Renault Megane Cabriolet

apple26

Currently driving an 02 Renault Megane Coupe 1.4L petrol . Looking to upgrade soon and have been looking at a few second hand Megane Cabriolet, 06 -07. Anyone any thoughts on this car?? Am I just being won over by the sporty look or are they genuine cars??

goz83

I had a 2008/09 model for a week in Spain on rental. Such fun to drive and a decent bit of room in the back for a cabrio. Obviously i didn't have it long enough to tell you much else, but if i was going cabrio, it would be on my high consideration list, and i generally hate renault, especially when they use those feckin key cards!!!

hawkelady

Don't buy a Reno. I know cause I bloody have one!!
The French can only made good quality wine!!
My tuppence worth anyway

leviathon

Renault still have a bad name from the days when they were genuinly rubbish, the modern ones (from 07 onwards) are rock solid. Nissan bought them out and a lot of them are pretty much Nissans (The megane and quashqui have the same engine for example).

They'll be a few years more shaking that image though from the awful ****e they produced a few years back, including the megane cabrio.

I owned one, and I know 2 or three others that owned them (from 05-07) and they all had major problems (mine needed a full engine rebuild) they are by far the worst car renault ever produced.Some garages won't even take them as a trade in.

So to answer the op - Stay miles clear unless you have a bit of extra cash to stretch for an '08 or higher - anything prior to that will cost you a fortune in keeping it on the road.

Stallingrad

leviathon wrote: »

Nissan bought them out and a lot of them are pretty much Nissans (The megane and quashqui have the same engine for example).

Renault have a significant holding in Nissan, not the other way round, Nissan own a small percentage of Renault. The Qashqui and Megane have Renault engines, Nissan have no engineering input into them. You'll find there is a lot more Renault in a Nissan (Primera for example) than Nissan in a Renault.

166man

An Aunt and Uncle of mine have one, I think it's a 2005 with about 130k km on it. They haven't complained much about it but they drive it very easy. It's the 1.6 petrol so it's no rocket but it gets around reasonably. Fuel economy's is average alright. With the roof it's a heavy car and not all that sporty.

Been in it a few times and what struck me was that it's very comfortable but the interior ain't great. The leather is starting to look quite tired and it's a bit rough inside but that would just be general wear and tear. I don't think the interior is of the highest quality.

With the reputation they have for reliability I would avoid one myself. Having said that maybe my Uncle was just lucky.

Victor Meldrew

apple26 wrote: »

Currently driving an 02 Renault Megane Coupe 1.4L petrol . Looking to upgrade soon and have been looking at a few second hand Megane Cabriolet, 06 -07. Anyone any thoughts on this car?? Am I just being won over by the sporty look or are they genuine cars??

So you'll be buying a second hand renault with full electrics, heavy, complex electric folding roof, based on an already humdrum saloon.

These were not good cars. the 1.6 is not nippy, drinks petrol and is prone to expensive issues (de-phaser pully if pre 2005 esp)

The auto box goes pop around 60 k if you are lucky.

What you had was a decent car. this will not be. save yourself a headache and look elsewhere.

Jogathon

I drive a VW Eos, 2l TD. Lovely car, roof works like a dream. A workmate drives a Renault Megane 07, roof doesn't work, and it'll cost over 2 grand to put right. I'd steer clear and go for a more reliable make, perhaps with a simpler roof mechanism. I bought in England, and went for 08 for cheaper road tax with the diesel. Great interiors in England.

166man

Jogathon wrote: »

I drive a VW Eos, 2l TD. Lovely car, roof works like a dream. A workmate drives a Renault Megane 07, roof doesn't work, and it'll cost over 2 grand to put right. I'd steer clear and go for a more reliable make, perhaps with a simpler roof mechanism. I bought in England, and went for 08 for cheaper road tax with the diesel. Great interiors in England.

A diesel convertible??:o

pajo1981

leviathon wrote: »

Nissan bought them out

I think you'll find that it was Renault who bought Nissan out.

Guy:Incognito

hawkelady wrote: »

Don't buy a Reno. I know cause I bloody have one!!
The French can only made good quality wine!!
My tuppence worth anyway

See thats your problem with buying dodgy Chinese knock off's . Always make sure the label says "Renault".

I know genuine Panafonics when I see one.
Also, your powers of observation are fantastic, the OP already owns a Renault.

Jogathon

166man wrote: »

A diesel convertible??:o

Yeah, I know. But I had to - the road tax and fuel consumption on my 1.9l petrol convertible was killing me. I love my new car, it's zippier than my old one and I'd never go back to petrol.

Kerry Gooner

My experience with a 2004 1.6 Renault Megane Cabriolet.
Mechanically sound but had problems with water leaking through the roof,
not ideal with the amount of rain around at the moment.

leviathon

pajo1981 wrote: »

I think you'll find that it was Renault who bought Nissan out.

Ah, sorry I had it assways - apologies. Anyway the point I was making is that the likes of the quasqui and others in the nissan/renault ..partnership??? seem to be pretty decent without much complaints, so in theory anyways if the same guys are making these then they should be fairly reliable.

Just to add what Victor Meldrew said too I had forgotten about that bit - it's as thirsty as a 2 litre but very lacking in power, presumably down to the extra weight for the roof mechanisms.

apple26

Thanks for all the replies. Have to say my 02 Megane Coupe has never given me a day's trouble and still drives great and maybe this is what influenced me to look at the newer models.
I guess I'm just looking for a fun car to drive, the standard Focus/Golf/Astra just don't do it for me!!

the culture of deference

A friend bought the 1.6 petrol auto new in 2005. Excellent car. I think it needed 2 coils, and the alloys are too soft for sh1tty irish roads. Carry a spare tyre. In 2005 they did not come with a spare, just a can to inflate tyres.

The roof is still perfect.

goz83

You might look at the peugeot model.