Here we go again.

[Rovren]

The French have a long history of producing quirky unreliable cars and the Megane II is no exception. My 1.6VVT Dynamique has suffered from the usual failures - engine sensors, ignition coils etc. The battery also inexplicably failed when the car was locked and parked close to an obstruction on the nearside which meant that I could not open the door with the emergency key. Luckily the handbrake was only lightly applied so with a bit of muscle power we were able to push the car away from the obstruction and gain entry. The Megane's electrics are a nightmare (ask any AA/RAC patrolman).

My advice to anyone who has the Megane on their shortlist is this:

1. Make sure that you are a member of a rescue service, AA/RAC etc.

2. Be aware that Renault does not enjoy the best of reputations for customer service (see various customers surveys).

3. Regardless of what dealers tell you they are all fully conversant with the faults history of the cars and this will be reflected in low trade in values.

4. Think once, twice, three times then drop the idea and go for a Japanese built car.

5. BUT if you must have a Megane be prepared to take an evening job to pay for the repairs.

[andywills]

so the problem is a dead battery? because everything else is just a statement rather than a problem?

[markren2004]

engine sensors and ignition coils (the pencil type) are common failures on all types of cars, not just Renaults !!!

The megane's common faults are...
Water Ingress (all) which leads to a whole host of other issues (window regulators and a multitude of electrical failures).
The Dephaser (1.6 vvt)

so keep your drains clear and your fingers crossed

[Gav]

1. Make sure that you are a member of a rescue service, AA/RAC etc.

I am after owning a Peugeot that would have left me, my wife and our baby (at the time) stranded, had my wife not been an AA member herself.

For me the Megane ticked the most boxes that I wanted ticked...

[andywills]

so keep your drains clear and your fingers crossed

...and don't park next to obstructions

[keeforelli]

im with rovren on this one. though would we all feel more confident in the megane if we didnt read about every other meganes faults on this forum?

....kind of damages the esteem and trust you have for your own...as well as being massively helpful!!!!

[andywills]

what do you expect? after all it is the "Ownership problem" forum, and as in Mark's post, they usually stem down to a couple of main faults....

[keeforelli]

i know....and i love reading this forum for the help it gives!!!!!!....what im saying is...rovren has a good point. it is widely accepted that meganes are troublesome, and some owners have had an absolute nightmare. this forum is invaluable for that...however to make excuses for a car that is unreliable, wherever faults originate from, be it ten things or two, strikes me as unusual.

other cars can be unreliable, the French in particular. that doesn't mean that the meganes faults are any more acceptable....they render the car at times unusable, infuriating, and also highly expensive to constantly remedy.

if you look at renaults sales figures this year, people seem to have caught on, however far their 'perceived' quality may have come.

[terry_mccann]

@rovren

what do you want to say to us with your useless lines? go and post in some japanese forums....

[keeforelli]

i think rovren is just offloading some frustration. perfectly understandable, as it is an ownership problem he has....he is dissatisfied.

[andywills]

yes, but you cant blame the car for the obstruction, that was just the stupidity of the driver