To buy or not to buy Renault Grand Scenic (59 plate)

[WendyWoo1967]

Please someone put me out of my misery, husband has been debating buying this car for what seems like forever and if he doesn't make a decision soon I may have to batter him as he is driving me potty !!!! Have ruled out Zafiras, Picassos, Peugeot 5008, tourans and a dozen others he has considered which for various reasons won't work for us. We are now down to the Renault - and if he doesn't buy it soon me, new baby, and 2 toddlers will be on the bus as we won't all fit in our ford focus ! Has anyone had any really good, bad or indifferent stories about this car - it seems okay but he seems to think there might be an underlying reliability issue as well as costs of repairs. We like the drive in it, seems to tick all the boxes for fitting the car seats in on the middle row leaving loads of space in the back for toddler related tut but as its a big outlay we are really trying to find a car that won't let us down by spending more time in and out of the garage than on the road. Thanks everyone xx

I have a Renault Scenic (not a Grand), and I bought it from new 9 years ago. The reason I still have it is because it has never given me any problems. (Touch wood!) And if I bought a new car I would scratch and dent it as much as I have this one, and I can't bear the pain I would happily buy a Renault again, but DH thinks we should go for a Grand next time, so marking my place.

Ours is fine. Not exciting (DH still hankers after the Skoda Octavia we had to sell to buy it), but we have had no problems with it. The boot is big, I can get 3 car seats in the back (for a baby, 3 year old and 6 year old), and it is very comfortable. The cabin is really nice - good quality, and we got a model with an integrated satnav, which I adore. Its MPG is rubbish (about 33 at last look) from mainly town driving. It is significantly underpowered on hills! We've had it for just over a year, and it is a 2011 model.

A tad worried about the mpg, is yours a diesel? Garage told us to expect around 55 mpg, salesman waffle? Is yours a 1.5 ltr?

No. Had loads of problems with ours and every repair is much more expensive than other cars we've had.

It's a shame as I like it to drive (dh finds it underpowered) and the shape/size is practical.

No, petrol 1.4 (I think). The MPG appears dreadful to me too, and I don't drive fast / unpredictably.

I bought a scenic 2 years ago on an 04 plate ,it was 5 and a bit years old. I have paid out over 5k in repairs, everything has failed, each bill exceeded £500. I have now paid in total repairs more than the car cost. I tried the car yesterday - not working after £190 on diagnostics - its the distributor cap £800 to repair. The car is only worth about £900.

It has been nothing but a pain, I get anxious whenever I go out in it.

I would never buy another Renault - every time I have taken it to be repaired at the dealership they assure me that these are Common Faults!

I can't recommend either - I have an 05 plate. I've needed a new clutch, new electric front windows, turbo died with 400 miles on the clock, new dashboard, new starter motor. On the other hand I am on first name terms with Renault Customer Services.

filthy do you have our car?

DH has a 1.5 diesel (56 numberplate) and regularly gets up to 72 mpg on long motorway trips and around 62 on normal motoring - shorter local journeys.
He loves his Scenic though it has had some problems with the injectors that cost a bit. It is his 2nd Scenic and he would happily buy a third when the time comes.

I was really tempted but have read too many negative, expensive stories about them.

We loved our Touran, what was wrong with it for you? I had 3 dc's under 3 and they are squeezed into DH's bmw at the moment.

I really don't want a people carrier but am giving in and getting an Alhambra in a few months.