smugly predicting that they'd be worth "x" in a few years and while looking down on buyers of other cars who apparently had made "bad investments". A recession, changing consumer attitudes, slashing of new car prices and change in taxation rules meant those predictions went out the window. Ask anyone who paid 55k for their new 520d in 2007. New cars are not investments.

Going back to the OP, Renault have been offering discounts and scrappage since early 2009. It was called cashback in 09 and they kept crying wolf about it ending. But it kept getting extended. The same thing happened with the scrappage scheme in 2010. They're unlikely to end it now that they have had one of their most succesful years and been a big factor in other manufacturers offering similar discounts to compete.

pburns

Biscuits Brown wrote: »

Hi

So we are fairly set on a new Renault Fluence. The dealer quoted us at about 15,800 for the basic and 16 odd for the mid spec. This includes scrappage which I think is almost 5,000.

This seems like great value to us. However, of course I wanted to get as good a deal as possible, however he did not seem willing to negotiate. So does this seem like a fair enough price? Is it worth my while trying to push him on it, or should we be happy with that.

We are also a bit under pressure because the Renault scrappage scheme ends next week, apparently.

ltdslipdiff wrote: »

I beg to differ !!! The Fluence is brand new, low emmissions, diesel, with loads of standard kit and a 5 Year Unlimited mileage Warranty !! Its also a nice drive and has loads of room. At € 21,595 without scrappage its still a very well priced car ! I guarantee this is a car that is going to hold its value better than its predecessor, then again that won't be hard ! OP, did you drive one and what did you think of the driving dynamics?

I smile to myself at the naivety of new car buyers thinking Renault are offering 'value' at the moment (and that the scrappage scheme is finishing up as we speak). TBH, I think...hope Renault have improved because we had a Megane in the family a few years ago and it was the biggest heap of crap ever bought.

Even if reliability is improved, the Fluence is a very unattractive car, a Megane-based mongrel. When you see the Brits rejecting a car (like the Tilda), you know it's a dog...

Any money you save now will be swallowed in depreciation because (a.) relative oversupply of this model (b.) mud sticks and Renault reputation isn't great (c.) even as a newish model the Megane doesn't cut it against Golf, Focus, Mazda 3 et al. (d.) the Fluence is an ugly SOB

BrianD3 wrote: »

Ask anyone who paid 55k for their new 520d in 2007. New cars are not investments.

Brian, you always show up like an avenging angel when Renaults are criticised... Champion something more deserving...like the NAMA-developers or Teflon-Bertie:pac:...

ltdslipdiff

pburns wrote: »

I smile to myself at the naivety of new car buyers thinking Renault are offering 'value' at the moment (and that the scrappage scheme is finishing up as we speak). TBH, I think...hope Renault have improved because we had a Megane in the family a few years ago and it was the biggest heap of crap ever bought.

Even if reliability is improved, the Fluence is a very unattractive car, a Megane-based mongrel. When you see the Brits rejecting a car (like the Tilda), you know it's a dog...

Any money you save now will be swallowed in depreciation because (a.) relative oversupply of this model (b.) mud sticks and Renault reputation isn't great (c.) even as a newish model the Megane doesn't cut it against Golf, Focus, Mazda 3 et al. (d.) the Fluence is an ugly SOB



Brian, you always show up like an avenging angel when Renaults are criticised... Champion something more deserving...like the NAMA-developers or Teflon-Bertie:pac:...

Uh oh another anti-renault person !!! Unfortunately most of the above is a matter of opinion (I accept early Meganes suffered with unacceptable problems) rather than fact! And yes, both Tiida and Fluence were aimed at smaller type markets because, like our eastern european cousins, we Irish prefer a big saloon type car with a generous boot, ok looking and ok driving rather than a car that is very stylish or very sporty etc etc

pburns

ltdslipdiff wrote: »

we Irish prefer a big saloon type car with a generous boot, ok looking and ok driving rather than a car that is very stylish or very sporty etc etc

Well I guess some people are happy with mediocrity.
As the saying goes - 'Never mind the quality feel the width'...

ThisRegard

There's a that's what yore ma said in the post above there somewhere.

The ridiculous Renault bashing is very tedious around here though, the usual bar stool waffle.

Biscuits Brown

Thanks for all the replies guys

depreciation will not be an issue as we will not be trading it it -ever- we drive cars to the death!

Yes i test drove it and it is a nice drive.
the car is actually for my parents, who just want something that looks nice (we all like the look of it), reliable (has a good warranty), good space (saloon) and eh, not much else really!

they were also thinking about a new Passat or Insignia, but was kinda hard to justify an extra 10 grand for not much more (in our opinion). The Fluence has everything they need.

I just wanted to make sure they were getting a good deal as they are kinda pushovers.
We did go to 2 different dealers, and they are offering the exact same deals. Anyway, we are happy with it and will go ahead.

Thanks again

R.O.R

15,800 for the Fluence is the very best you are going to get. That is the Renault dealer passing on all his margin and making very little themselves on the sale (I have a copy of the Renault price list in work so know the actual costs to the dealers).

I've never been a fan of Renaults, and wouldn't buy one myself because the seats and seating position don't suit me at all, but if it's comfortable for the OP (or their parents), then the Fluence and the Grand Megane represent the best value for money on the market at the moment.

I work in leasing, and whenever the Megane, Grand Megane or Fluence are compared against the competition, the Renaults come out with the cheapest monthly rate. That takes in to account:

Cost Price
Depreciation
Tyres
Tax
Servicing & Maintenance

Even though the resale value of the car is going to be lower than the competition (Astra, Focus, Golf), the saving in new purchase price is higher than the forecasted difference between resale values, therefore - less depreciation over the term of ownership. Same over 2,3,4 or 5 years and whatever mileage you look at.

Renault are announcing their 2011 model line up and pricing on the 22nd October, so it could actually be the final week of the current scrappage offer. I've no doubt something similar will be in place for next year, but whether there is also the government scrappage as well is still an unknown.

I'd go for it OP, and ignore the naysayers.

ltdslipdiff

pburns wrote: »

Well I guess some people are happy with mediocrity.
As the saying goes - 'Never mind the quality feel the width'...

So true..have a look around, Almera saloons, Avensis's, Mondeo's, Corolla's... We (were) are a very reserved race of car drivers. Obviously with new-found wealth and the Top Gear generation now buying cars our tastes have changed.

Shane732

ltdslipdiff wrote: »

I beg to differ !!! The Fluence is brand new, low emmissions, diesel, with loads of standard kit and a 5 Year Unlimited mileage Warranty !! Its also a nice drive and has loads of room. At € 21,595 without scrappage its still a very well priced car ! I guarantee this is a car that is going to hold its value better than its predecessor, then again that won't be hard ! OP, did you drive one and what did you think of the driving dynamics?

I suppose only time will tell...

Did you buy a Fluence? The reason I ask is because I'm wondering it anyone has actually paid €21,595, or anything close, for a Fluence. Personally I think you could pick up a new Fluence for €18,000 without scrappage fairly easy - granted I haven't tested my opinion.

In relation to the standard kit - It's reasonable enough all right but It's got 15" alloys, no parking senors, no auto rain senors, no dual zone climate control.

The 5 Year Warranty is definitely a huge step forward.

It's a 1.5 diesel which is a joke.

ltdslipdiff

Shane732 wrote: »

I suppose only time will tell...

Did you buy a Fluence? The reason I ask is because I'm wondering it anyone has actually paid €21,595, or anything close, for a Fluence. Personally I think you could pick up a new Fluence for €18,000 without scrappage fairly easy - granted I haven't tested my opinion.

In relation to the standard kit - It's reasonable enough all right but It's got 15" alloys, no parking senors, no auto rain senors, no dual zone climate control.

The 5 Year Warranty is definitely a huge step forward.

It's a 1.5 diesel which is a joke.

Obviously to keep costs competitive the entry level model can't be bursting with spec. It has quite a bit more as standard than nearly all its rivals,namely - electric windows front and rear, handsfree entry and start-up,cruise control and speed limiter, integrated bluetooth, front fogs, ESP (probably the most important safety feature), manual air-con and the 5 Year Unlimited mileage warranty. The next model up which is a grand more has the above extra's you like. (except sensors)
I didn't buy one,but drive one as a company car, and know several people that have bought them after a friend or family member have bought one too. I reckon you're not far off on the € 18,000 buying straight either ! The 86 bhp 1.5 diesel is on par with the VAG 1.6 TDi, admitted not quite as powerful, but flexible all the same and you don't have the turbo lag of the 106 bhp dCi. My contacts tell me there's a new 1.6 dCi on the way with lower emmissions and 120 bhp to debut in the facelift Laguna III for the new year.

Horse_box

OP are renault still doing the Grand Megane on the scrappage? If they are would you consider going for it? The only reason I say that is because the Grand megane would probably be considered a slightly better looking car for the same money

My old man bought his Grand Megane for 14,800 3 months ago and that included mats, full tank of diesel, aircon and a 5 year warranty.

dellas1979

pburns wrote: »

Well I guess some people are happy with mediocrity.
As the saying goes - 'Never mind the quality feel the width'...

Isnt someone choosing a car subjective though?

What I would consider fab and great value, to you, might be a heap of ugly junk.

What you would consider fab and great value, to me, might be a heap of ugly junk.

I often see on this forum people running away with their typing/fingers as to what they see as a good car. It kinda destroys the thread. The OP didnt ask what you specifically thought of the car. He/she only wants to know if they are getting a good deal, and its a good question.

OP one of my colleagues got the fluence during the week and couldnt be happier with it. And I think they are a nice looking car. She did have to wait 2 months - in the end, there was no sign of the car so she bought it off the forecourt of another garage. So maybe that is something to think about.

ltdslipdiff

Horse_box wrote: »

OP are renault still doing the Grand Megane on the scrappage? If they are would you consider going for it? The only reason I say that is because the Grand megane would probably be considered a slightly better looking car for the same money

My old man bought his Grand Megane for 14,800 3 months ago and that included mats, full tank of diesel, aircon and a 5 year warranty.

Unfortunately Renault can't deliver a new Grand Megane before the end of the year so this isn't an option unless a dealer has one in stock already... as in Renault can't guarantee delivery before the end of the Government scrappage scheme so one must look to next year for a G Megane.

pissed

Was over in Bill Cullens today and took a spin in the Fluence, have to say I was fairly impressed with it. I see a lot of Renault bashing in this thread alone. Having never owned a Renault before its hard to say if its all justified. The scrappage scheme may end at the end of this year but Renault have promised to honour it into January or so I was told. Well I have been quoted scrappage prices and a 2011 plate..... very tempted.

A question for anyone that owns one, how do you find the dci 90hp engine? Is there enough power to drive reasonably well or is it lagging? I think there is an option to upgrade to the dci 110hp 6 speed for an extra €700 but just wondering if it would be worth it.

Space wise I found it to be very roomy and the backseat passengers have plenty of room and could seat 3 adults without being squashed. Looks wise again I thought it was ok, no BMW or Ferrari but acceptable. My only concern is about the power of the engine.

Stevie Dakota

Well one family member has the 86bhp in a Clio and it suits the car very well. We have the 106bhp in a Megane Touring and that too is a fine match, not sure the 86 would be enough, it's a big car. The 106bhp also has a 6 speed box which is great if you spend a lot of time on the motorway. If it was me I would find the €700 and get the 106bhp version.

ltdslipdiff

Having driven both for long periods, here s what I think..... The 86 (to be 90 in the new year) is very driveable with very little lag, but not the most torquey of powerplants, fine for everyday use. The 106 (110 in new year) is much more peaky with a fair bit of lag and there's lots of cog-swapping needed to get the use of the extra horses,but definately the one to go for if you do a lot of motorway driving.

VolvoMan

pissed wrote: »

Looks wise again I thought it was ok, no BMW or Ferrari but acceptable.

A good looking BMW; I've heard it all now.:pac:

Padraig Mor

Presuming it's the same as the Grand Megane, it's worth noting that the 106 bhp requires servicing less frequently than the 86 bhp (2yr/30k km vs 1yr/20k km).

Villain

Booked a Grand Megane for January, went for the TomTom 110bhp edition.

I have a 8 year old FIAT Stilo and getting the Grand Megane for 19,700 could have had the dymanique 90bhp for 18k but do a lot of Motorway driving so the 6 speed should suit me better.

Biscuits Brown if your parents are still looking there is a Grand Megane 90bhp TomTom in Renault in Naas in stock for sale as of today but their prices were over €1.5k higher than Pratts in Carlow for me.

Leonard Hofstadter

The newer 90 and 110 models will have DPFs, another expensive thing to go wrong along with the DMF in a modern diesel. Sorry to rain in on your parade OP, but it is worth mentioning. An ever increasing number of diesels have DPFs, which might be good for our lungs but bad for our wallets. There is a lot to be said for simple petrol engines with none of this technology that goes expensively wrong far too frequently. If the five year warranty covers the DPF, then you've nothing to worry about though:)!

(The outgoing 85 and 106 models don't have DPFs.)

I would agree with the consenus that the low power version is likely to be very underpowered, it is 1.4 petrol territory whereas the 105/110 is 1.6 petrol territory but with diesel torque.

Anyway, interesting for a company that prides itself on safety, Renault doesn't include ESP as standard on the Megane and is optional on every Clio.

Ford have set the way here, with ESP standard on all Focuses since 2008 and the Fiesta has had ESP on all models(even Irish spec) for a few months now.

Honda also has ESP as standard on all versions of its Clio and Megane competitors.

David09

With regard to initial posts,

1 A car is not an investment, unless you are a car-dealer.

2 Replacing a roadworthy car with a new one that is supposedly environmentally efficient is a folly. The energy required to produce a new car is more than the energy that the car will ever consume driving around in it's lifetime.

3 Buying a new car for the assurance of percieved reliability is also a folly. The cost of AA cover and proper maintenance does not justify a < 15k purchase.

Taking into account of the above, you will find a superb second hand, diesel car for sub 10k. By not buying new, you will be doing your bit for the environment and if you care about the cars valuation, you won't have sudden depreciation to worry about. At this price you would purchase a car with full service history, take out AA cover for peace of mind and be able to save money for other necessities.
Scrappage scheme and buying new cars is just marketing ploy. You earned you money, don't fall for it.

Villain

David09 wrote: »

With regard to initial posts,

1 A car is not an investment, unless you are a car-dealer.

2 Replacing a roadworthy car with a new one that is supposedly environmentally efficient is a folly. The energy required to produce a new car is more than the energy that the car will ever consume driving around in it's lifetime.

3 Buying a new car for the assurance of percieved reliability is also a folly. The cost of AA cover and proper maintenance does not justify a < 15k purchase.

Taking into account of the above, you will find a superb second hand, diesel car for sub 10k. By not buying new, you will be doing your bit for the environment and if you care about the cars valuation, you won't have sudden depreciation to worry about. At this price you would purchase a car with full service history, take out AA cover for peace of mind and be able to save money for other necessities.
Scrappage scheme and buying new cars is just marketing ploy. You earned you money, don't fall for it.

Can't agree with that based on my scenario, I have a 8 Year old Fiat that is starting to give a lot of problems, I'm building a house so I want to be able to Budget my costs as best as possible for the next 3-5 years.

Buying a second hand car for around 8k leaves me open to many costs for the next 5 years depending on issues that arrive and considering I drive about 30,000 miles a year they could be many.

By buying a new Renault I am saving about €500 on road tax per year about another €500 a year in reduced Fuels cost and will have no major repairs for the next 5 years. Thus I can make a good Budget of costs.

As for the enviroment? I don't really care how my purchase affects that tbh, I was in China a few years ago and I don't think putting a drop of clean water into a swimming pool of dirt will make a huge difference the same as Ireland reducing its Carbon Footprint while the major polluters continue to Pollute.

ThisRegard

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Well one family member has the 86bhp in a Clio and it suits the car very well. We have the 106bhp in a Megane Touring and that too is a fine match, not sure the 86 would be enough, it's a big car.

We have the 86 in the Grand Megane and it's more than adequate. Bear in mind it's for transporting the baby, the associated stuff that comes with it and the dogs so we're not going to be racing around corners and stuff in it. We used it for a hell of a lot of motorway driving during the summer and never felt that I could do with more power or another gear, it cruised along very happily.
It doesn't feel any more underpowered than our 1.6 Octavia which is 110bhp or whatever it is, probably due to the engine being more torquey and different gearing.

CompleteCarGuy

Anyone buying a new car is obviously going to be subject to depreciation. In relation to the Fluence, I've driven this car and thought it was pretty good really. And as much as we may like to sneer people who buy them, if your needs don't extend beyond lots of metal, airbags and value then you will most likely be pleased with a Fluence. If it goes wrong, it has a 5-year warranty, so there are no major headaches there and it will be cheap to run.

Who knows what is going to happen in terms of residuals. Yes, other brands are going to probably turn their nose up at 09/10/11 Renault's because they are going to be very difficult to price, but the fact is that if you pay €16,000 for a car you are only going to lose a percentage of €16,000, not a percentage of what is 'might' have cost. Over the course of 3 years it could be 50% - but heh, you've lost €8,000 instead of the €10,000 you might have lost originally.

I don't think anyone can be criticised for being drawn to a car like a Fluence because it offers big-car value for the price of a Ford Fiesta. In terms of the scrappage deals - I would be very surprised if you can't pay something similar to what is being offered now for a Fluence or Mégane next year. We know already that if you order now you can have the scrappage prices in January. I would be shocked if this car went up by much more than €1,500 next year even in the absence of scrappage. You can take it as read that there will be discounting throughout 2011 on new Renault models.

wellsir

that fluence looks like a great deal, loads of extras.
and a 5 year warranty.

VW dealers will tell you they are diluting their product and so on, but with a 5 year warranty, i think its a great deal.

VWs are far over priced, extras have improved in new golf, but a second hand one will only give you a 6 month warranty at most.
Father in law has had a bora and now a jetta and has had nothing but trouble with them.