Used Car Report Renault Megane 2001-2006 mister-cars.com

Renault's Megane is a medium-sized French car that’s very much part of the mainstream car lineup in Europe, but which has only been on the Australian market for a relatively short time. While the model’s local history may be short it’s a fascinating one and there are already enough cars on the used scene to make it well worth considering. Particularly if you’re looking for something that’s well out of the ordinary, because out of the ordinary is exactly what the Megane is all about.

Interestingly, when Renault made its return to the Australia market in 2001 the cabriolet was the first of the Megane range to reach us. The company obviously being keen to emphasise the high-flair component of the French automotive scene.

December 2003 saw the Megane really take off in the styling stakes with a radical shape that’s really appealing to many, though there are some who find it all a bit much. This new-generation styling lifted the Renault significantly in stature amongst those who love their European cars. However, that ‘bustle-tail’ rear end misses out a bit on practicality as it chops the boot short.

Those who want a more functional load area, with less demanding lines, may have to turn to the four-door Megane sedan. Introduced later than the hatch, in April 2004, it’s not only more mainstream in its looks. But also significantly longer than the hatch, gaining a spacious rear seat because of this.

Ride comfort and good handling are strong features of these cars in the French manner and those who are moving up from an Asian car for the first time will be delighted at just how pleasant a Euro car can feel.

The original Megane cabriolet was sold alongside the new hatchbacks and sedans until December 2005. It was then replaced by a new model with as radical a shape as the rest of the new range. A major feature of the new cabriolet is the use of a glass opening roof. Some people may find the glass roof lets in too much light. If you live in a hot area of Australia it may be best to wait until summer before doing your test drive, then paying attention to the interior light.

As well as standard models, Renault Megane is also sold in some genuinely hot variants that will really appeal to the keen driver. Look for the Megane Sport and the Sport Cup, their highly competent 2.0-litre turbocharged powerplants are complemented by genuinely sporting suspension. These machines provide a huge amount of driving pleasure for those who like to punt their cars hard and fast.

Check with your insurance company before getting too far into the buying process as turbo engines often attract big premiums. A good Renault salesperson will be able to point you in the right direction in the way of insurance.

Engine choices among the standard (non-turbo) versions of the Megane are 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre. Even the smaller unit provides reasonable power, but it’s probably better mated to a manual gearbox than an automatic.

The French do love to drive and you will find a bigger than average percentage of manual cars, even amongst Aussie buyers. These have five ratios with the smaller engine and six with the larger. It should be the other way around as the smaller the torque output the more ratios are required. But Renault is far from being alone in this aspect, blame it on a triumph of marketing over engineering.

A further variant of the Megane is the Renault Scenic, which is a compact people mover. It’s quite different to the rest of the range so we will leave it for a separate issue of our used-car reports.

Though Renault has only been back on the Australian scene since late 2001 the dealer network is well established. Renault is often teamed with Nissan as the two companies have a close partnership these days.

These are comparatively complex cars and repairs and servicing are generally best left to professionals. Competent amateurs will be able to tackle minor servicing, though.

Insurance rates are generally reasonable with most companies, but see our previous remarks about the turbocharged engines.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
These Renault Meganes are still relatively new to the market, so they haven’t had time to build up any real history of faults or long-term rigidity. They are screwed together pretty well and we don’t anticipate hassles, but it’s still smart to opt for a full professional inspection.

Check that the engine starts easily and idles smoothly as soon as it does begin to run. Any hesitation under acceleration should be treated with suspicion.

In any of the sports versions look for uneven tyre wear as well as for a big buildup of brake dust on the inside of the wheels and the suspension components. Both are likely to indicate harsh driving. Perhaps even at a race track…

Look under the carpets of a cabriolet for signs of water entry in case rain has got in. Also check the upper surfaces of the dashboard, seats and rear shelf. It’s always polite to ask permission from the seller before lifting mats and carpets.