What car should I get? Any opinions on the Toyota Corolla Verso v the Megane Scenic?

[thomsc]

After several years of sterling service, the Peugeot 405 estate I paid £150 for has actually blown-up, leaving bits of engine on the M11.

So, I've got a bit more budget this time (£6-7k-ish) and a mate who knows about cars (well, he never paid £150 for one) suggested a Toyota Corolla Verso or a Renault Megane Scenic.

I have a one year old DS, with way too much stuff when we go visiting people, and I have become used to the luggage space in the Peugeot.

I live in London, drive to the supermarket, to see various playgroups etc (I'm a stay-home-dad) and to see friends, as well as big trips up the motorway to relatives etc.

Probably an Automatic as well (I know! - but you try sitting on the clutch in traffic for two hours to go one mile).

Any opinions? Experience? Suggestions?

PIL chanegd from a saloon 405 to a Scenic (new shape)automatic, having said they'd never have a hatchback, and are very happy with it. We have the old style Scenic and get loads in it (used to drive our family of 4 on skiing holidays in another one including baby/toddler paraphenalia), maintenance a bit £ but as per most French/German cars. One child would be very comfortable for space tbh. Next time we'd also be tempted by a Verso, mainly for extra seats, bootspace isn't that much more.

I have no experience of the toyota but I have a magane scenic and I LOVE IT

we live out of town so drive it alot
i have 3 kids andsit great

sorry oine handed wriiggly baby feeding typing

we have just done this and I am going to pick up my new scienic on saturday.

The versos, were more expensive to buy, more expensive to service and harder to find, but more like my old traditional estate.

Thanks for the advice!

I wasn't sure about the three split seats in the rear, looked like a good way for kids to drop things all over the place. Still, better than finding stuff hidden down the back of the seat I guess.

DO NOT BUY A FRENCH CAR.

I have had major issues with Peugots and Renaults in my time.

Never buying one again. Or a Fiat.

I agree with Eric. Don't buy french cars as they break down all the time. We've just got rid of our scenic and have a mazda 5 (yesterday) and I'm glad to see the back of it. It was always going wrong and we had it from new for 3 years. The RAC people told me they had loads of renaults, french cars on their books but that mazda's and other japenese cars were the best by far.

I really wouldn't touch one again with a bargepole, more trouble than it's worth.

we had an old style scenic and it broke down a lot esp unspecified electrical faults (including key going - £50 to replace!). I would never buy a renault again - we have a Honda FR-V now.

Yeah - japanese cars are the most reliable - but not really that sexy though.

Most scary issue was when my 406's suspension coil snapped and the whole front of the car fell down whilst in a car park at work. RAC guy says that if that had happened when on my way to work on the motorway i would have lost control of the car.

Apparently the shock absorbers fail because of the weight of the car and it meant that it was only being supported by the coil, which also failed.

Why the fuck they are sending cars out with parts that can't cope with the car is beyond me.

Had a Renault Clio that started rattling after only being three months old, like it was sent out of the factory stuck together by blu tack.

Also had a 307 that the engine just packed in after only 80,000 miles and a Fiat that was so uncomfortable to drive that you felt it when it went over every piece of grit in the bloody road.

Best i've had have been VW and Audi. You pay a bit more but it is well worth it in the long run.

um, I have a Renault Megane Scenic for sale...

lol the op has had a Peugeot so seems happy to buy French !

Well we've got a peugeot and a renault scenic and had no major problems with either. In fact they've been the most reliable cars we've had I think! Absolutely love our scenic and will get another one when we come to change.

I know i have probably been unlucky - but i'm just not risking it anymore.

I'm never having anything else but a toyota now. We've got a bulk standard old corolla that will at some point get updated for a verso. In over 5 years all we've had to do apart from the usual services is get a new battery, a couple of new tyres and a lightbulb or two.

This compares brilliantly with a Citroen we had before that which regularly resulted in bills of £500 pls. So my vote is the Corolla Verso.

thanks for the input. I'm on the lookout for a toyota, all i ever see on the roads are Meganes!

hi
i work in motor parts and have been in the car parts business for 25 years working for various dealers, for reliability and cheapness of running id personally go for toyota or nissan next best would be honda then vw/ford
i would NEVER buy french, everyone i know thats had one new or old has has nothing but trouble with them, and we sell more renault stuff than other cars/
it seems the japanese invest more in quality and training staff and make a better car
we own a ford galaxy(need the seats!) which is very economical(110tdi) its basically a vw so is quality built and except for a clutch and breaks we havnt had to spend a lot at all
john (bevs lesser half)(grin)

hi
i work in motor parts and have been in the car parts business for 25 years working for various dealers, for reliability and cheapness of running id personally go for toyota or nissan next best would be honda then vw/ford
i would NEVER buy french, everyone i know thats had one new or old has has nothing but trouble with them, and we sell more renault stuff than other cars/
it seems the japanese invest more in quality and training staff and make a better car
we own a ford galaxy(need the seats!) which is very economical(110tdi) its basically a vw so is quality built and except for a clutch and breaks we havnt had to spend a lot at all
john (bevs lesser half)

We have a toyota corolla verso D4D.

We like it...alot.

DH researched like mad before we bought it and it got great reviews for safety and reliability. It's been really fuel efficient too.

Has big boot and option of being a 7 seater...although maybe not so important for you, was good selling point for us, as have 3 dc.

Friend had a grand scenic and as mere women when we compared them they were much of a muchness! She has 3 DC too although a bit bigger than mine, her only comment was the seats in the boot were a bit of a squeeze for an adult...but I think that would be true of the toyota too.

Do not buy a Megane. Do not buy any Renault. We have the Megane hatchback and it was a lovely car till the warranty expired and since then has cost us over £1,500 in two years. New battery, new tyres, new brake discs and now the hands-free locking system (which we paid extra for) is playing up. It's been in the garage twice in the past two weeks and the problem still isn't fixed. Nice car but rubbish build quality. Go for the Toyota - Japanese cars are much better built. We are getting rid of the Megane as soon as we can afford to and getting something Japanese or German.

I like my Grand Scenic

DH works for a renault garage and he says....

DO NOT BUY A SCENIC!!! and that renaults are nothing but trouble!! loads of faults. stupid things that shouldn't be going wrong with newish cars.

buy a zafira like us!! fantastic car!!

toyotas are fab

they never break - not ever
have never spent a bean on mechanical stuff with them. the odd tyre when worn out, but otherwise zilch unexpected costs.

I looked at lots of the 7strs including Zafiras. I found the interior space in the Zafira was crap (it was an older model - 54 plate, not the brand new one) and the cabin was dire, really horrible plastics and old fashioned upholstery. The Toyota did very well in tests and will probably be very reliable but again, the interior is a dull place to be. Japanese interiors are rubbish, it's like the engineers used up all their energy on the mechanics of the thing and had nothing left to give !

definitely go for the toyota.

we have a scenic and have had nothing but problems with it. its only an 05 reg and so far it has been back with a faulty battery (lasted less than a year), faulty electrics on the windows and faulty seatbelts in the rear

aren't mazdas french? if not but i know f all about cars.

zafiras r crap i agree NDP. the only non-toyota i have had. regretted it horribly. thirsty bggr cost a small fortune to run, tax, repair ... i won't go on

now i have another 07 toyota