Motoring Discussion > Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Alanovich Replies: 369

 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
I thought it was about time I gave you all a review of my Laguna, which I have now had for a few weeks. Particularly for the benefit of d’Bout Senior, who has expressed an interest in the vehicle. ;-)

To recap on the model in question, it’s a Laguna 2.0dCI 150 Dynamique Sport Tourer. Dark metallic blue, 2008 (58) reg. Price paid, £5800. Miles at purchase 44,000. Full service history.

In the cabin: Firm seats, but comfortably so if that makes sense. I get the feeling that I sit in them, rather than on them, and they wrap around thigh and back nicely. Trimmed in my favourite combo of cloth with leather edging. Very supportive on longer drives.
The driving position is nice also, not too low, but agreeably so. Pedals are in exactly the right place for me, but it’s let down here by having no resting place for the right foot when on cruise. Not too much of a problem for me, as I don’t use it much. But annoying all the same. Small, chunky steering wheel - leather, with the flat bit at the bottom which annoys some. I quite like it though, in terms of aesthetics. I don’t mind how it feels either, but I’m sure it wouldn’t suit some folks.

Leg room in the back isn’t as good as it could be, but it’s fine for my children. They like the centre arm rest with cup holders built in and the two accessible 12v sockets for their Nintendos (there’s another one in the boot and two up front). Just discovered yesterday that there’s a fold down holder for sunglasses, just above the driver’s door. Nice touch. Also, four hidden coat hangers in the cabin, two for the rear seats and two in the boot. The front centre console has a large storage container under the arm rest, which houses one of the 12v sockets. To my surprise, the car didn’t have an aux in for the stereo, apparently Renault rectified this in 2009 when they updated the head unit. However, the cabin has speakers of all sizes seemingly everywhere, and the quality of sound is easily the best I’ve had in a car. I’ve had a local specialist fit an aux in socket (in a tray under the stereo) and iPod connectivity (in the glove box), in case I ever come over all camp and get an iSomething. ;-) In the meantime, this allows me to listen to DAB channels from my Nokia N8 phone. Hurrah.

Doors feel nicely heavy to close, no hint of tininess, a proper clunky job. If I’m critical of anything, they’re a bit too willing to close on their own, which concerns me a bit regarding the children and the rear doors.

Cabin materials are high quality, everything fits well, nothing squeaks. Instruments are clear and well placed. One switchgear irritant: the rear wiper switch is a barrel affair on the wiper stalk, and a bit fiddly. I prefer the “push back” to operate type. One other annoyance of the rear wiper is the wash part – the water does come out at the top, but spreads across the glass very slowly and very horizontally, meaning the lower half of the window gets no water whatsoever. So it smears and this is quite tiresome. The trip computer does not provide a “current” mpg reading, only and average. I like to have a current reading, but that’s just my OCD.

The boot is what I would call adequate in terms of size. Not huge, but ample for my needs these days. In it you will also find that holy grail of modern motoring: the full sized spare wheel. Also, a few nice storage bins at the side of the boot for the usual odd and ends, spare bulbs, 1l of oil and the like.

On the road: Luvverly. Smooth, quiet, firm but comfortable ride, does not crash and bang over surface imperfections. Probably ranks on the earlier stages of the French “Waftometer” – not in the class of a C6 or somesuch, but certainly has that je ne sais quoi of the large French wafter when compared to a German or other nationality of motor. The car has sensible 205/60 R16 wheels and tyres. Goes round corners better than I’ve experienced in a largeish estate car, although perhaps that’s being a bit unfair on my old Mk2 Mondeo estate, which was probably its equal. Power delivery is a bit on/off, anything below 2k rpm and it’s a bit on the asthmatic side, but squeeze it a bit and the car tales off like the proverbial heated cat/excrement from shiny gardening implement, whichever simile you prefer. Goes with the diesel territory, and it’s less noticeable then other diesels I’ve tried. Motorway cruising is relaxed and quiet, a revelation after years in a diesel Ford Galaxy. The car is also easy to creep through urban traffic – light clutch and light gear change (6 speed trad manual).

Under the bonnet, everything you need to access is easily accessible and in an obvious place. Haven’t located the pollen filter yet, will need to source a workshop manual from France for that I imagine, as there don’t seem to be any available here. But there is one thing which lets it down in my book – the dipstick is integrated with the oil filler cap, and it is not the easiest to get out/back in again and close the cap. Bit of a fiddle, but I expect I’ll get the hang.

I’ve commented on its economy in other threads, and in my mind it’s staggering. I can get near 60mpg on an A road run, over 60 on the motorway, and an average of 50 in mixed driving. 48 seems to be the figure when I’m almost exclusively driving around town, which is phenomenal to my mind. 700 miles between fill ups is a revelation to me. Nothing I have ever owned has bettered 400 miles on a tank.

So, in summary, I am delighted with it. I think it represents fantastic value for money, although of course the downside is that it’ll be worth tuppence ha’penny and a blood orange in a few years time. But then, so is pretty much everything else in this class.

I will, of course, update this thread with any reliability issues which crop up in the future. Any questions? Fire away.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
A thorough review vić, this may help re: the pollen filter:

www.renaultforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=112049
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Ah ha! Thank you. I find that forum oddly difficult to navigate and find things in. Obviously designed by Renault themselves, before Zero chirps up with that one. ;-)

I'm hoping to find a workshop manual in France when I go over there this summer. What's the French equivalent of Halford's? Might be a good place to look.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
De nada - I just asked Bing "where is the pollen filter on a Renault Laguna 111".

;)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
It sounds so easy when you say it like that.

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero

>> I'm hoping to find a workshop manual in France when I go over there this
>> summer.

Dont exist mate. The manual, not France. You need the service CDs. Its called Dialogys

loads on ebay

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Renault-Dialogys-3-2011-FULL-manuals-parts-catalogue-/111046152121?pt=UK_CarParts_Vehicles_Manuals_Litterature_ET&hash=item19daddcfb9
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Cheers, Z.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Very good AV. That's twice today I've been pleasantly surprised. Just been out this morning in a friend's Insignia estate. 2.0 auto diesel 160bhp, leather etc. Very nice actually.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
A few years ago, shortly after the Insignia launch I think, I had the use of one (hatch) for a week as a courtesy car - same engine as the one you mention I think, but manual. I was impressed too, although it still suffered from the nagging feeling of disconnection from the road I always get in post-90s Vauxhalls. It was vastly better than an Astra H I rented at a similar time, hated the clutch pedal on that thing, felt like dead sponge, and it squeaked.

I thought about trying the Insignia out again when I was going through my "change" recently. But they have insufficient badge for 'er indoors. Tricky job, getting the right amount of badge. Not too little, not too much you see.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - WillDeBeest
Strange to see how far Vauxhall has slid down the scale of badge. Until the early 1990s it outbadged Ford, but then the aged Sierra gave way to the game-changing Mondeo, while the honest, solid Cavalier was replaced by a pointy Cavalier with useless, pointy mirrors.

So I think it began with Ford leaping ahead and Vauxhall failing to keep pace. Ford hasn't been leaping so much lately, but do we think Vauxhall has done enough to close the gap?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
I reckon it's always been a bit lower than Ford on that scale, WDB. In 1983, when my Mum was looking for a smaller replacement for a Triumph 2000, I suggested the Vauxhall Astra. "Nope. Working man's car, a Vauxhall", came the reply. Which is odd, considering we were very much a working class family. A couple of years later, she was happy to buy a Ford Escort (Mk3). Ghia, of course. She still says that was the best car she's ever had.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
I didn't actually drive the Insignia today, I only sat in it. My pal though is delighted with it. It replaces most recently for him a Passat estate and prior to that an Audi A3. He says anyway, that the Vauxhall is the nicest. Can't say how he personally measures that but that's his straw poll of one I guess.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fursty Ferret
Can anyone explain this "connected to the road" thing? I'm hardly the world's most adventurous driver but the Insignia seems to end up where I want it when I spin the wheel. It's not as direct as the BMW, but then it's twice the weight. There's an element of understeer compared to the Beemer but with the sports mode activated it feels pretty sharp to me. If being connected to the road means being able to tell whether they painted the white lines in gloss or emulsion, I don't want it.

Having said that, following an accident with some silicone-based leather cleaning solution, I stop being connected with the car long before it stops being connected with the road.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - ToMoCo
>> Having said that, following an accident with some silicone-based leather cleaning solution, I stop being
>> connected with the car long before it stops being connected with the road.

:-) made me smile
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Can anyone explain this "connected to the road" thing?

For me, it's just a nebulous, abstract feeling I get from a car. In some cars (like the Astra I mentioned) I had a distinct feeling that I wasn't totally in control and that the car could, at any moment, do its own thing. It's not to do with racing around at full pelt, I'm not the sort to do that, I don't have the requisite skill. I think it comes from a "dull" or "dead" feeling from the major controls - steering, gearchange, clutch, brakes. When things feel vague, I don't feel quite so connected.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Victorbox
>> I thought about trying the Insignia out again when I was going through my "change"
>> recently. But they have insufficient badge for 'er indoors. Tricky job, getting the right >> amount of badge. Not too little, not too much you see.

So you didn't bother and bought a Renault?

 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
I was explaining the difficulty of getting the right amount of badge to satisfy a wimmin. Difficult things to please, you see, and there's no accounting for what lights their candle and what doesn't.

Me? Badge, schmadge. Unless, of course, there's too much of it. Or it says "Vauxhall". ;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mike Hannon
The French equivalent of Halfords is called Norauto - there is also a chain called Feu Vert (Green Light). Manuals do exist for many motors, you need to look for the 'Haynes' equivalent, called Revue Technique. Norauto has a website so you might find the one you need listed on there.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Great, Thanks Mike! I'll be in Paris in a few weeks, then the Vendeé for two weeks in July. Can't wait.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - WillDeBeest
I'll be in Paris in a few weeks...

The hope-over-experience mantra of Renault owners through the ages - or at least the 2000s.
};---)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> I'll be in Paris in a few weeks...
>>
>> The hope-over-experience mantra of Renault owners through the ages - or at least the 2000s.
>> };---)

I left yesterday, so I should be OK. ;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> Great, Thanks Mike! I'll be in Paris in a few weeks, then the Vendeé for
>> two weeks in July. Can't wait.

Took my son and his then current GF to the Vendeé, she fell in love with the ice cream vendor on the beach. It was a cold silent stony drive back home I can tell you. Funny enough that was in the laguna. It made it there and back no problem.

I wouldn't rate my chances of two of them doing that tho.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Oh, I don't know. English girls are pretty known for falling in love with French blokes whilst on holiday.
Last edited by: Alanović on Thu 2 May 13 at 13:37
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Well I've sorted the rear screen thing with a new wiper blade. That was the problem. Put new ones on the front too for good measure - using the eurocarparts wipers discount code which I think has expired now. Although, even after discount it's still hard to swallow 30 quid for a set of three blades. I went for Bosch though - could have got some for half that but the quality on these is excellent - I've had cheapos before which just start shuddering and groaning from the start, so learned a lesson on that in the past.

No other problems so far.

As a bit of an aside, my Nokia N8 is working very well in DAB mode, plugged in to the aux-in socket I had wired to the car stereo. Just drove Reading-Bath and back, and it only dropped the signal a couple of times for a few seconds, listening to BBC 5 Live. So it's making for a really good solution.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
Yeah I use the iphone plugged into the stereo to stream Radio London. One its locked onto a stream it rarely drops even if 3g disappears. And the lowish bit rate uses surprisingly little of my data allowance.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Interesting. How much data does, say, an hour's radio listening use?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
Dont know the exact per hour usage, but it never seems to make a hole in my 500mb usage, and I reckon I stream about 10 - 15hours a month.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Thanks.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Well I've sorted the rear screen thing with a new wiper blade. That was the
>> problem. Put new ones on the front too for good measure - using the eurocarparts
>> wipers discount code which I think has expired now. Although, even after discount it's still
>> hard to swallow 30 quid for a set of three blades. I went for Bosch
>> though - could have got some for half that but the quality on these is
>> excellent - I've had cheapos before which just start shuddering and groaning from the start,
>> so learned a lesson on that in the past.


Well. I thought it was in this thread that someone (Zero?) dissed flat wiper blades, saying they would be junk within months.

He was right.

The Bosch blades I fitted in May are nearing useless already.

I'd like to replace the whole wiper arm with hook/J type ones so I can go back to old fashioned wiper blades if possible. I wonder if Mk II Lagunas had hook/J-style arms, and if so would they fit correctly on my Mk III?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
Surely would be classed as a modification and therefore your insurance company would need to know.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>

>> Well. I thought it was in this thread that someone (Zero?) dissed flat wiper blades,
>> saying they would be junk within months.
>>
>> He was right.

Worse than normal then, 9 months is the best that Nicoles polo gets.


>> The Bosch blades I fitted in May are nearing useless already.
>>
>> I'd like to replace the whole wiper arm with hook/J type ones so I can
>> go back to old fashioned wiper blades if possible. I wonder if Mk II Lagunas
>> had hook/J-style arms, and if so would they fit correctly on my Mk III?

It did, but I have no idea if they are the right size configuration for the MkIII. Don't the traditional sort come with an adaptor for non hooky arms?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Don't the traditional sort come with an adaptor for non hooky arms?

Dunno. Maybe a rummage in Halfords (their real name seems to be in the swear filter.....) later.
Last edited by: Alanović on Wed 13 Nov 13 at 09:49
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
I had to clear out an old shed at the weekend, to make way for a new one. Needed to do a run to the local dump thereafter, and it was the first time I'd needed to fold the rear seats. I discovered there are release mechanisms in two places for each side of the seat back - one in the boot on the side panel near the boot opening, these ones you just pull, and the seat folds down itself for you, nice and gentle like.

There are also release buttons next to the seat back just inside the rear doors. Best arrangement I've seen, and the seats fold flat without having to move the squabs.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Boxsterboy
>> I had to clear out an old shed at the weekend, to make way for
>> a new one.
>>

Not getting rid of the 'guna already are you?!? :-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - madf
>> >> I had to clear out an old shed at the weekend, to make way
>> for
>> >> a new one.
>> >>
>>
>> Not getting rid of the 'guna already are you?!? :-)
>>

Give him a year to realise his mistake and another 6 months to admit it....:-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Right then. Are we all sitting comfortably? Zero, go and put the kettle on.

The Laguna has presented me with its first problem.

A couple of weeks back, I had it in the local garage to change the coolant/antifreeze. According to the handbook, it needs doing every 4 years, and I had no record of it being done. So off it went.

The next week, just as I'm about to leave for Paris, I do the usual long journey fluid/tyre checks etc. Near empty expansion tank. Oh. The garage must have failed to run the engine, check and top up. Oh well. I popped down EuroCarParts and got some antifreeze and de-mineralised water and topped it up, as I didn't have time to muck about with the garage before leaving.

The car was then left parked in Paris for a week, and before we set off for home, I checked the fluid levels again. Near empty expansion tank again. Yikes. Good job I bought some extra anti freeze with me - I topped it up. On getting home, and in the ensuing few days, I've checked it again, and sure enough the level's dropping very gradually.

I ran it in to the garage yesterday afternoon, and we gut it up on the hoist, and yes, detected small drops of antifreeze escaping the undertray. So it's back in this morning for full investigation and rectification.

The garage manager said to me that the lad who did the change remembers doing it, and that the hoses are held on by some form of non-jubilee clip, and he reused the original clip when replacing the drain hose. So we expect it's leaking there and needs a stronger clip or a jubilee.

So - who do we blame here? Renault quality for specifying hose clips which can't be reused, or the garage chap for not realising the clip shouldn't have been reused?

Good job I'm the sort of person who isn't scared to lift a bonnet and check things out.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - DP
If it's the crimp type clips that I'm thinking of, I'm amazed he managed to even re-use them.

www.indanc.co.uk/imagecache/02ad517f-3184-45be-ae9c-9ea600e86a78_312x400.jpg

A special plier is used that squashes the vertical sides of the raised part together and tightens the clip

Every time I encounter these clips (seen them as OE fit on Ford, Alfa Romeo, VW and Peugeot among others), they go in the bin and get replaced with a proper jubilee clip.

Last edited by: DP on Tue 4 Jun 13 at 11:16
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> If it's the crimp type clips that I'm thinking of, I'm amazed he managed to
>> even re-use them.
>>
>> www.indanc.co.uk/imagecache/02ad517f-3184-45be-ae9c-9ea600e86a78_312x400.jpg

If he reused it, its probably the spring type. They are much better than jubilee clips, which more often than not, are over tightened.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - DP
>> If he reused it, its probably the spring type. They are much better than jubilee
>> clips, which more often than not, are over tightened.

Those are perfectly OK to re-use though, and doing so shouldn't cause a leak.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - TeeCee
>> If he reused it, its probably the spring type. They are much better than jubilee
>> clips, which more often than not, are over tightened.
>>

The problem with the spring types is that it's abso-ruddy-lutely essential to get 'em sat back perfectly in the hose identations left when it was removed, with the hose also pushed onto the pipe by exactly the same amount as when it came off. This applies whether or not the clip is replaced and the alternative is a leak. This probably isn't something a garage should let the lad do without oversight, as experience and "feel" are everything here.

A jubilee will usually crush everything into place and form a decent seal regardless.

Best approach is to replace the hose and its clips. If it's off anyway, it's a bit daft not to take the opportunity to replace a perishable object of indeterminate age and critical function with a known good one.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
>>So - who do we blame here?

Renault - for not fitting a radiator drain plug.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Well well well. On closer inspection, it's not the hose/clip that's leaking. It's the water pump. The garage manager says this can happen sometimes when fresh coolant is introduced, causing the seals to leak. Is that so? New one on me, but there you go.

The vehicle's under RAC Warranty, so hopefully they'll cough up. £150 quote to fix.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - ToMoCo
wouldn't have though a third party warranty would cover failed seals? Did you buy from a dealer? I would be looking at them to sort it.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Yes, bought from a dealer.

I think the warranty company just needs telling the water pump failed. I fully expect that to be covered.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Confirmed with the warranty company that the water pump is covered under my level of policy.

However, my policy wasn't set up by the car's supplying dealer when I bought it (2 months ago), so they had no record on their system. I've called the dealer and they've now (allegedly) done so, however the policy won't be created fully in the system for at least 24 hours (possibly up to 4 days), so they can't authorise the repair officially, and can't pay directly. So I've go to cough up and send them the invoice for repayment to me.

I'm sure the Royal Mail would have done it faster than whatever crappy computer system they have over there. Big raspberry to the car dealer, and big raspberry to the warranty company. It's taken me two hours on the phone to various people to get to this stage. Technology to save us time and effort, my backside.

This is a strange echo of what happened when I bought a Mazda 6 a few years ago. Found out the water pump was weeping a few weeks after purchase and had a massive barney with that warranty company over it - they wouldn't pay out as the fault was found too soon after purchase and they deemed it "pre-existing". Which I thought was the point of a warranty, to cover a product against it being faulty when you buy it. Anyway. The supplying dealer fixed it FOC on that occasion.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> being faulty when you buy it. Anyway. The supplying dealer fixed it FOC on that
>> occasion.

This too is pre existing in warranty terms, I doubt your warranty company will look at it, especially as it wasn't insured at the time the fault happened. "not set up" mean thy haven't ruddy paid and probably never intended to.

The dealer is pulling one over on you, I would be down there kicking ass till THEY fixed it AT THEIR EXPENSE.

If you pay now, then you aint getting your dosh back.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 4 Jun 13 at 15:45
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> This too is pre existing in warranty terms

Huh? I discovered the leak 7 weeks after purchasing the car. The coolant level didn't drop in the intervening period. Therefore, the fault developed after purchase. No-one can claim that's pre-existing.

If for some inexplicable reason the warranty company go back on their word, I will forward the invoice to the supplying dealer. Don't worry about that.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
Used car warranties aren't worth the ass-wipe they're written on IMHO.

>>I would be down there kicking ass till THEY fixed it AT THEIR EXPENSE

^I'm with this geezer.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
You'd have to go to Portsmouth, right Dog? Would you do that in several grands worth of car with a dodgy water pump? I bought the car in Swindon, I'm not driving it there with a fault of that sort. It's what the warranty is for. Someone will pay up, don't you worry about that.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
>>You'd have to go to Portsmouth, right Dog? Would you do that in several grands worth of car with a dodgy water pump?

No, I wouldn't vić, I was a'thinking you had purchased the car local to where you live/work.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
I thought I'd purchased locally too, but the reality is that it isn't close enough to take the car there with this fault at this time, work and other commitments being what they are. So I thought I could rely on the warranty........I expect I'll get the money back but it's been a faff sorting it out. Maybe the supplying dealer made a simple mistake, maybe they did it deliberately. I don't know. Either way, I'll sort it out.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>>
>> >> This too is pre existing in warranty terms
>>
>> Huh? I discovered the leak 7 weeks after purchasing the car. The coolant level didn't
>> drop in the intervening period. Therefore, the fault developed after purchase. No-one can claim that's
>> pre-existing.

Huh? the warranty WAS NOT IN FORCE till you brought it to their attention. Its now pre existing.

 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
The supplying dealer have provided details of the sale of the vehicle, including the third party warranty, dated 4th April, to the warranty company and the the warranty provider have verbally confirmed to me that the fault is covered and that the claim will be paid - they just can't get it on the computer to authorise it today. They have given me instructions on who my fixing garage should make the invoice out to, and where to send it to. It will be in the post tomorrow, and they have said they'll refund me by cheque. If they were going to decline the claim, they wouldn't have bothered with all that, they'd have just told me to naff off.

Like I say, if they try to go back on that, then no problem for me. I'll simply tell the supplying dealer to reimburse me.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - No FM2R
>>>my policy wasn't set up by the car's supplying dealer when I bought it

Mmmm, take the money from a punter, don't up the warranty until there's a problem.

Are they simply incompetent? Am I overly cynical?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> >>>my policy wasn't set up by the car's supplying dealer when I bought it
>>
>> Mmmm, take the money from a punter, don't up the warranty until there's a problem.
>>
>> Are they simply incompetent? Am I overly cynical?

Nope, As i said, they probably dont bother setting up the warranty on the hope that no-one claims.

However Alanovich is too busy shooting the messenger so I shall keep me trap shut.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - No FM2R
Well, if he wants to choose a messenger to shoot he could have done worse.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
This may come as a surprise to some, but a cheque arrived from the warranty company today. All sorted.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Fault number two has materialised. Cruise/Speed limiter function stopped working. Diagnosed by main dealer as a faulty cabin switch, and replaced under the RAC warranty.

Bit of a pain as the main dealer in Reading has evidently closed down recently - which I hadn't realised when I bought the car. There's been at least one and often two in or on the edge of the town all my life. But today, there are none. So I had to take it to Sloughaborougha.

Upside is that the main dealer has proven to be very efficient, helpful and competent in dealing with the fault and the 3rd party warranty for me. It also gave me the opportunity to give the current range of Renaults a cursory once over. Latest Clio is very, very nice in the flesh. Looks really beautifully designed and built. Smashing interior, but it's pretty big for a "supermini". Could quite fancy one. Sadly, Renault seem finally to be jumping on the SUV bandwagon - saw what looked like an SUV-ised version of the Scenic, and something else SUVish called a Captur. Sad that the Laguna is no more in the UK, it means they have no large offering other than MPVs and SUVs now. Harumph.

Dacia Sanderos look like a proper bit of kit too.
Last edited by: Alanović on Tue 18 Jun 13 at 10:43
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
A bit more detail on the dealer service. I called them on Friday, they booked the car in for Monday morning. I dropped it off and informed them about the RAC warranty and gave the necessary details. Told them I needed to get to Reading and back on public transport, then I would need to be back to collect children from late stay at school by 5.50.

They called me during the morning, told me what the fault was, but they wouldn't be able to get the part until the next day. OK, not to worry says I, I'll just collect the car and bring it back in the morning. On the way to collect the car, they called again and said they'd made enquiries around the dealer network and turned up a switch at a London dealer, and had it sent over immediately, and it was installed and working now. They had made special efforts as they appreciated the inconvenience and expense I would be caused in going to and fro for two days. I was impressed.

Then, when I collected the car, the service receptionist realised that they'd made the invoice out to the wrong party (me, not the warranty company), and asked if I'd be OK to wait whilst they re-wrote/re-printed it. I said OK, but I need to be away very soon to collect the children on time. Receptionist then has a problem amending the invoice on the computer, so tells me to take the car now and that they will deal with sending the invoice to the warranty company. They've just finished cleaning it she says, so I'm good to go. They'd given it a proper wash, dry and vacuum clean, which was nice considering it was filthy from my recent long drive to Paris and that. I wasn't expecting that at all as it had been such a minor job/they'd already made special efforts to get it done.

Well done Slough Renault, great service. I won't be worried about using them again if I have to.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
>> I won't be worried about using them again if I have to.

You will vić, you will.

:+)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
I'd expect to, whatever make of second hand car I owned. Even Subaru.

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
"Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have"
~ H. Jackson Brown Jr.

;)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
A switch and a water pump on a 5 year old car isn't a big deal really. When I bought a similarly aged Ford Galaxy it need a new heated windscreen, a new rear seat belt, it needed a replacement heater for the rear zone, the aircon had just been completely rebuilt (compressor etc), the ARB drop links needed replacing, and probably some other stuff I can't remember.

A four year old Mazda 6 I bought needed a new water pump. Thinking about it, the Mazda and my current Laguna are both chain cam engines, so perhaps I need to start thinking about the water pump on this type of engine as being a servicable part, just like on cambelt engines. Anyone else had the same with chain cam engines?

A 5 year old Smart Roadster had multiple failures with its clutch actuator and some other associated device whose name escapes me.

Similar age VW Golf, needed a new exhaust 6 months after buying.

The cars I recall buying at that sort of age which had no problems, were a, erm, FIAT Stilo and a, ehm, FIAT Marea.

Second hand cars go wrong a bit (except FIATs ;-)), I don't expect the Laguna to be any worse than others I've had. It's not really blind hope, either.

P.S. - I know you're pulling my leg, D. Just thought it worth saying. :-)
Last edited by: Alanović on Tue 18 Jun 13 at 13:37
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
>>P.S. - I know you're pulling my leg, D. Just thought it worth saying. :-)

That quote was aimed at me too vić ... 6 year old Scooby doo, with 67,000 smiles on the clock.

(*_*)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - mikeyb

>> The cars I recall buying at that sort of age which had no problems, were
>> a, erm, FIAT Stilo and a, ehm, FIAT Marea.
>>
>> Second hand cars go wrong a bit (except FIATs ;-)), I don't expect the Laguna
>> to be any worse than others I've had. It's not really blind hope, either.

That's because Fiats of that age have already had everything replaced :-)

Actually could be tempted into a fiat to replace the V60 in October - I can get one through the fiat privilege programe which makes the Panda and Punto look like cheap motoring
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> isn't a big
>> deal really.

OMG! I didn't expect the "defence and denial" stage already.....
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - madf
A switch and a water pump on a 5 year old car isn't a big deal really. When I bought a similarly aged Ford Galaxy it need a new heated windscreen, a new rear seat belt, it needed a replacement heater for the rear zone, the aircon had just been completely rebuilt (compressor etc), the ARB drop links needed replacing, and probably some other stuff I can't remember.

A four year old Mazda 6 I bought needed a new water pump. Thinking about it, the Mazda and my current Laguna are both chain cam engines, so perhaps I need to start thinking about the water pump on this type of engine as being a servicable part, just like on cambelt engines. Anyone else had the same with chain cam engines?


Son's Yaris 1.0 chain driven has just ticked over 130k miles - 11 years old. Original waterpump (and battery)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Londoner
>> "Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have"
>> ~ H. Jackson Brown Jr.
>>
>> ;)
>>
“It's not the despair, Laura. I can take the despair. It's the hope I can't stand. . . . Brian Stimpson, Clockwise”
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - BobbyG
To go off on a tangent, saw one of the Laguna Coupes today.
If they had just changed the front end, and gave it a different name, I think they could have sold well.
For some reason the back end makes me think Aston Martin !
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
A tailgate strut failed yesterday. Bent in two and the boot lid landed heavily on my forearm.

Replacement pair ordered.

Eek.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fursty Ferret
>> A tailgate strut failed yesterday. Bent in two and the boot lid landed heavily on
>> my forearm.
>>
>> Replacement pair ordered.
>>
>> Eek.
>>

Sue someone! ;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Clk Sec
>>Sue someone! ;-)

Forearms don't come cheap.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Oh heck !

"never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
it tolls for thee. . ."

Renaults ! Sheesh !

:-(
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
Jesting apart, thats quite a serious safety related failure, could have been a nasty injury.


Had you just put fuel in it?

Case of biting that hand that feeds you maybe?

(sorry had to be done)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> Renaults ! Sheesh !
>>
>> :-(

Strangely, I still love it and love driving it. I drove two other cars over the weekend and was so delighted to slip back in to the supremely comfortable seats in the Laguna, and cruise around in peace and near slience. The other two cars being the wife's 2002 PD Golf and the BMW 325i I'm talking about on the other thread, so not really a direct or fair comparison, but it actually felt a relief to be "home". I'm forgiving it the small but sadly increasing number of foibles at the moment. Don't know how long that will last.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Boxsterboy
>> A tailgate strut failed yesterday.
>>

That must be a sign of 'good engineering' - it's been a common fault on the boot struts of both of Mrs BBs Merc. CLK convertibles!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Aye, I don't think it's a Renault exclusive thing. I expect they're all made by the same couple of companies across most car makers. I've ordered replacement parts from SGS Engineering - they seem to make struts for just about anything. 2 year guarantee only, which kind of tells you that they are pretty much guaranteed to fail sometime. In fairness, the warning signs were there as the boot was very heavy to close, but I'd thought nothing of it - I didn't realise it was an indication of imminent failure. Every day's a school day.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> Aye, I don't think it's a Renault exclusive thing. I expect they're all made by
>> the same couple of companies across most car makers. I've ordered replacement parts from SGS
>> Engineering - they seem to make struts for just about anything. 2 year guarantee only,
>> which kind of tells you that they are pretty much guaranteed to fail sometime. In
>> fairness, the warning signs were there as the boot was very heavy to close, but
>> I'd thought nothing of it - I didn't realise it was an indication of imminent
>> failure. Every day's a school day.

You're lucky, they have been known to ping through the rear glass when they break.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Number_Cruncher
>>That must be a sign of 'good engineering'

I'm normally disposed to defend engineers, but, in this case, there's no real excuse. Buckling failure is well understood, presented in most mechanics of materials textbooks, and easy to design against.

The only reasonable defence is if the strut had been previously bent or damaged by clumsy use which would make buckling happen at much lower loads.

Having said that, although it's not relevant in this particular case, a colleage did find a serious error in the British Standard for designing hydraulic cylinders against buckling which he documented and submitted to the standard committee.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - DP
This sounds like me defending a Grand Scenic in the other place a few years ago. Very likeable car that we loved spending time in. But the fault tally just kept growing and growing until it actually dumped us at the roadside in a less than safe spot, and the bill came to four figures (or near as dammit).

They design a lovely car, do Renault. But they don't pay enough attention to durability, reliability, cost of repair, or maintenance access to anything.

Wouldn't own another Renault, ever. Some would argue it's my loss, but I am prepared to live with that.
Last edited by: DP on Tue 2 Jul 13 at 12:03
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - WillDeBeest
The only reasonable defence is if the strut had been previously bent or damaged by clumsy use ...

Not unlikely, I'd have thought, in a cheap estate car bought as a workhorse. Quite easy to damage something by forcing the tailgate shut on a bulky load, or trapping something between strut and body. A previous owner, Vic, not you, but I suspect this one may not actually be Renault's fault.
};---)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
That's entirely plausible. The first owner was a company, so I suppose it was a salesman's vehicle to start with. The service history shows it was serviced all over the country at various times.

The second owner only had it a year, I think it was an old fella who bought it and put the tow bar on for a caravan, and I reckon he's sadly snuffed it after a year. I can't think of any other reason why a bloke would spend on the towbar (and the godawful wind deflectors round the windows which I've binned now) then sell the car on after a year. There's nothing major wrong with the car and there's nothing in the paperwork/history to suggest major faults.

So a sales rep and an old caravanist are both likely candidates for a bit of tailgate strut abuse I suppose.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - mikeyb

>> I can't think of any other reason why
>> a bloke would spend on the towbar (and the godawful wind deflectors round the windows
>> which I've binned now) then sell the car on after a year.

I can......some know when to cut their losses
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Well the new struts are installed now. Easiest job I've ever done on a car. They're a bit jerky, but I expect they'll even out.

I now await with baited breath the next chapter in the gradual disintegration of my Renault. I'm off to France for a fortnight at the end of next week, that should provide it with ample opportunity.

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
They never break in France. Its gonna throw a complete paddy when it gets back tho.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alastairw
If it does fail in France it will need a rhd only part that is not easily available outside the UK...
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Next problem. Main electric window/child lock/electric door mirror switch on the drivers door has failed. That's two electric switches in the cabin gone now.

Starting to get nervous about the approaching warranty expiry............

Mrs A reckons I should have bought that B5.5 Passat I was going to get.........
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
You've been using it, haven't you.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Yep. Looks like that's my mistake, right there.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
How long was the warranty for vić ?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
6 months. 2 remaining.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
All fairly minor problems up to now really and at least there's no timing belt to worry about.

My ole mate big Terry (now dead Terry) had 2 Lagunas, drove them very hard (pedal to the metal) but they still came back for more.

Be lucky as Belucky would say ;)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - DP
In fairness, it's no more problematic than my F30 3-Series.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - corax
>> Mrs A reckons I should have bought that B5.5 Passat I was going to get.........

They can have electrical glitches too, but at least you won't have paid much for one.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Stuu
Cant believe ive been missing this comedy show. If it makes you feel any better chap, my Indian built Suzuki has been awful, though now fully restored thanks to Suzuki UK ( and their cheque book ) :-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Hi FoR, hope all is well with you, aside from the seemingly dodgy motor. Go on, tell us all about it!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Ah. I see you have.

Isn't it odd how history seems to repeat itself for some folks? Glad it's going OK now. I like those little cars, the wife's next one might be a car in that class, although I expect it'll be a VW UP!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Stuu
Just for you :-)

I look longingly at the UP! a very nice little car and the new shape Beetle keeps catching my eye too.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - corax
>> Cant believe ive been missing this comedy show.

Yes, thanks Alanovitch for including all the emotions in buying a car - from joy, to uncertainty, then maybe to anger, downright hair pulling despair, and ultimately suicide in the form of a swinging rope noose just visible through the open garage door.

Hopefully it won't come to that though :)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
My parents occasionally had a Renault, I don’t remember any cursing and swearing. I was only a kid, maybe they kept it to themselves!? I did a lot of research before buying my Renault, looking on the internet, numerous magazine satisfaction surveys and speaking to owners when the opportunity arose. My research concluded that it was the older models that were poor and the newer ones were OK. There were a few things here and there but no patterns and probably no better or worse than a lot of other manufacturers. I looked at other MPVs but the Scenic impressed with its comfort, smooth diesel engine, quietness and value. Lots of people who ride in it comment on its excellent seats and comfortable ride. I was lucky to find a 2.0 diesel, there don’t seem to be many around second-hand. It’s a bit more to tax than the 1.5 and uses more fuel but its performance is better.

I get to drive quite a few cars at work and often am happy to get back in my Scenic and its rapid but quiet engine and fantastic seats. It’s a bit like getting home and settling into your favorite armchair in the lounge. it's not a car most of my age group would buy and in the future who knows what I will own if my circumstances change, maybe a soft top BMW or Lotus but for now I really like my car and it ticks all the boxes I need at the moment. I would buy the same again if it got nicked, can’t really say more positive about it than that. Too many times people have told me what I should or shouldn’t do, well this time I used my own judgement and if it all ends in expensive tears then I will just accept I got things wrong and put it down to experience!

Matt
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Well said, Matt. Good post.

Really can't emphasise enough how good the seats are, which is crucial on almost any journey. In most of my previous cars, when I'm on a long drive, I have noticed myself leaning in to the middle of the car, and ave to consciously straighten myself. Not in the Laguna, the seats keep me exactly where I should be.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero


>> myself. Not in the Laguna, the seats keep me exactly where I should be.

Till the seat adjusters fail...........
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - No FM2R
>>the seats keep me exactly where I should be.

Comfortable in Reception while they're repairing it.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - madf
>>the seats keep me exactly where I should be.

wet when it rains as the windows have jammed in the open position...
Last edited by: madf on Thu 8 Aug 13 at 16:43
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Oh, pass me corset.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> Oh, pass me corset.

Strained your back while lifting that hatchback with broken gas struts?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Comedy gold.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
Ha ha, I think they're all just jealous...

DP, what age and model was your Scenic?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - DP
>>
>> DP, what age and model was your Scenic?
>>

2004/54 1.9 dCi Dynamique (Grand Scenic)

We got rid at just shy of 4 yrs old as it was too unreliable to be serious family transport, as well as hideously costly to maintain.

In its first three years (while under warranty), it was almost faultless. We liked the car itself. Comfy, smooth, loaded with kit, pleasant to drive etc etc.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - No FM2R
Made me smile. But then, I'm easily pleased.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> Comedy gold.

Boom tish - I thank yo and goodnight folks.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Next problem. Main electric window/child lock/electric door mirror switch on the drivers door has failed.

Switch replaced. All working as it should be again. 3 warranty claims to the RAC, three payouts.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Avant
Interesting, given the problems people have with warranties. Sounds as if the RAC warranty is one of the better ones: I wonder who runs it for them.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - CGNorwich
According to the RAC website these people do.

www.uk.thewarrantygroup.com/company-overview/groupCompanies/twgServicesIOM/index.html

Huge multi national company.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Oh dear. Massive new problem.

The driver's seatbelt anchor has started to squeak a bit.

:-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
I've got some 3in1 you could have.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
I am glad your Laguna continues to serve you well. From my lengthy research it appeared that any MK3 Renault is OK, Scenic MK3, Megane MK3, Laguna MK3 good, MK2s a bit of a mixed bag.

My Renault is out of warranty now, I decided to self-insure rather than take out a warranty with an independent company, thanks to the advice people gave on this forum a while back.

My car-mad best mate reccomends I get an oil change done in between the scheduled services at the dealer and that is what I've just had done. Well he did it anyway. He said if I got the oil and filter from the dealer he would do it. It's a bit of a fiddle to get underneath but he has these amazing ramp things I've never seen before. They are flat, you drive the car on to them and then crank them up with a socket.

I don't know whether it's my imagination but the engine seems a bit smoother and quieter with new oil, even though it was well within the scheduled mileage.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Skip

>> My car-mad best mate reccomends I get an oil change done in between the scheduled
>> services at the dealer and that is what I've just had done.

The current trend for extended service intervals is to keep costs down for the fleet market and certainly not what is best for the car so if you are planning to keep the Scenic then you have done the right thing. However oil has improved vastly since some of us on here started driving when 3 monthly/3000 mile oil changes were the norm.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
Provided it remains reliable then I have no plans on selling it. It does everything I need in terms of luggage capacity and is fast and comfortable.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Number_Cruncher
>>The current trend for extended service intervals is to keep costs down for the fleet market

Is there any real evidence for this statement?, or is it simply a popular myth?

I'm not asking about whether or not serice intervals are sensible or appropriate, or whether or not you follow them, but, I am asking for evidence for how they are set.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - mikeyb
>> >>The current trend for extended service intervals is to keep costs down for the fleet
>> market
>>
>> Is there any real evidence for this statement?, or is it simply a popular myth?
>>
>> I'm not asking about whether or not serice intervals are sensible or appropriate, or whether
>> or not you follow them, but, I am asking for evidence for how they are
>> set.
>>

I tend to think its a popular myth. Service intervals tend to be the same for most markets a car is sold in, and I thought the UK was unusual in having such a large fleet market compared to a lot of other countries where the same models are operated.

VW have operated extended servicing intervals for a long time now and there appear to be quite a few high mileage examples kicking around. I'm sure everyone has a mate down the pub who knows of an early failure but I'd like to know the actual facts.

By contrast a mate has a 1.8 accord. Quite tatty and bought for £600 as a stop gap car. 4 years later hes still in it, it has 170K on the clock, just passed its MOT and has not had any kind of service since my mates had it. He does 15K a year, so that's 60K with no oil change, and it has no history so no idea if it was serviced anytime before he had it. Perhaps hes lucky, but I think a lot of motors are tougher than people give them credit for
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - sooty123
>> By contrast a mate has a 1.8 accord. Quite tatty and bought for £600 as
>> a stop gap car. 4 years later hes still in it, it has 170K on
>> the clock, just passed its MOT and has not had any kind of service since
>> my mates had it. He does 15K a year, so that's 60K with no oil
>> change, and it has no history so no idea if it was serviced anytime before
>> he had it. Perhaps hes lucky, but I think a lot of motors are tougher
>> than people give them credit for
>>

That's some quality bangeromics :-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
I've mentioned before the Mondeo estate ( last of the Mk2s ?) X reg anyway with a 1.8 TD engine I bought from a guy I knew. It was only 18 months old at the time but had been run by one of his reps up to 85,000 miles without a visit to garage for anything but tyres since the day it was new. He'd just not bothered to service it. I only paid £3.5k for it in fairness ( he was a good friend and just wanted rid of the car and the rep ! ) so it was cheap enough to take a punt on.

I had it serviced immediately and continued to do so at the manufacturers intervals and it was absolutely fine. I shoved a load more miles on it very quickly and then passed it on to my wife who used it as a baby wagon shuttling between Cheshire and Scotland regularly without trouble.

Sold it after we'd had it about 2.5 years for £3250.

Should probably have kept it longer.



Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Wed 23 Oct 13 at 22:48
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - sooty123
It was only 18 months old at the time but had been run by one of his reps up to 85,000 miles
>>
>>
>>
>>

Is that a typo?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
No, for real. That's why it was so cheap I guess. The rep covered the whole UK from a Northampton base and spent all day every day in the car.

It was "only" an LX ( cooking model ) but being an end of run one it had plenty of kit, AC, roof rails, front fogs etc. Steel wheels though. Nice colour too, a sort of dark-ish blue metallic with black interior. I quite liked it. Couldn't ever accuse it of being quick though !
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - sooty123
>> No, for real. That's why it was so cheap I guess. The rep covered the
>> whole UK from a Northampton base and spent all day every day in the car.
>>

That's unreal, unbelieve amount of miles. Think I'd go mad doing that sort of mileage, it'd take me 10+ years to get through 85,000 miles.
Last edited by: sooty123 on Wed 23 Oct 13 at 23:22
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
It is a way of life which isn't for everyone. I still manage to cover around 35k miles year myself even now ( and I'm supposed to be a desk jockey these days ) and some of our guys are at nigh on 50k miles a year.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
I'd hate doing those sort of excesive mileages too but even forgetting taxis quite a few folks do. In the last 2.5yrs of Mrs F senior's working life he covered 150K in his new Audi.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - WillDeBeest
The back-of-envelope maths is alarming. 85,000 miles at a likely average of 40 mph would take 2125 hours. I reckon on 2000 hours as a working year (the bit that I get paid for anyway) so, ignoring any weekend miles for now, that doesn't leave an awful lot of time in between to do any work.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - legacylad
My ex was only a regional sales manager, not national, and she still covered 35/40k miles a year. Still does. Often away at 6/7am for first call at 9am, then 2 or 3 further calls, home between 6 & 8, paperwork till late! She admits she is a workaholic. On my days off I would sometimes chauffeur her and her mobile rang constantly. Customers, office, etc. I had free trips to lots of places I never knew existed. Some of her colleagues routinely covered 50k miles pa, plus 6 or 7 hours actually with customers. Interesting lifestyle if you can cope with it. I couldn't!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
>>doesn't leave an awful lot of time in between to do any work

There is as they say, the rub. A largely unregulated sector of the workplace. No overtime payments, 04.00 starts, midnight finishes etc not uncommon, lots of weekend and evening work, trade shows etc. 80 hour weeks normal. Lunch breaks? Ha Ha ! Holidays? If you can afford to take the time off - ( no sales = no commission ) Lions share of pay related to results.

Some would say virtual slavery. But, there's a queue for every job, and most of the people doing it I know would rather live like that than drive down the same road to the same desk to do the same things, with the same people in the same office/factory every day/week/month/year for life.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - sooty123
>> >>doesn't leave an awful lot of time in between to do any work
>>
>> There is as they say, the rub. A largely unregulated sector of the workplace. No
>> overtime payments, 04.00 starts, midnight finishes etc not uncommon, lots of weekend and evening work,
>> trade shows etc. 80 hour weeks normal. Lunch breaks? Ha Ha ! Holidays? If you
>> can afford to take the time off - ( no sales = no commission )
>> Lions share of pay related to results.

Sounds like a lot of work. I've done those sorts of hours before, but not in sales. You can only keep going for so long. Must be a high turnover of staff with people getting burned out. I don't think it too healthly to work those hours for years. Unless there's lots of extreme workaholics.

>>
>> Some would say virtual slavery. But, there's a queue for every job, and most of
>> the people doing it I know would rather live like that than drive down the
>> same road to the same desk to do the same things, with the same people
>> in the same office/factory every day/week/month/year for life.
>>

There are jobs in between you know! :-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - legacylad
Spot on Runfer
She absolutely loves her job and has worked for the present company over 10 years. Previously Nestle before being head hunted. She has seen plenty of younger sales colleagues, 25 years her junior, come and go. Either they can't sell themselves, have the drive, love the product, love the customers, do the late nights inputting orders, trade shows, weekend paperwork or whatever.
Twice she has been headhunted by rival companies with better packages, but she is not financially driven and has some, lots actually. of loyalty to her company. Having the best sales figures in the sales force year after year means her job is secure as long as she wants it.
And she has never been offered a BMW as a company car....
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - BobbyG
Years ago my mate's wife was an area manager for Aldi or Lidl, straight from uni, £35k and an Audi A4.
Gave it up when she woke up in Intensive Care after falling asleep behind the wheel on a Motorway.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - mikeyb

>>
>> That's some quality bangeromics :-)
>>

He keeps wobbling and wanting to get something newer, but I keep talking him into hanging on to it. A guy bumped into the back of him at 5mph a few weeks back but he decided to let the guy off the hook as any claim would have written his off plus he would have got next to nothing in pay out from the insurance. If I get anywhere close to what he has achieved I will be well chuffed.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
>>
>> >>
>> >> That's some quality bangeromics :-)
>> >>
>>
>> He keeps wobbling and wanting to get something newer, but I keep talking him into
>> hanging on to it.

Tell him to spend £35 on the poor thing and get the oil changed. He'll probably save the money back in petrol costs quite quickly.

Renault: never again. I had a Renault 21 which was just one fault after another. Mostly electrical faults that were just annoying in terms of hours spend tracking and solving them. And the driver's window winding mechanism broke. And... these days I don't remember, but replacing fuses was a good skill to have. At least the car didn't have many/any electric toys.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - mikeyb
Suggested it to him, but he reckons it uses a bit anyway so the top up is as good as a change :-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - -
>> Renault: never again. I had a Renault 21 which was just one fault after another.
>>

I had a 21 too, but a 2068cc NA Diesel Estate, totally reliable and as easy to work on as anything else of its time, lovely engine would run at 90+ all day long without a murmer and excellent on fuel.

One thing i do remember fondly is its fantastic ride quality and some of the best most neutral handling ever experienced in a FWD car, felt like it was on rails.

Its replacement early Laguna i remember well enough for not having ABS and way overbraked at the front, recall several times Lag's overtaking me on wet roads with fully locked up front brakes on route to the crunch, Avis always had a good stock of them at their own Langely bodyshop having front end rebuilds, not a patch on the 21.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
gordonbennet, it was totally reliable, as a car. It was the endless electrical gremlins - on a car devoid of electrical toys...
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - -
>> gordonbennet, it was totally reliable, as a car. It was the endless electrical gremlins -
>> on a car devoid of electrical toys...

Maybe the Diesels were even simpler, i don't recall a single electrical problem either.

Truth be known i usually search out and buy the not quite so ''loaded'' cars, often amusingly referred to as poverty spec on fora, which i prefer to think of as sensible spec.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Right, well, time for the car's first service in my charge. I've chickened out of doing the oil and filter as I'm averse to getting under jacked up cars, and this one needs jacking to get at the oil filter.

So it's booked in a local indie for that (the highly recommended MOT CITY, Winnersh, for the benefit of Focusless).

However, I've done the air filter (piece of cake, as they usually are) and the cabin filter. the latter required the removal of the glovebox and a couple of other bits of trim too. Had to get a torch out to spot the filter cover way up against the bulkhead. I took the old filter out - it felt odd, very loose, almost like it was the wrong size. Then I opened up the new one's box, and what do I find in there but two filters. They go in the same slot, one on top of the other, so you have to somehow keep one of them up in the air whilst you slide the second one underneath it - the opening is only the size of one filter. So the garage who last serviced the car couldn't be bothered with those acrobatics obviously, and just left one in there and saved the other for another mug punter. Lazy harrised cheapskates.

It had struck me on ordering the filters that the cabin filter was twice the price I usually pay for such things, now I know why!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - RichardW
At least the pollen filter wasn't too bad.... The C4 Picasso uses this split filter arrangement too, but is up behind the clutch pedal and almost impossible to get out. I read about someone doing one on the latest Megane - and that requires the removal of the clutch pedal!!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
One piece, 4 minutes in total to change it on the Lancer. And that includes unpacking the new one and putting the old one in the bin.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Ah well. If there had been a decent diesel engined Bitsomushi in my budget when I was buying, I might have considered one. A weedy petrol powered one wouldn't have done the job for me. I'll take an awkward pollen filter as a price worth paying - although I say awkward, it was still easier than the Ford Galaxy's one. I nearly ended up in traction changing that one.

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - mikeyb
. So the garage who last
>> serviced the car couldn't be bothered with those acrobatics obviously, and just left one in
>> there and saved the other for another mug punter. Lazy harrised cheapskates.
>>

Renault main dealer service history by any chance?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Nope. Not the last service, it was an indie garage in Marlborough (Wilts), near the previous owner's home address. According to the handbook, the pollen filter is an annual/10k miles item, so should have been done at every service.

However, the filter looked old and particularly filthy. It has obviously been changed at some stage, due to the fact that I know it hadn't been done properly as one of the pair wasn't present, but it would be impossible to say which garage in the car's history is the guilty party. Obviously the last garage ignored or bodged it, but perhaps it was ignored/bodged previously also. Who knows.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dave
I took the old filter out on the Megane (easy to do, as it's under a flap on the engine side of the bulkhead), threw it in the bin, and replaced the cover. That's another £12 saved on the maintenance.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Good luck replacing your heater mechanism when it fills up with crap and breaks.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dave
It's a Renault - it'll never break.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Ah yes, I was forgetting that.

Of course, even if it does, you're in Sweden and unlikely to ever need to use the heater.

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
>>It's a Renault - it'll never break.

It's a Renault - It's broken already.

Just that it'll wait until you're somewhere really inconvenient to reveal the extent of it and then, just when you think it's fixed and the next time it's really really inconvenient, it'll break again and then...and so on on, until you shoot it.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
Bit unfair, there’s some truth in that for the older models but the newer ones seem a lot better. In driver Power 2013 the MK3 Scenic came 4th overall, you don’t get that high by making a poc. Reliabilty of 52 is mid-table position but a lot better than some makes costing a lot more, e.g. BMW 3 series MK4 position 80 for reliability. Has the Ultimate Driving Machine lost its shine?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Gromit
I'm going to say this as the former owner of both a 3 Series and a Scenic (both 2001 cars, which I onwed at the same time): you have to be very, very wary of owner satisfaction surveys.

Interviewer 1: Gromit, are you satisfied with your €10000 "ultimate driving machine" on which you've had to replace the coolant tank and had a recurring engine fault light (which hasn't stopped the car running).

Gromit: Um, not really, I paid top money for German build quality and I've had no better than I'd expect from any small family hatch from it.

Interviewer 2: Mrs Gromit, are you satisfied with your €5000 "ideal family MPV" on which you've had to replace the coil packs annually and had random electrical faults (which hasn't stopped the car running).

Mrs Gromit: Yes, I'd buy another. Its never left me at the side of the road, it does every job I ask of it and it cost half what Mr Gomit's transport did.

Renault 1, BMW 0.

Now compare that with the ADAC's surveys based on number of failures, number of cars recovered at the roadside and the cost of each breakdown. There: BMW, Toyota, Ford = 1.

Even then, were these three better built than other makes, or were the BMW/Ford/Toyota owners a more careful breed who looked after their cars better? Are current BMWs not as well built, or are they being run more by fleets or drivers who bought them because of lower leasing costs and flog them to minimise the spend on maintenance?
Last edited by: Gromit on Thu 7 Nov 13 at 09:52
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Baz
Has the Ultimate Driving Machine lost its shine?

I think it's pretty well known that although they are fine driving machines with high quality trim etc, they are no better than average in terms of reliability, much as any other German or European make.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
Gromit's perspective on it is interesting but I was still surprised to see the BMW at position 80 and there were quite a few other tasty German cars at the wrong end of the table, whereas the Renaults were all mid-table 40s and 50s. Renaults seem to be average according to this survey which in itself is a huge improvement compared to when they used to hang around at the bottom of the table.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
So. Another electric switch has gone for a burton. That's three now.

The heater direction switch is stuck on demist. When I press it the electronic display tells me it's changed to face/feet/whatever, but it hasn't.

I'm thinking of fixing it with one of these:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201310319569130/
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - WillDeBeest
Or this?
m.screwfix.com/p/steel-claw-hammer-16oz-0-45kg/42946

Is this what DP described with his Scénic? A likeable machine with much to commend it when new, that irrecoverably falls apart once it passes three or four years old? Or am I overreacting to a few reports of irritating but trivial electrical gripes?
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Mon 18 Nov 13 at 15:45
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - No FM2R
or perhaps one of these?

www.gunstar.co.uk/Shotgun-for-sale/A/Shotguns
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> A likeable machine with much to commend
>> it when new, that irrecoverably falls apart once it passes three or four years old?
>> Or am I overreacting to a few reports of irritating but trivial electrical gripes?
>>

I am similarly torn. I still love the car and don't want to get shot. But a bill to fix some random electricals every few months isn't too tempting. OTOH, I'll soon have replaced all the cabin switchgear, which seems to be the weak point. So I should be OK for another 5 years!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Gromit
I've long suspected the reason Renaults seemed to survive in France was because they bought the basic spec ones without all the electrical stuff to go wrong...
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
I don't think you can spec a Laguna III with a non-electric heater direction switch.

Saw a Dacia Duster at the railway station this morning. White, steel wheels, "poverty" model. The idea has merit. Now where's that speccing tool for Logan MCVs........
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero

>> I am similarly torn. I still love the car and don't want to get shot.
>> But a bill to fix some random electricals every few months isn't too tempting. OTOH,
>> I'll soon have replaced all the cabin switchgear, which seems to be the weak point.
>> So I should be OK for another 5 years!

Don't bank on it my old son. you got loads of stuff to break yet. The windows haven't fallen down into the bottom of the door yet, thats a sure fire certainty you have got to look forwards to.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> So. Another electric switch has gone for a burton. That's three now.
>>
>> The heater direction switch is stuck on demist. When I press it the electronic display
>> tells me it's changed to face/feet/whatever, but it hasn't.
>>
>> I'm thinking of fixing it with one of these:
>>
>> www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201310319569130/

Good call, we knew you'd see sense in the end.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
A VW will give you just as much grief, possibly more. That 1.9 TDI makes enough racket to wake the deaf. You will lose a fortune on trade-in and dealer margin on the VW. The VW needs canbelts changed, another cost to factor in.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> A VW will give you just as much grief, possibly more.
nope no chance
>> That 1.9 TDI makes enough racket to wake the deaf.
Had several, don't find them that noisy
>> You will lose a fortune on trade-in and dealer margin on the VW.
the trade in money is lost on the Renault. you can't give the damn things away.
>>The VW needs canbelts changed, another cost to factor in.
Same with almost any second hand car.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
>> >> A VW will give you just as much grief, possibly more.
>> nope no chance

VW reliability is average, no better than the newer Renaults.

>> >> That 1.9 TDI makes enough racket to wake the deaf.
>> Had several, don't find them that noisy
Compared to the Renault 2.0 it is noisy, I drove both before buying and a mate has a TDI 150, noisy thing although fast.

>> >> You will lose a fortune on trade-in and dealer margin on the VW.
>> the trade in money is lost on the Renault. you can't give the damn things
>> away.
Which makes sense to keep the Laguna then. Depreciation is irrelevent until you trade it in.

>> >>The VW needs canbelts changed, another cost to factor in.
>> Same with almost any second hand car.

Yes but we are not talking about 'any second hand car', he specifically mentions the Passat which is belt driven compared to what he's got which is chain driven. One cambelt change saved and he's paid for his dashboard switch probably twice over.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
As soon as you have clocked up some miles, you too will be cured of being a Renault apologist. Yours is still a baby in nappies. barely used.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - swiss tony
>> So. Another electric switch has gone for a burton. That's three now.
>>
You were warned!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Is that Passat a DSG? It may not be of course ( not sure when they first fitted them ) but I gather the DSG boxes are really very good until they break when they just become very expensive.

Sorry to hear about the Laguna. I really wanted it to be good. I'd almost got over my Renault prejudice after you expressed such enthusiasm for it.

Shoot it.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - BobbyG
>>Don't bank on it my old son. you got loads of stuff to break yet. The windows haven't fallen down into the bottom of the door yet, thats a sure fire certainty you have got to look forwards to.

You can guarantee that will happen with the VW - a known issue with the window regulators across the whole VAG
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> >>Don't bank on it my old son. you got loads of stuff to break yet.
>> The windows haven't fallen down into the bottom of the door yet, thats a sure
>> fire certainty you have got to look forwards to.
>>
>> You can guarantee that will happen with the VW - a known issue with the
>> window regulators across the whole VAG
>>

Yes - it happened on the driver's door of our Golf (2002) last year. Happened to our Ford Galaxy too, which was essentially a VAG car. Funnily enough I saw it on the roads of Reading the other day, just after I'd realised my heater switch wasn't working. I think it was looking for me to gloat.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Is that Passat a DSG? It may not be of course ( not sure when
>> they first fitted them ) but I gather the DSG boxes are really very good
>> until they break when they just become very expensive.

Nope. It's TC auto. Passat B5/5.5s are all TC, the newer shape Passats are all DSG though. That's why I'd rather an older 5.5 than a B6. Had a DSG in a Touran and couldn't get on with it in town driving (which is most of my mileage).

That also rules out Octavias, as the older Mk1s with the TC auto never came with any engine above 90BHP, which is not enough for my likings in an bigish estate car. Don't want a Mk2 DSG.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Avant
If you're thinking of a Passat, think also about an Octavia estate - same 1.9 TDI engine and you'll get a newer one for your budget.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
Sorry the Laguna didn't work out Alanovic. For years I've had great success swimming against the tide of opinion regarding reliability for different makes but I think I'd be more than a little fed up with these failures by now.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Gromit
Having had two of them of 2000-2004 vintage, I've concluded the trick with Renaults (of that era at least) is/was to do one of:

- Buy as basic a manual diesel spec as possible, or
- Get shut before 5 years/100,000km, or
- Accept that electrical stuff will break as it gets older, and accept that you won't fix it unless it stops the car running.

If you want a foible-free car, a Renault's not for you. But, Alanovic, is a DSG Passat a better prospect? At middle age, surely the search for fault-free motoring leads to a Toyota Avensis or the later Hyundai/Kia big saloons?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Sorry the Laguna didn't work out Alanovic. For years I've had great success swimming against
>> the tide of opinion regarding reliability for different makes but I think I'd be more
>> than a little fed up with these failures by now.
>>

Today I'm inclined to fix it and keep it a while longer.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
Should go and live with dog down in Masochist Valley, Cornwall.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
:o)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
Sounds to be not fit for purpose. Return it to the dealer.

And swap it for an Accord Tourer Diesel.
Last edited by: Mapmaker on Tue 19 Nov 13 at 09:35
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201308148309875

(not my postcode...)

you don't even need to include the postcode in the link. Anything after the long number can be omited from the link - see above now I've edited it. Vx.
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 20 Nov 13 at 01:53
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Gromit
The AA say a car has an economic life of 8 years. Joe Public would hardly reckon on getting more than 10 years out of a car.

So, this Goona is half-way through its life expectancy, and has developed a fault that may cost 1/10 the purchase price to fix, but is otherwise roadworthy. I don't think that meets the standard for 'not fit for purpose'.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
Goona is half-way through its life expectancy, and has developed a series of faults that may cost 1/10 the purchase price to fix each

 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Gromit
Ah yes, I'd forgotten about the previous bugs. Can't hurt to ask, but I suppose there's a reason why the last owner got rid at under 60,000 miles. Maybe RP could advise?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - madf
The AA say a car has an economic life of 8 years. Joe Public would hardly reckon on getting more than 10 years out of a car.

Our Yaris is 10 and drives as if it is one year old...
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
>>>Our Yaris is 10 and drives as if it is one year old...

As does my Alfa... a great deal is how they are maintained.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Crossword clue - six letters "Latin World"

Solve that and you've solved your problem !

;-)

( I had 3 in a row, combined mileage over 300k and had to replace 2 headlamp bulbs ) Total unforeseen expenditure less than a tenner over 3 cars.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
>>>Solve that and you've solved your problem !

Yes and Pat could have too but they won't listen.

(Having said that appreciate situation if Pat found the "World" hard to get in and out of. My C5 would have been a pig for anyone who was any less than lithe and of average height. Whereas the C3 despite being much smaller overall is so easy for anyone to enter/exit.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Crossword clue - six letters "Latin World"

Thusly?

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201310039094090/
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Pat
I can personally recommend this one:)

www.pilgrimsofmarch.co.uk/usedcar.php?r=YH58 UNF

The link doesn't work but it's at the top of the Mondeo Titanium list!

Pat
Last edited by: pda on Tue 19 Nov 13 at 11:38
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Not for me to say AV, but one might be tempted...

( Although I'd want one with roof rails for my bikes )
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
But then there's cambelts, dear chap. Cambelts. I hates and loathes cambeltses. It's the one thing holding me back from the Passat.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
I share your mistrust of cambelts having had 3 of them let go on me over the years despite scheduled servicing and changes. ( Not on Fords I might add, one old BMW, one Volvo and one Rover) however, I gather the new Mondeos have "long life" belts which last 100k so if that one was done on time it has 80k till the next one is due.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - madf
>> >>>Our Yaris is 10 and drives as if it is one year old...
>>
>> As does my Alfa... a great deal is how they are maintained.
>>

Yes:
annual synthetic oil/filter change and check over - by me.. Cost £50/year
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
I think I may have found an answer to your problem vic: img706.imageshack.us/img706/893/1vph.jpg
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
and one of these for the other issue..

www.jokeoverflow.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/redneck_engineering_13.jpg
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - madf
This thread has confirmed my prejudices about Renaults - and other French built cars..

(Our Peugeot 106 was simple and lasted 15 years just to prove me wrong)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Having seen Dog's thread about pollen filters made me think. As I said, I recently changed the pollen filter(s) on the Laguna. I wonder if I've dislodged/discombobulated something behind the dash whilst I had the glovebox and stuff out? Perhaps I'll have a little look at the weekend. Hmm.

I'm still (of course, being a total idiot) thinking about possible, more reliable replacements and I've come up with a theory. Now the missus trains/cycles to work, the Golf lies mainly unused. I could shanghai that into daily service for the railway station/school/work commute and back. And then I'd still like a larger car for family outings/holidays/weekends when we need to be in two places, but given that would only be a limited mileage over a year, I could probably stomach a petrol engined car. I'm thinking Mazda 6 or Subaru Legacy Outback.

Hello.

Trouble is, if I saw one of those on the drive every morning, I wouldn't be too keen jumping in an old Golf diesel and rattling my way around. And I'd end up driving a the big car around town doing 20-25 mpg. Gah.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
I drove an Outback fairly recently for about 6 hours, 2.5 petrol auto = a very nice place to be.

Reminded me of the ole Lancer in many ways - just 10 times better in-every-way.

Not cheap to run though I'll wager.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201310309551172/

Gulp.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201311039650068/

Wibble.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - ToMoCo
tinyurl.com/p3afa6v

wobble.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - ToMoCo
tinyurl.com/q4zpvza

dribble
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Hang on. Those Subarus have blasteds cambeltses, don't they? Grr. Crosses off list.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
I'm okay with rubber bands now, at one time I said I'd never buy a cay with a blimmin timing belt.

But the Lancer had one and that was okay, the Subaru has one and that's been okay ... so far.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
I've had two go on me. One wrote off the car (Alfa 33), the other caused a permanent tappety sounding tick (FIAT Regata). I'm reticent, although the Golf has one. Utterly resent the cost of replacing it, but it has three years to go.

I could get away with a large hatchback I think, rather than an estate. This one's on my doorstep:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201309258950095/

I've had one before and I do like them.........my old one was traded for the Golf in fact, due to being able to benefit from free diesel from Mrs A's former employer.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Oh, and I forgot another electrical glitch the Renault has thrown up. It has a system to tell the driver when rear seatbelts are buckled/unbuckled. I was alone in the car yesterday when it started screaming at me (with a very loud alarm) that the a rear seatbelt was being unbuckled. At some traffic lights I turned and pressed the release button on the centre buckle and that stopped it. For now.........

God it's such a shame. The engine and ride and handling and seats in the Laguna are all pretty much perfect. Not to mention the stunning fuel economy and low VED. Harrumph.

Maybe it is time to admit it's been a mistake and shoot it. Before it's worth absolutely nothing. Cobblers.

Cars. Oo'd 'ave 'em.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
>>Alfa >>FIAT

I ain't saying nuffing :)

The Mazda is tasty enough, a tad boring maybe, like the Lancer. 63k is good.

I'd give the Renault a 2nd/3rd/4th? chance if I were you, you obviously like/liked the car, and it's only been relatively minor 'issues' with it I believe but, I can well understand how you feel.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Gromit
Subaru 2.0 and 2.5 H4 boxer engines are cambelt, 60,000 mile change interval. Both good for 28-30 mpg driven sensibly (cough cough). 4 speed autos quoted 1-2mpg more economical than manuals.

3.0 and 3.6 H6 are chain cam, 5 speed auto only, and sub 25mpg.

Edit: If you get that 2.5 auto Outback, there's no way you'll want to leave it sitting on the drive to take a diesel Golf instead. I have to make myself drive the Panda instead of the Legacy every morning too :-(
Last edited by: Gromit on Wed 20 Nov 13 at 12:03
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
Much as I recommend my Accord, it's not 'fun' to drive like the Legacy was. (Nearly twice as many mpg, though, mind...)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
>>>it's not 'fun' to drive like the Legacy was

Didn't timing belt failure strike on your Legacy?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
:(

The old belt was fine, it was the new one that failed...

End of correspondence. Too painful.
Last edited by: Mapmaker on Wed 20 Nov 13 at 13:45
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
I don't want an Accord. Actually, I rather like the pre-2003 shape Accord, it seems higher quality than the later model, which always strikes me as low rent and plasticky inside, in contrast to the 2005-2007 Mazda 6 which has a classy, sold feel.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
>>If you get that 2.5 auto Outback, there's no way you'll want to leave it sitting on the drive to take a diesel Golf

I'm with ^this Giza.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Precisely my concern, equally applies to the Maz. As I said, had one before and loved driving it. But 20-25mpg in town, yikes. Then again, the Golf only does 30-35 around town..........is it that much of a difference over 10k miles a year?

That old chestnut again. Sigh.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Jag X types have chain cams. Cheap enough to be a serious proposition too now. I test drove a then new one with the 2.2 diesel engine maybe 5 years ago. I liked it.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Sounds too much like frying pan/fire for my stomach, Rd'H.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Ateca chris
I have a 2006 Mazda bought it in march 12 at 58k its now on 91k apart from service items and a couple of tyres all that's let it down is the NSR brake caliper seized, bought a brand new one of ebay for £46 job done and the engines are chain drive. I have a manual and gets around 32 to 35 mpg around town, sit at 75 on a run and i see around 44 mpg.
Not a squeek or rattle can be heard and all the gizmos work and the TS2 comes with the
Bose 6 disc multi changer and and sub woofer.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Cheers, Chris. Out of interest (and a memory jog), does the sound system have an aux in? I'm thinking of having a look at a 2007 TS. I had a 2005 (55) a few years ago, a TS. Can't remember if it had one.
Last edited by: Alanović on Wed 20 Nov 13 at 14:38
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
I guess the line of least resistance is to keep the Laguna and just accept that it will possibly need more ongoing tlc than some alternatives. On the days/weeks when it behaves itself it's probably a nice enough thing to use.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
On the other hand, this has a chain cam engine and it seems quite good value if a tiny bit thirsty...

tinyurl.com/os8nzeh
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Swap a dodgy Renault fro an older Alfa..................


you rotter.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Indeed but what you get is a very different level of sympathy.

At the moment you get "Well, what did you expect, it's French?"

Whereas with the Alfa it'd be more like "Bad luck old chap, but these dashed Italian thoroughbreds can be blasted high maintenance sometimes what? I know a chap, Luigi, I think he's called, wizard with a spanner on these things, I'll give you his details if you like old boy?"

Sort of thing...

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Aye.

Mazda it is.

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Ateca chris
My head unit has a media button and a connection on the rear for a cable, i used a xcarlink one. www.xcarlink.co.uk/.
I dont know what system is fitted to a TS the Bose was only fitted in the TS2 and sport models. In fact only the door speakers, sub and amps are Bose the head unit is a panasonic.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Cheers.

Was just perusing a favourite website of mine, thought I'd look if there are any of those new Dacia Logans about yet. Over budget for me as they're all brand new still, but something struck me as odd. Dealers seem to be asking a grand more for the 0.9 litre petrol engined versions over the 1.5 litre diesel ones, which have more mpgs than the petrol ones. The petrols are a bit, er, faster, if that's the right word, though.

www.autotrader.co.uk/search/used/cars/dacia/logan/

Weird.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Here's an interesting game. Let's say I want the following spec of car, no compromises:

Estate
Diesel
Chain cam
TC Auto (No DSGs etc)
No MPVs or SUVs
Budget sub £5k.

I think I'm right in saying my only plausible options would be:

Ford Mondeo Mk3
Jag X Type 2.0 and 2.2
Renault Laguna 2.0
Saab 9-5 2.2
Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 and 2.2.

Not too inspiring, is it? Nothing in that list would seem a better reliability bet than my Laguna, except, yes Runfer, perhaps the Mondeo................

Any thing else matching that exact spec?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Baz
Avensis post 2006, Ceed 1.6 diesel.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Avensis post 2006,

No diesel autos

Ceed 1.6 diesel.
>>

Not cheap enough yet. Also I want a D sector car, bigger than Ceed/Focus/Golf etc.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Duncan
>> >> Avensis post 2006,
>>
>> No diesel autos
>>

Not according to AutoTrader - if I might be so bold!

tinyurl.com/k45p347
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
Honda Accord 2.2d. (sorry! But it has a chain.)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Honda Accord 2.2d. (sorry! But it has a chain.)
>>

No diesel autos, until about 2010, and those are too expensive for me.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - WillDeBeest
Well, my S211 LEC does. You wouldn't get a 58 for £5,000 but they go right back to 03. Not sure I'd want SBC brakes or the notorious Valeo radiator, which went up to 2006, but my airport taxi firm runs plenty of saloons from that era, one of them nearing 400,000 miles, so they can't be that bad.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Not considering Mercs, as they have that foot operated parking brake (FOPB), which will cause the missus to die in a ball of flames, maybe taking the children with her. A Merc also has too much badge for me.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Duncan
>> Not considering Mercs, as they have that foot operated parking brake (FOPB),
>>

Don't use it then. When you park, put the box into park and leave it. It won't go anywhere.

I've got one and I never - well almost never - use the parking brake.
Last edited by: Duncan on Thu 21 Nov 13 at 09:43
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
I've got used to it. Still don't see the point in it but it doesn't bother me anymore.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> Don't use it then. When you park, put the box into park and leave it.
>> It won't go anywhere.

That's a reasonable point as it goes. Thanks. Hmm.

I wonder what a de-badged Merc looks like?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Roger.
Inverse snob, eh? ;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Not sure I'd want SBC brakes or the notorious Valeo radiator,
>> which went up to 2006

I'd never heard of either of these things. The I saw this:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201309208887561/

......I thought, that looks nice. Then read what HJ says about these SBC things, which apparently this example would have. Please correct me if wrong. It sounds an utter no-no to me.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
>>Any thing else matching that exact spec?

BMW 3 or 5, Merc C or E

Be knackered ones though at that price. However, there is something charming about a careworn but once elegant thing. Like an old pair of Crockett and Jones shoes. As opposed to a stale, albeit much younger french baguette.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Stuu
>>Maybe it is time to admit it's been a mistake and shoot it. Before it's worth absolutely nothing. Cobblers <<

Never thought I would hear that :-)

No Volvos that take your fancy?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> No Volvos that take your fancy?
>>

CAMBELTS!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> BMW 3 or 5, Merc C or E
>>
>> Be knackered ones though at that price.

Hardly conducive to reliability and not known for their low running costs. Too much badge, again.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
I've just had a really, really nasty idea.

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201309058633363/

Shudder.

Could I?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Boxsterboy
>> I've just had a really, really nasty idea.
>>
>> www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201309058633363/
>>
>> Shudder.
>>
>> Could I?
>>

No. It is a really, really nasty idea.

If you can't handle a DSG type auto, I can't imagine the droning whining CVT will suit. And that's before we get onto the hard uncomfortable suspension. Chalk and cheese to a Merc (or similar medium/large estate).
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/toyota/prius-2003/?section=good
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> I've just had a really, really nasty idea.
>>
>> www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201309058633363/
>>
>> Shudder.
>>
>> Could I?

Now look, this is not as daft as it sounds. They are IMHO a pretty good bargain S/H and I have been 'uming and 'ahing when I saw, purely by chance while filling uo at my Honda dealer, one of these.


www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201310169311969
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
That's very cheap for a 60 plate.

Thing is, I need my main family car to do a long schlepp across France once a year, and perhaps one or two other continental jaunts. In a Pious? Or an Insight? Hmm. Dunno.
Last edited by: Alanović on Thu 21 Nov 13 at 12:41
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
What about one of those Lancer estates? Cheap as chips and apparently reliable. You could almost certainly negotiate a free cardigan in the deal too. What's more, I expect there will still be some available without wee stains as well.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
25 to the gallon (urban) in a 1.6 automatic and zero (hur hur) performance in return for that atrocious economy? 15.1 sec to 60? Give over. Better off with a Maz 6 2.0 auto, 23 to the gallon and a bit of power.

:-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Boxsterboy
If you do't like the Merc badge, they are easy to remove - I'm sure your local scroats will oblige ...

Some friends recently acquired a late E-class 210 320CDI estate (the one with the ocasional notorious rust problems) and seem happy with it. Indeed Autocar this week (or last) gave them a clean bill of health - so long as they've been serviced and are lucky enough to avoid the rust.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Thanks for the thoughts on the Pious. I nearly rang the dealer.

As for the W210, I looked at those too. Bit too thirsty for a diesel, might as well have a newer Jap petrol like the Mazda 6. Bit too large for me too. Would be getting a Golf rubbed down the side of it every few days on our urban driveway.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Gromit
"Any thing else matching that exact spec?"

No, I don't think so, if you're resolved not to run a 'badge'. Seems to me the mass market diesel estates preferred in Europe tend to be manauls. Automatics bring you into the realm of so-called premium brands, and even then only the Germans and Swedes really do large estates. Everyone else wants to sell you an SUV or MPV instead.

I suggest something needs to give. For me it would be the chain cam and badge.

Personally, I didn't let the Munich propellor on the front stop me from running a 3 series that suited my needs, nor did I hesitiate to swap it for an anonymous Subaru when that suited better. If anyone else is worried about the badge on the boot, that's their problem, not mine :-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Fair comments, Gromit.

I'm thinking of letting the diesel and maybe estate aspects go. Petrol estate/large hatch. Nervous about fuel consumption though.

Hence thoughts turning towards Pious/Insh-ite. No, I can't. I'm a car enthusiast, I love driving. I can't. I wonder what they're really like though?

:-(
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - madf
tinyurl.com/presy8t is what you need. Cheap, cherished and cam chains.

DIITG

- drive it into the ground

thoughts turning towards Pious/Insh-ite. No, I can't. I'm a car enthusiast, I love driving. I can't. I wonder what they're really like though?

You would get bored. I did after a 15 mile demo drive. Does what it says on the tin. Stop. Nothing else. A reliable and cheap to run box on wheels.
Last edited by: madf on Thu 21 Nov 13 at 13:24
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
"The last owner bought it in July and having a full MOT history (to verify the 142,000 miles), but little other service history, he had it serviced, along with new tyres, new brake discs & pads and a new MOT. It's only done 2,000 miles since but due to a change of circumstances he traded it in with us for something different."

Run. Away. Fast.

Advertised as 100000 miles, real mileage 142000. I won't give such a trader the time of day.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
This one is tempting, and local to me:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201311149907839/
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> This one is tempting, and local to me:
>>
>> www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201311149907839/

You are flip flopping between gas guzzlers and fuel efficient hybrids. You need to get a grip there and decide what your requirements are.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
- - You are flip flopping between gas guzzlers and fuel efficient hybrids. You need to get a grip there and decide what your requirements are.

Wot ^e'e said and ... have you considered a Citroën C4.

(*_*)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/citroen/c4-2004/
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Too small, too many cambeltses, too French to be of much benefit to my peace of mind in terms of improving on the reliability of the Laguna.

We have a car that size, I need a larger one.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
>>too French to be of much benefit to my peace of mind

Good grief! - who'd ave em? www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/citroen/c4-2004/?section=good

Orf to play with my Anthracite now, it's only 18° in here!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero

>> Orf to play with my Anthracite now, it's only 18° in here!

Put the quorn on the fire, and the Anthracite in your sandwich.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
I've got the hang of that Anthracite now, have to get it really red hot 'n glowing before I close the air vents right down, then it ticks over nicely.

Just got to get the hang of Quorn now :(
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Yeah, I know. That's why I'm discussing options on here, get a feel for a wide range of views. I don't think the hybrid option is for me, despite the temptation of fuel efficiency. But it's worthwhile airing all thoughts and canvassing a variety of knowledgeable views. Worked for Pat, it's one of the main reasons for coming here.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Crankcase
I can tell you what the Prius is like.

And if you are doing intercontinental motorway driving, well it will be fine, and a reasonably pleasant place to be but that is not its strength.

So the economy won't be much above 55 or so if you shoosh gently along, or down to about 48 if you bean it. Don't think you'll do 70 and will just whizz up to 90 in two seconds, because you won't. You'll just make a noise like a jet fighter and look silly.

But drive to its strengths - around town, country roads, and it will pay back - quiet or silent, economy of over 60 achievable in summer, cheap to service, tax and fuel of course, and so on.

That's a T3 - no toys to speak of. T-Spirit has lots. That's either more to go wrong or more entertaining, your call.


Edit: cross posted with madf. Yes, they are Marmite cars. I'd never have anything not hybrid again, some people can't stand them. A test drive sorts that out.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Thu 21 Nov 13 at 13:25
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
I didn't have an estate car from December 2010 until October 2011. It was astonishing how many times I missed that versatility even for private use. Wouldn't want to be without one again.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
You probably already have one of the the nearest matches to your criteria. Maybe, at least mentally, set aside the money you'd lose/spend to change it and treat it as a rainy day fund in case of unforeseen maintenance issues.

Or buy a Mondeo and live happily ever after.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Salient point.

However, it's a manual. The missus is not happy to drive me home in it if I fancy a beer or nine. She's nagging me a bit to change it because of that.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
Ok, so we have two absolute requirements. Auto and Estate?

What other essentials do we need to add to that list to narrow it down?
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 21 Nov 13 at 14:10
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Auto (TC – no DSG) and estate, or large, D sector hatch. Chain cam. Under £5k. No prestige brands, these are too tired and old at the price point and too liable to huge bills, see discussion on Mercs. Under 80k miles ideally. Likely to be more reliable than Laguna. VED band K or lower. Around 5-8 years old. Reasonable performance when compared to economy (i.e. no Lancer 1.6s - something doing 25mpg needs to have a pay off for that, i.e. a bit of pep, but conversely the hybrids with their promised 60mpg compensate for the lack of performance). No MPVs or SUVs. Decent interior (no cheap plasticky ones, no naff fabric patterns and no leather (yes, I'm weird) . Capable of long cruises in comfort and peace. No Vauxhalls.

Petrol or diesel negotiable. I’ll take the economy hit (remember I can use the Golf diesel as a daily if required, although that's not the most economical car in the world either due to TC auto) for the right car if it’s petrol.

I think it comes down to sticking and swallowing the faults, or changing to a Mondeo or a Mazda 6. Toyota Avensis 2.0 petrol is thirstier than the Maz and not so attractive a car to me. Just doesn't 'do it' for me. See also Accords.

I think that’s it.

:-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Stuu
I would try a Prius, I looked at one a while back and it is certainly a different proposition to most cars, the sort of thing you need to drive to see if you like it - personally I liked the Civic hybrid more, just felt nicer.

Jag X-type?

 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Boxsterboy
Would a C5 estate TC auto (NOT EGS - there are some TC diesel autos) fit the bill? Belted, but as the other goal posts are moving ...
Last edited by: Boxsterboy on Thu 21 Nov 13 at 14:46
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201309188849605
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Cambelt, and see below, French.

Difficult this one, isn't it?

Oh, and leather. Do I not like leather.
Last edited by: Alanović on Thu 21 Nov 13 at 15:11
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
There's always something I miss........

As I said earlier trading out of something French for reliability reasons in to something else French would be, well, how do I put this politely................would be a bit daft.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
Well given that a search of auto trader for diesel auto estates under 5 grand brings up 190 hits, 185 of them being Kia Sedonas - its a bit of a tough cookie to crack.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Yes. Hence thoughts of petrol as an option.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Boxsterboy
>> As I said earlier trading out of something French for reliability reasons in to something
>> else French would be, well, how do I put this politely................would be a bit daft.
>>

Yes, but wasn't it Fenlander who had a C5 for 3 very satisfying years?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
>>wasn't it Fenlander who had a C5 for 3 very satisfying years?

Praps he's easily satisfied though, he drives an Alfa too you know.

:}
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
>>>wasn't it Fenlander who had a C5 for 3 very satisfying years?

>>>Praps he's easily satisfied though, he drives an Alfa too you know.


If I was easily satisfied I'd drive a 2006 Focus Estate!

C5 was faultless over 3yrs and a pleasure to use. They are stupidly cheap now too.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
Just thinking back in the medium term the last 10 cars we've had have been 7 Citroens, a high miles Mondeo , a Discovery and the current Alfa. I don't tolerate unreliable cars and not one of those 10 have been.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> Yes, but wasn't it Fenlander who had a C5 for 3 very satisfying years?

Yes, but he had his from brand new. I expect my Laguna was fault free in its first three years. We have no idea how his C5 runs now, and a 5-8 year old C5 (which would include the old shape) would be just as much a punt as a Laguna.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
>>>he had his from brand new. I expect my Laguna was fault free in its first three years

Well not necessarily... I've heard of much grief from Renaults in the warranty period.

>>>We have no idea how his C5 runs now

Superbly at its current 4yrs old I expect... it never gave a sign that it would be troublesome.

>>>a 5-8 year old C5 (which would include the old shape) would be just as much a punt as a Laguna.

At your budget you would be looking at 4-5yr old new shape models.. not the old one.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Fri 22 Nov 13 at 10:14
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> At your budget you would be looking at 4-5yr old new shape models.. not the
>> old one.
>>

Sorry but that's not correct. There are zero new shape C5 auto estates on autotrader at under 5k. the cheapest is £6295. And it has a CAMBELT.

The C5 is not an option.

mazda chris has tumbled it. The Mondeo and the Mazda 6 are the only options.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
Ahh OK I'd not factored the auto into prices which is fair enough if that is a requirement.

But in truth not wanting a cambelt has no logic... it's like saying I don't want a car with pneumatic tyres... the solid ones are so much more reliable.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> But in truth not wanting a cambelt has no logic...

I like to service cars at home as much as possible. Resent handing over hundreds every few years for a bit of rubber. I'm not confident enough at spannering to take on something which is so vital to get right.

The Golf has one, but we got that before I started my mission to service at home. And the wife loves that car and refuses to let it go. So I don't want to end up with two cambelted cars.

Just my personal peccadillo.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - sooty123
>>

>>
>> I like to service cars at home as much as possible. Resent handing over hundreds
>> every few years for a bit of rubber.

Get a ford one that's just had it swapped, they are 10 years or 100,000 miles.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Which means buying a car 10 years old or with 100k on it. I want something nearer 5 years and under 80k.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - sooty123
>> Which means buying a car 10 years old or with 100k on it. I want
>> something nearer 5 years and under 80k.
>>

Well yes but my point was it'll only need doing once rather than every couple of years. You'll only have to fork out once for it, shouldn't let the car you want slip because of worrying about belts.

How many miles do you do per year?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> How many miles do you do per year?
>>

12k.

I know the arguments, I know there's an element of illogicality on my part, but there you go. Roger's voting UKIP and I'm not having a cambelt if I can help it.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
>>>I'm not having a cambelt if I can help it.

... if I can help it. Ahh that's a very sensible small movement of position.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
>>>peccadillo

Of course you are allowed that... just better ones to find than not wanting a cambelt.

Cost to change cars (funding the dealer's foreign holiday), depreciation and fuel are the main costs of a car and setting aside £2 per week for a cambelt change is peanuts in comparison. Enjoy the saving of doing the rest yourself but use that saving to sit back and let someone else do the belt.

Got to be worth it if it opens up the car choice surely.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - sherlock47
Unfortunately not the latest model, but at the price.....

tinyurl.com/C5-bargain-priced

No cambelt either!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
Excellent...and if the tyres are solid you're sorted.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Jag X-type?
>>

No desire to drive around in a pastiche of a London Gentleman's club, smelling faintly of Aunty Mabel's antique carpet, which may at any moment fall apart due to rust. Would only consider one without leather and walnut. Rare indeed.

Oh, and the mpgs are utterly catastrophic.
Last edited by: Alanović on Thu 21 Nov 13 at 15:40
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Gromit
If petrol is now back in the equation, and mpg can be traded for pep, look no further than the Subarus linked to above :-)

All joking aside, I'd looked at a V70 petrol and diesel before buying mine. It would have taken many years to break even on the difference in purchase price between the diesel and petrol - and the Subaru was automatic, a year younger, and under half the mileage of even the petrol Volvo.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Aye maybe, but y'know I'd just not buy anything now which had a combined consumption of less than 40mpg. There's just no need to do so anymore. Whether you can make the sums stack or not it would just irritate me to spend a tenner on fuel just to nip out to the shops.

 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Ateca chris
Everything your looking for comes down to two cars a mondeo or mazda6. Having owned a petrol mk3 mondeo 2ltr 5 speed, and currently own a mazda6 2ltr 6 speed the mazda wins hands down in my opinion.They both have the same engine but the mazda has vvt which gives it a better power delivery through the whole range and pulls better lower down and better mpg.
The interior is better put together in the 6 and a nicer place to be and has a lot more gizmos.
I got the TS2 because of the better spec over the TS. Also consider a sport that has a four pot 2.3 and 168bhp.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Avant
Go for a test drive in a Prius, Alanovic: as said above, you'll either like it or you won't.

I've generally found Toyotas better to drive than road test reports in the magazines imply. A Prius isn't for me as I do like a nice burst of acceleration to be there when I want it, and that isn't what the Prius is good at (a Golf diesel, on the other hand, is better at that than you'd think, as long as it isn't an SDI).

But if your driving is mainly in town, and/or you tend to drive gently, you might like the Prius a lot. I haven't tried a Honda hybrid, but road tests suggest they are quite a bit slower than Toyotas.

Two possible cons for you - the foot-operated parking brake and the rather shallow boot.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
Keep what you've got, at least until it starts giving any serious problems. Otherwise all you're doing is lining some trader's pocket with what you trade-in and margin on what you buy. That's got to be the best part of three grand with no guarantee at all that you will get anything more reliable.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
That's a reasonable pint MJW, but if I keep the car for several years, well a 10 year old Laguna is worth nothing. Trade it now and get some value back. I'm going to have to spend on a new car sometime in the future, and when that time comes I'm going to be spending way more than I would if I do it now.

Cars are money pits, any way you look at it.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
>>That's a reasonable pint MJW, but if I keep the car for several years, well a 10 year old
>>Laguna is worth nothing. Trade it now and get some value back.

That's man maths. There is no logic at all in what you say. Because you will end up having traded cars more frequently, you will have paid more to dealers.

You paid £5,800 for a 5-year old car. You'll get, what, £3,800 for it in px. If you keep it five more years until it's worth £500 then it will have cost you £660 per annum (£3,800 - 500)/5 in depreciation.

Alternatively, you buy a different five-year-old car for £6,800, getting your £3,800 back. Say it's worth £1,000 in five years time. (Problem is, it will be costing you more than £5,800 as those Gooners are cheap. Alternatively, you're buying a 6-year-old car for £5,800). So although it's worth more in five years time, it'll cost you more today.) Annual depreciation is £1,160 (£6,800-£1,000)/5.

Of course, this analysis ignores your hoplessly unreliable Gooner. But so does your analysis.


It's your money, spend it if you like! ;) But don't claim it's the logical thing to do.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> That's man maths.

Yep. So I'm going to ignore the rest of your post.

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
A maxim I favour in business when I catch myself or indeed others dithering is to suggest that I or they decide what end result we really want and then just make it happen.

Decide what car do you really want ( within reason ) and just do it.

It may well cost something but what's that old thing which says something like - "the quality being remembered long after the price is forgotten."

Prudence is a virtue but it ain't exciting.

In truth don't necessarily follow my advice, I've lurched from rags to riches and back again several times over following that philosophy...

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - No FM2R
>>and then just make it happen

In my industry documents/requests are frequently updated with "JFDI".
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
>>JFDI

Just signed off something like that this morning ! I was once given a piece of advice which more or less seems to work. Something along the lines of - "if a decision needs to be made then make one". It might not turn out to be the right or best one in hindsight but doing nothing is usually not all that useful either.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - No FM2R
It depends. *Deciding* to do nothing is a decision and may be appropriate.

It is falling into doing nothing which is wrong.

But then, informed and rapid decision making is a key part to my work. (Although I prefer to regard it as "Guessing really good").
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Crankcase
I was pleased to see my guess as to the meaning of JFDI was correct, but I would have preferred it to be this one:

jfdi.asia/

Riddip.

Which leads, of course, to this photo of our forum members from that site.

Find yourself and own up. I'm the tiny one in the suit.

jfdi.asia/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/6De4oDjh.jpg

Last edited by: Crankcase on Fri 22 Nov 13 at 12:24
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Duncan
>>
>> jfdi.asia/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/6De4oDjh.jpg
>>

I think that photo was taken at one of Pat's Open Days!

What is the torso that is sitting on a stand? Is it dead, alive, or what, and which one of the forum is it?
Last edited by: Duncan on Fri 22 Nov 13 at 13:09
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> Find yourself and own up. I'm the tiny one in the suit.
>>
>> jfdi.asia/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/6De4oDjh.jpg
>>

Back row, third from the right, not including the giraffes.

Scarily accurate as it goes.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>>"JFDI".

So. A Mazda 6. Auto, estate or hatch up to 8 years, under 80k miles, under £5k.

tinyurl.com/nskwscl

I favour the three located closest to central Reading (list sorted by distance from the post code for the Hexagon, before anyone thinks they can come and find me and steal the Laguna away in the night).

But the asking prices vary wildly.

Then there is a nice looking one in Boston, Lincs, at a main dealer with all that goes with that, at seemingly the bottom of the price range. Strange.

Which would the committee go for, and for what reason?

Really like the idea of the silver TS2 estate in Surrey, but it's top dollar.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Boxsterboy

>> Decide what car do you really want ( within reason ) and just do it.
>>

That sounds like part of the equation for Man Maths to me!

I don't see the fixation over cambelts; by refusing them you are cutting out such a large section of the market. And they are cheap to replace - swallow your pride and let a good indie do it and you will be set up for many miles to come (not that that would be necessary, judging by how long the Laguna has fared with you)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich

>> I don't see the fixation over cambelts

We all have our own prejudices, hard to overcome.

>> (not that that would be necessary, judging by how long the
>> Laguna has fared with you)


True dat............if I change, I'll be on my 32nd car since 1987 (including those held in common with Mrs A). Nearly one a year.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
Mapmaker's point about the "worth nothing at 10yrs" is correct... it's not a logical argument as far as finances go.

I have relatives who bought a nice used Golf for £8k and kept uit 10ys until it was worth £1k. Servicing and repair costs were modest so it's fair to say that car cost them £7k.

Another relative has, over the same period, owned eight used cars. The first of these cost £5k and the following seven costs to change total £15k so £20k in total. The current car is worth £3k so the swapping has cost them £10k over the first example.

The only way for swapping not to cost, as with houses, is to buy at hard prices (trade) and sell at robust prices. Cars can very rarely make money like houses but you can radically minimise losses.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - madf
The trouble with cam chains is they are often very susceptible to A> abuse - they do NOT like delayed oil changes or B> bad designs - see BMW 1 series.

Combine the two and bills for £350 for a cambelt is cheap, cheap cheap... nothing compared to £1,000 plus... (I diy'ed son's 1.0 Yaris due to prior abuse - and parts alone were £210...the car itself was cheap to reflect that)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
So a F(preferably MD)SH will see to that?

>>Combine the two and bills for £350 for a cambelt is cheap, cheap cheap... nothing compared to £1,000 plus

Unless the useless thing goes ping.................
Last edited by: Alanović on Fri 22 Nov 13 at 13:47
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Maisie's Dad
>> So a F(preferably MD)SH will see to that?
>>
>> >>Combine the two and bills for £350 for a cambelt is cheap, cheap cheap... nothing
>> compared to £1,000 plus
>>
>> Unless the useless thing goes ping.................
>>

Given the frequency with which you change vehicles, it's unlikely that a belt will go ping, whilst in your ownership. :o)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
>> Given the frequency with which you change vehicles, it's unlikely that a belt will go ping, whilst in your ownership. :o)

Not so. It's unlikely that the belt on any particular car will go ping during the period of his ownership. However, it's just as likely that a belt will go ping on a car per mile he drives, as it is for anybody else.

Just ask Masie, she does probability lessons.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Maybe ping is the wrong word. The last time one broke on me, whilst on the M25 in a tropical downpour, and on the way to a garage to have it changed (natch), the noise was more like BANGTHUDDUGGADUGGADUGGADUGGAduggaduggaduggastop. Followed by bucking folloxes, at an even louder volume.

Car in the bin.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - crocks
Things like that can leave you scarred for life.

But maybe, with a bit of therapy, you could learn to live with a non-interference cambelt car.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - sooty123
I could see that could put someone off, mind you have you heard a chain snap?

;)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Maisie's Dad

>>
>> Just ask Masie, she does probability lessons.
>>
No, but she has learned to spell her name correctly, which seems to be beyond you...
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
On the cambelt thing I do have some empathy with AV. I've had 3 of them go on me without warning and each time causing major engine damage and significant inconvenience despite religiously following service schedules and recommended belt change intervals. One could argue that over 40+ cars, nearly 40 years of driving and 6 trips to the moon and back in mileage terms, that's not bad, but I'd be wary of them nonetheless and it is a factor I very much build in to my choice of cars. Especially those which I intend to use for high mileage purposes, not just due to reliability concerns but indeed the cost of belt replacements when that might be a requirement every couple of years in my case.

Of course we all tend to base our prejudices on our own experiences and there will, quite rightly, be those who mistrust chains as a result of issues with those but up until now anyway, I've never had problems with an engine fitted with a cam chain which could be attributed to that feature.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
>>I've had 3 of them go on me without warning and each time causing major engine damage and significant inconvenience despite religiously following service schedules and recommended belt change intervals

Thanks a bunch, I'm not going to be able to sleep at night now (but you knew that)

:-(
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - sooty123
>> On the cambelt thing I do have some empathy with AV. I've had 3 of
>> them go on me without warning and each time causing major engine damage and significant
>> inconvenience despite religiously following service schedules and recommended belt change intervals.

Just out of interest RDH, what model and engine type were they?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
@sooty

1989 BMW 3 series
1992 Rover 800
1994 Volvo 850
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - sooty123
>> @sooty
>>
>> 1989 BMW 3 series
>> 1992 Rover 800
>> 1994 Volvo 850
>>
>>

Interesting thanks, I always thought beemers had timing chains.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
From 1993 they have. Sadly mine didn't.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Edit above - Just looked up the review of the BMW 3 series E30 on "another" site...

Says cam belts had to be changed at 36k miles without fail. I want to say mine went pop about 25k.

I remember it well, it was about 5.00 in the evening on Christmas Eve while I was 450 miles from home. Try getting a hire car on Christmas Eve...
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero

>> >> 1989 BMW 3 series

Strange that people curse the cam belt and its failure as a "modern" problem.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - sooty123
>>
>> >> >> 1989 BMW 3 series
>>
>> Strange that people curse the cam belt and its failure as a "modern" problem.
>>

That is modern for many on here.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Oh y'know it may well be that back then they were made of cat gut and dried reeds and that now they're made of carbon fibre impregnated with titanium, I wouldn't know, but I'm still wary of 'em !

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
Mapmaker. There.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Boxsterboy
Given Humpf's astronomical mileage/length of ownership, his avoidance of cambelts is understandable. Al however does 12,000 a year and rarely does a car last a year with him. And so in his case it is surely less of an issue.

By the way, I've never had a belt go - yet! Must be my sympathetic driving style or some such
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
32 cars in 26 years!!!!!! Crikey, I thought my Dad was bad enough.

I am now of the view that this potential car change is emotional rather than anything else. Nothing wrong with that but I don't think you will convince anyone that it has any financial logic.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
In defence of my list I'm counting in also the cars I've owned but which were bought for wives ( yes plural sadly ) and girlfriends ( aye again, hey ho ) In other words, cars which I needed to keep maintained and which were stationed at my address whether I was the main user or not.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> I don't think you will convince anyone that
>> it has any financial logic.
>>

Happen you're right there. I am, however, trying to make it as cost neutral as possible, i.e. get a replacement for roughly the same price as I'll get for my trade in. I'll throw a coupla hundred nicker at it for the right motor.
Last edited by: Alanović on Sat 23 Nov 13 at 10:20
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
So I've had a look at a 6 hatch near to home. Nice motor, I'd forgotten how much I like them. Had a good look around, the car needed two front tyres and, guess what? An electric window switch didn't work. Maybe it's me, perhaps I give off some kind of charge which kills switches.

Anyway, I liked what I saw overall and asked for a test drive. Are you going to commit to the car today, asks the salesman. Well, I'll tell you that once I've test driven it says I. Oh no you don't says he, we only allow customers to test drive once they've committed to buying the car.

Cheers then, bye.

Off to see an estate in the morning in Weybridge.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Oh, and another thing.

The dealer assured me that the car would drive fine, based on the fact that I can see what kind of cars they deal with there - there was a 100k Merc SLS, a Lambo and a recent Aston cabrio in the showroom. Well pardon me but the you seem also to be dealing in 4k Mazdas, so trying to hide behind prestige ain't cutting it with me.

No test drive, no sale, matey. However posh you think you are.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - No FM2R
I haven't read the whole thread, so forgive me if this has been covered, but given that you like the Laguna so much aren't you giving up a bit easily?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
>>but given that you like the Laguna so much aren't you giving up a bit easily?

= = = > I haven't read the whole thread, so forgive me if this has been covered
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> I haven't read the whole thread, so forgive me if this has been covered, but
>> given that you like the Laguna so much aren't you giving up a bit easily?
>>

I suppose I am. But there you go, I'm a grown-up. Sometimes.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - No FM2R
>> I'm a grown-up. Sometimes.

Well stop it. Its nothing to be proud of.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Right. Well. It's going.

Did a deal on a 6 estate yesterday. And guess what? The Laguna bit me again this morning. Both the tailgate struts failed again, the boot falling considerately on my other arm this time, the one which was just on its way to recovering from a nasty fall at an indoor ski slop last week. I suppose I can't blame the car really, they were replacement struts I installed a few months ago, and the supplying company has agreed to furnish me with replacements under warranty. Fair enough I think. Glad that the struts didn't ping through the rear window..........nor did the tail gate fall on one of my children's heads, who were milling around the car at the time.

Hey ho. Enough's enough. Yes, I was warned, no I didn't listen, but I still think I was unlucky. The ghost rear passenger started unbuckling his seatbelt again this morning too.

Picking the new metal up on Saturday, with a fresh MOT - waiting till the end of the week so I don't waste a full month's tax.

This had better be a good car or I might just fall out of love with the things.........

www.sadlowmotorcompany.co.uk/used-cars/mazda-mazda6-2-0-ts2-147-5dr-auto-weybridge-201311039650068

Weybridge is nice. For Slurrey.

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - ToMoCo
Looks good, maybe a little expensive - but I suppose it depends what you got in return for the Laguna.

Hope it give years trouble free motoring - or should that be hope it gives a year trouble free till you swap it ;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
>> Looks good, maybe a little expensive - but I suppose it depends what you got
>> in return for the Laguna.

Very good trade in as it goes. I'm happy enough. Dealer seems a jolly decent cove, stood in start contrast to the arrogant attitude at the dealership where I attempted to test drive the hatch. Bloke's got to earn a living and doesn't seem to be trying to do so by ripping people off. Very fair, very open, easy to deal with and personable. 6 month warranty included in the deal.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
Nice tool vić - fully loaded too ... no heated seats though, how will you cope?

:}
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Mapmaker
Two lady owners from new. Best budget for a new clutch... ;)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
Do they have clutches then, on a TC automatic?

Just asking :)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
On an automatic?

The two owners share the same surname and I reckon they are related - mother and daughter or something. Essentially a one owner car if true, and a private purchase when new. Full history, all at a main dealer until 2 years back. Fair enough.

There's a weird satnav device installed, a brand I'd not heard of before, and have now forgotten, might have to remove that.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Looks nice AV. Hope it doesn't have too much of a drink problem?
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
I think that's probably it's drawback. Just about any car I can think of has one or other. I'm an average mileage driver, shouldn't be too much of a problem.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - madf
23.5mpg urban? hmmm and that is when it is warmed up...
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
Back of a fag packet calculation. ( not that I have any fag packets these days, who would, yuk, perish the very...)

Anyway, 12,000 miles of petrol at 30mpg = approx £2368. 12,000 miles of diesel at 45mpg = £1661

£707 difference pa

Eek !

However, £1.94 a day doesn't sound so bad...

;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Mitigated by my plan to use the Golf TDi more for daily driving. Although that doesn't get much more than 30mpg in town - if you want TC autos you've got to swallow the mpgs.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
Hope the Mazda suits you, had I taken out another lease in 2012 they were on the shortlist.

I think you were unlucky with the Renault... having said that Renault is the only make I know where owners have been unlucky to the point of despair.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Alanovich
Last time I had a Mazda 6 it suited me, it was also a 2.0 petrol auto and I liked it very much, it got changed for our current Golf about 4 years ago as I needed a diesel to take advantage of a company fuel card. That's gone now, though. The Golf stays as the wife loves it.

I did have one problem with it, the water pump was found to be weeping shortly after I bought it, fixed under warranty.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Fenlander
>>>having said that Renault is the only make I know where owners have been unlucky to the point of despair.

I made this comment a few post above. Sadly another person suffering despair today as the 55 plate Scenic being MOTd in front of me this morning failed on having a complete dead dash including the required warning lights for indicators, ABS, main beam, rear fog lamp etc etc.

Looked like a modest family car with baby seat in the back. Very unwelcome before Christmas I'm sure.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Dog
Sisters daughter ran a Scenic, engine blew up (timing belt) she's a single parent, works full time to put food on table.

Fortunately her brother owns a garage and knows one end of a spanner from the other.

 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Boxsterboy
>>
>> Weybridge is nice. For Slurrey.
>>
>> ;-)
>>

Yes, that part is nice (I used to live just off Egerton Road). The dealer must be doing well to afford the foothills of St. Georges Hill.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Zero
>> Right. Well. It's going.

It was a race to see who lasted longer I guess. The Lagoona or the Fulham Manager...
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 2 Dec 13 at 19:02
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Avant
This thread makes me think that if you could find a really basic-spec Renault, the sort that the French buy, and avoid cars built between about 2000 and 2005, you could have a good car that will last for ages. It's a pity that the British love their gadgets: I suspect the French delight in fitting cheap electrical components which their countrymen won't specify, and watch the Brits suffer when said components go wrong.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Runfer D'Hills
I guess that's the attraction of Dacias Avant. Pity it seems they need to be sold with a free bottle of Kurust in the glovebox. No such thing as a free lunch and all that I suppose.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - madf
Pity about the window winders and the dropping window glass On Megannes..
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - RichardW
My poverty spec Xantia is still going at nearly 13 years and 153k. Everything still works - except the front fog lights, but that is becuase I removed them by crashing into some drain pipes on a dark road one morning a couple of winters ago.... I have just had to replace a front side light and number plate light - the first such in over 200k of Xantia-ing over the last 11 years!
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - Boxsterboy
Yeah, aren't these French cars terribly unreliable. ;-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
Dropping windows affected Meganes and Scenics MK2 only. The MK3 does not have this problem.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - madf
Thanks
. It must be the rear window struts then!:-)
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - MJW1994
Oh well, looks like I'm the last one left standing.
 Renault Laguna III - 2.0dCI Sport Tourer Owner's Review - WillDeBeest
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^ That's a line. I've drawn it under Vić's Renault experience. Someone had to.
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Mon 25 Nov 13 at 21:18
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