Renault Vel Satis

[waue1978]

Does anybody know anyone who has ever owned a Renault Vel Satis? Failing that, has anybody got any experience with one of them or the 2.2 & 3.0 Renault/Nissan DCi engines? Agency driver had one the other day & let me have a nosy & I've got to say it looked to be a gem. He hadn't had it long (3 months) but said he hasn't had any problems with it yet. Cheap too - it was a 2.2 DCi with full leather, full service history, less than 80k & it cost him less than £2k. There was loads of legroom in the back. Not too sure how good the boot is though as it looked like a decent space, but the funny shaped bootlid looked like it would be restrictive with larger items.

[OdinEidolon]

Probably one of the most ugly cars in the decade.
Also the two bigger diesel engine seem a little... old. 177hp from a 3.0 V6 turbodiesel is ridicolously low, as is 115 or 130 from a 2005 2.2 liter!

[Welly]

I love the concept of them, they are the ultimate in comfort - supposedly.

Sadly I know next to f*ck all about them

I've heard bad things about the smaller DCi engines like turbo failure, injectors and pumps dunno about the bigger units.

[Bailes1992]

Lovley looking car, unfortunatley it was wayy before its time!

[waue1978]

Lovley looking car, unfortunatley it was wayy before its time!

Most Renaults are like that - the Vel Satis was relatively conventional compared to the Avantime that it replaced as head of the Renault range - but most seem to have a reputation for being unreliable too. Checked out a few reviews & there don't seem to be many complaints, but there also don't seem to be many reviews. Everywhere seems to acknowledge that they are very rare.

Showed the boss a couple on the net & she likes the look of them. I was considering that 607 (got sold to one of the drivers for £1650 incidentally) to give the little man more legroom, but this thing makes it look cramped in the back! If I was going to get one I'd probably go for the 2.2 though - the 3.0 only comes with an automatic gearbox (which I've always been told are bad news with Renaults) & the fuel consumption looks crap. Less than 24mpg around town.

Reckon it wouldn't depreciate too much either. If they are as rare as they say, one that's looked after would easily be worth similar money in 5 years time as they'd be even rarer!

[Bailes1992]

There less than 9000made so issues will be few and far between.

[waue1978]

There less than 9000made so issues will be few and far between.

But not necessarily unlikely. Never owned a Renault yet. Used to fancy the Laguna a few years back as they were so cheap for what seemed to be a decent diesel hatch with a 6 speed box, but all the horror stories put me off a bit & never really warmed to any Renaults since. Even the brand spanking Grand Scenic I had when I was working in Welly seemed a bit cheap, but to be fair it did a fair old job for the month that I had it.

Was certainly better than the 308 I took to Thamesmead...

[OdinEidolon]

There less than 9000made so issues will be few and far between.

But not necessarily unlikely. Never owned a Renault yet. Used to fancy the Laguna a few years back as they were so cheap for what seemed to be a decent diesel hatch with a 6 speed box, but all the horror stories put me off a bit & never really warmed to any Renaults since. Even the brand spanking Grand Scenic I had when I was working in Welly seemed a bit cheap, but to be fair it did a fair old job for the month that I had it.

Was certainly better than the 308 I took to Thamesmead...

I can talk for my mum's Clio and my uncle's Scenic. The clio (latest version, 1.2 petrol) is a piece of ****, unreliable, slow, boring to drive, absolutely fake steering, gearbox issues, brakes grinding on the discs (all common problems Renault refuses to fix). The interior tho is a tad better than equally priced citycars. But coming from a 106 this is an incredibly boring. Without even the faintest soul.
The scenic seems better, but is plasticy and overall seems badly made. Some nice touches inside to make it comfortable tho. Not heard of big problems yet, but the overall feeling is gives is of something that misses something.

[waue1978]

Not too sure about the 2.2 DCI - having a browse through Ebay & found 3 2.2 DCi Espaces less than 10 years old with major engine problems - 1 seized, 1 head gasket & another with "a sudden & loud mechanical failure (which sounded like a con-rod / bearing) despite a fairly gentle driving style and being serviced regularly in accordance with the manufacturers specifications. "

Doesn't sound too encouraging for DCi reliability...

[lozz]

@Waue

Have a Browse on here Mate, http://www.renaultforums.co.uk/
Excellent forum, some very Clued up chaps on there that wouid tell you all about Renaults and what to look out for,

if your thinking of getting arenault, id ask on there before buying one,

ive had no trouble with Renaults other than Lagunas,

[sirwiggum]

The dad had a Navara with the 2.2 DCi engine. It blew a conrod and was sold as spares/repair.

Always liked the Vel Satis. The mk3 Seat Toledo was meant to be similar but looked more like an MPV.

Saw a few Lagunas a few years ago, fairly new and going for buttons. The reliability issues put me off. Mk1 Lagunas were rock solid though (the other halfs dad had one for years). A shame though that they're stopping selling them here. Especially the coupe which was a poor mans Aston.

[mjb]

Mk1 Lagunas were rock solid though

AHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!! Nice one

[sirwiggum]

Mk1 Lagunas were rock solid though

AHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!! Nice one

Yea. Until the steering seized and put him into a ditch.