I'm thinking of buying a Megane (about 3-4 years old).No particular car in mind yet - I like the look of them and I'm hoping to get a few years out of it. As you've probably guessed I'm no petrolhead , but I'd like a decent reliable car with reasonable running and insurance costs. I've seen a few on the Stoneacre website that appeal.Any advice ?

If you want reliable then go japan/ honda, toyota, etc etc

What Sanchez said....

The Renault will fall apart after not very long at all.

Whilst I doubt very much the Renault would "fall apart" after not very long, having owned 3 Mk1 Clio's in the past and never having any problems either mechanical or body-wise (much better interior build quality than competitors cars of the time like Fiesta's and Corsa's/Nova's), id agree with the above, if you want ultra-reliable engine wise, something that will start every morning without any worry about it failing, the only way to go is Jap.

Unless of course you are going derv, in which case, most engines are bullet-proof, you just have to work out which costs more in the long-run and if any have any common, significantly expensive failings. Derv engines themselves tend to go on and on and Ariston, but its the ancillary components that tend to fail at regular intervals and can be costly to replace, especially on the most modern of engines.

Engine-wise, Jap will trounce everything European and US for reliability, but when it comes to build-quality, I wouldnt nessescarily say they Japs would come out tops, look at the shite Toyota have gone through, all because they didnt give a flying f**k about the safety of their customers (they waited for people to die/get injured and the scandel to hit the headlines before they took any action/recalled). Not that Renault were much better with the Mk2 Clio bonnet fiasco!!

Yeah i have a Megane, its a 99 so its the earlier version, and theres has been no end of problems, although i don't look after it as well as i should! Maybe its the age but i think lots of people with Renaults have the same problem. But saying that I do like my Megane so I would consider buying one again.

just look on the renault forum and read all the problems people have

ive got a 2000 plate megane and its been mechanically sound i bought it in august last year and the only thing ive had a problem with was squeaky brakes. have got full service history So far the only reason its failed MOTS are for a reg plate light being out and screen wash not reaching the screen

Or go on just about any car owners forum and read all the problems people have had...

People don't tend to go on car forums and repeatedly post threads about how reliable their car is, they tend to go on forums when they have problems with thier car, to get help.

True.

how much have you to spend? What requirements do you need for the car? ie 3/5 dr? boot space etc.

according to my autodata, they suffer with a few problems,

they are:

pencil coils failing on petrols - (cheaply fixed)
failure to start cause of the clutch pedal switch (cheap)
and
headlamps burning out quickly due to vibration, (easily fixed)

i like the look of these meganes, i say go for it, alhough renault suffer lots of little elec gremlins so dont by a dud, check it from cold etc etc.

Hola, I have owned a few Renaults I too bought a 99 Megane for the princely sum of £700 from the auction, it lasted four years, other than tyres and servicing and a crank sensor it was incredibly reliable. I sold it last year for £500. Reckon I had a Mercredi car and nicky had a Lundi one

My advice is if you can find the budget buy BMW, Ovlov or pretty much anything japanese. A good site to check out your prospective purchase is Parkers Car Guide, as well as a review of the vehicle you can find honest reviews from owners. If you have the cash buy private, you will save at least £500 on secondhand motors compared to a forecourt,there are deals to be had out there, especially this time of year.

If you need to finance the deal check that your bank cant better the deal. If the dealership is offering 0% deals the profit will be in a registration bonus, finding out when this deal finishes with the manufacturer means you can strike a harder deal.

Finally I would suggest that you buy at the end of the month from larger dealerships like Stoneacre, as salesmen are all targetted these generally finish at the end of a calendar month. If a sales team is onto hit a group target they will deal at cost.

Finally Finally Be Cheeky.

Quick answer: Don't. It's French.

Check out the buyer's guide at www.honestjohn.co.uk.

I am considering buying a 4 year old focus diesal. Ford own Mazda, so share an awful lot of parts. I currently have a 10 year old focus and it is just as reliable as any Honda I have ever owned. Yes they lack the mechanical quality of a Honda, but they are not as bad and their (unjustified) reputation.

I would recommend a Ford to anyone, they are incredible value for money, excellent to drive (generally the best in their class) and the build quality is just as good as the german cars.

Just a shame about their reputation from like 10 years ago. Never mind, it means cheaper cars!

I personally wouldn't buy a Megane but my cousin has an 04 plate one which he loves and has been very reliable for him.
I was German for so long (I say German but I'm pretty sure one of my Polo's was built in Spain - but that was the most reliable "German" car I've ever owned) then was thinking of turning japanese... then I did and I don't think I'd go back now

I wouldn't personally (after 12 years motor trade) buy a french car of any kind, that said I know plenty of people with Megane's and they all love them.

Very much like an Alfa Romeo, it'll either be a good one, or a lemon. Look it over well, and good luck

Had a ,egaane on a 97 plate and loved it, head went and that was about it really in about 4 years, had a few little things easily and cheaply fixed but just wear and tear stuff.

Must have found it ok as I have bought a Renault Scenic since and apart from little tings which I knew about it has been fine.

Everyones opinion will be different and just make sure all the electrics work and check wheel arches for rust, also make sure it starts in cold weather.

Thanks for all the advice everyone-I'll bear it in mind.

They're not built too well, but they do tend to last with a bit of care, with idiosyncratic little problems. The diesel engines are very reliable.
I like those Meganes with the curvy back.