French Car Reliability

gingedub

I am considering buying a Renault Grand Scenic or a Peugot 5008, but have reservations based on stories regarding electrical issues with French cars. The dealer tells me that the electrical issues with the Renaults were in models built pre-2005. Have any of you experience driving or repairing 2005+ Renaults or Peugots?

Eric Cartman

my experience with a peugot and electrics was quite bad and Ill never go there again , im not the greatest fan of french cars , but all ill say is if you have a question about the reliability of a car dont ask a dealer, hes there to sell you something and knows nothing about the workshop side of things in most cases, renaults seem to have improved but the last scenic that i have any experience of (a 2003 one) had a new electrical fault every week

Bigcheeze

Wife has an 07 peugeot 207. Horn doesn't work. On board computer gives a tail light warning when taking a corner

Mechanically it hasn't give any trouble.

I used to own a laguna until it was 8 years old. Only trouble in 4 years was water pump.

Dilbert75

I know its not 2005+ but we've a 02 Citroen Xsara Picasso for the last 5.5 years and, apart from a somewhat-inaccurate fuel gauge (normally reads emptier than it is - not a bad thing necessarily) its been spot-on.

johnos1984

OP the statistics regarding Renaults over the past couple of years has been encouraging as regards reliability.

Also form reading stories on here Renault IRL appear to be giving good customer service.

However having owned one and from talking to my mate who I've had to tow home a number of times I'll not be buying another Renault due to poor mechanical quality and electrical problems.

As for Pug, I don't believe there is any evidence to suggest they have improved of late.

bazz26

OP, the Grand Scenic comes with a 5 year warranty afaik.

faral

as some people says "never buy any car starting with F:Fiat Ford and French cars".and I think this has a confirmation in real life.its a bit like a lottery - maybe u win maybe u not, but the chance u do not are much highier

bazz26

faral wrote: »

as some people says "never buy any car starting with F:Fiat Ford and French cars".and I think this has a confirmation in real life.its a bit like a lottery - maybe u win maybe u not, but the chance u do not are much highier

I tend not to listen to the man down the pub. The Germans and Japanese are hardly pillars of reliability these days either.

coolbeans

faral wrote: »

as some people says "never buy any car starting with F:Fiat Ford and French cars".and I think this has a confirmation in real life.its a bit like a lottery - maybe u win maybe u not, but the chance u do not are much highier

What a complete load of bollox! :rolleyes:

Guy:Incognito

faral wrote: »

as some people says "never buy any car starting with F:Fiat Ford and French cars".and I think this has a confirmation in real life.its a bit like a lottery - maybe u win maybe u not, but the chance u do not are much highier

Ah ****. Better cancel my order for my 599 GTB. :rolleyes:

Mr Benevolent

faral wrote: »

as some people says "never buy any car starting with F:Fiat Ford and French cars".and I think this has a confirmation in real life.its a bit like a lottery - maybe u win maybe u not, but the chance u do not are much highier

Oh for god's sake. Fiat make excellent cars now, and Ford's last bad car was the Escort.

Bodhan

Yes I've been behind both Renaults and Pugs that have tail lights that flash when the indicators turned on, and ones that the indicator lights up when you brake, but these are largely gone now.
Renault have done huge work over the last few years, the engines were always ok but now they are working with Nissan there's been very few problems.
I can tell you the Grand Scenic is a great car, if a little under-powered but it's the one I'd choose from the two you're looking at.

johndaman66

My first set of wheels was a Renault Megavan and it turned out to be a bit of a nightmare to be quite honest. Between blown headgaskets, dodgy brakes, electrical faults and was generally a rattly and poorly built car. Although granted I did buy it used all the same I never abused it myself anyway. Would generally be inclined to steer clear of French cars after that experience call it irrational if you will. Megavan was 1996. I do understand that you will be going for a much newer model OP.

Also a friends mother has a 2003 Nissan Micra which has Renault mechanicals and she too was plagued by serious reliability issues with the car down through the years.

Top Dog

My father has a '05 Laguna - never had any issues
Sister has a '05 Megane Estate - had to replace both front window regulators
Aunt has a '09 Megane Saloon - no problems to date

And up until last week I had a '02 Laguna Sport Tourer which was also pretty reliable.

The problem with Renaults and everything else french is that you only ever hear the bad stories down the pub or online. No-one ever comes on to have a rant that their car is uber-reliable so its always a very biased picture that you'll get.

Personally I bought my Laguna on the basis that my dad was on his 5th and had never had any issues whatsoever with any of them. I never regretted my purchase

Hillmanhunter1

We drove a Peugeot 306 for 17, mostly trouble-free, years. One of the best cars in its class.

dak

I just switched to Renault and bought a Grand Megane 1.5 Cdi a month ago . So far so good ...very pleased with it especially the Mpg . Drove to Cavan last weekend filed it with diesel in Virginia and the gauge said I could go 1080 km (675 miles) before refueling. Got to Dublin and it read 1060km (662miles).

Sure beats 21mph in my old Opel Omega !

I've had a Peugeot 309 and wife had a 206 for years .. not a single problem. Wife has a 2002 307SW which has given her a lot of grief. Built quality of many opartsdoor handle etc is rubbish IMHO.

101sean

My sister has an 07 Renault Scenic which has had some electrical problems and a couple of recalls, eats tyres too. Renault parts prices are a joke and servicing can be expensive. We were quoted over €600 to do a timing belt so we did it ourselves, took most of a day as you have to strip much of the front RH corner of the car including the suspension to get to it :rolleyes:

Father runs a 97 Renault Trafic camper van which has been a nightmare, on it's 3rd gearbox and simple jobs like changing brake discs require the suspension to be stripped. Fallen out with both local Renault parts stores as they can't locate parts or deny that the engine in it exists :mad:

gingedub

Thanks for the replies - I think the overall concensus is that you might get a good French car but that the odds are a bit higher than other cars that you'll have engine trouble. I think I'll wait to see what the new Ford C-Max is like when it comes out in mid November or else wait to see if 2nd hand prices drop early next year (assuming that the scrappage scheme isn't extended).

dunsandin

I hired a diesel c-max in the UK a couple of weeks ago and I loved it. Fast, comfy and practical, and fast, and economical. Did I mention that it was fast? Really nice motor.

kasper

i nearly always buy french cars renault mostly ,second hand , cheap to buy cheap to service , do my own servicing . i love to hear negative stories about french cars ,it keeps the second hand prices nice and low

mickdw

dunsandin wrote: »

I hired a diesel c-max in the UK a couple of weeks ago and I loved it. Fast, comfy and practical, and fast, and economical. Did I mention that it was fast? Really nice motor.

Fast? I doubt it.

dunsandin

2.2 turbo diesel, and yes, it was fast as feck. I was seriously surprised as i expected a wallow-mobile.

mumblin deaf ro

JD Power reliability survey, which might help you:

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/lexus-dominates-jd-power-2010/250150

mumblin deaf ro

mumblin deaf ro wrote: »

JD Power reliability survey, which might help you:

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/lexus-dominates-jd-power-2010/250150

UK Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study

Wolfe Tone

Dont buy Renault. My folks have an 06 megane, causes no end of trouble. have lost count of the amount of times new motors were needed for the windows, at least 6.

mumblin deaf ro

Oops - you're right - I have the reliability survey in a whatcar magazine recently - i think this is the right link (not good for renault I'm afraid)

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/what-car-reliability-survey-2010/alfa-romeo---kia/250839

gingedub

Intersting survey - even some of the cars higher up in the survey showed that 1 in 4 cars required work! How reliable is the survey - sounds like its the perfect place to get stats rather than opinions?:)

Bigcheeze

Judging by that survey there should be a thread about German Car Reliability. Citroen scores better than BMW, Audi, VW, Merc

shaunandelly

Ring the Samaritans.....they can help you. Things are never as bad as you think.:)

johndaman66

shaunandelly wrote: »

Ring the Samaritans.....they can help you. Things are never as bad as you think.:)

?? I for one don't follow. Posting error?

fonecrusher1

johndaman66 wrote: »

?? I for one don't follow. Posting error?

His thinks he's being funny. He's implying that you will need some form of therapy due to the stress associated with owning a bad car like a renault. Thats bollox, they're not all bad. They make a decent diesel engine.

Why is it i see alot more old renaults & peugeots than i see old fords or opels?;)