2005 Megane Cabriolet problems

freestylFri 01/08/08 23:40

I have one of the above, just out of warranty so naturally Renault don't want to know unless I pay big bucks...

Just over a week ago the air conditioning failed. Apparently it is a hole in the aluminium pipe allowing the gas to escape. Repair bill £500+

This week, well, some time close to when I got it back from the air conditioning diagnostic, it's been playing up again ... I press the starter, it starts and then, soon after it dies again. This can happen several times and only stops if I can quickly get it in drive and pull away. Once moving it feels like it is 'chugging' I guess would be the best description. Barely noticeable but now and then it feels like it is just like cars feel when they are in slightly too high a gear for the revs. It doesn't stall when stopped at lights or other junctions, just when first started and it goes back to doing it within 5 minutes of rest of the engine not running, just this very gradual decrease in revs and then it stops.

My man is gonna be asking around his mates who may know more about the Renault but otherwise, the only way to find out would be to pay Renault a small fortune to strap it to a diagnostic machine (nearly £90) and on top of the having to pay for the air conditioning I am already running quite broke.

sheafferFri 01/08/08 23:44

you bought a renault megane ?

even worse a renault megane cabriolet ??

and then your asking for sympathy lol ???

are you french ????

oh dear oh dear

gdeFri 01/08/08 23:51

quoting > "you bought a renault megane ?

even worse a renault megane cabriolet ??

and then your asking for sympathy lol ???

are you french ????

oh dear oh dear"

That's not really helpful is it? I mean the poor OP obviously wouldn't have bought one with hindsight but in the mean time he's stuck with a Renault...

See if there are any Renault specialist garages (not main dealer) around, we always took our VWs to a chap who was an ex-VW foreman before setting up on his own. This would be cheaper than the main dealer.

Good luck!

sheafferFri 01/08/08 23:59

quoting > "That's not really helpful is it? I mean the poor OP obviously wouldn't have bought one with hindsight but in the mean time he's stuck with a Renault..."

well maybe he hasnt had a sense of humour by pass ?

and its was probably better advice then telling him about your VW foreman when he has a Renault

freestylSat 02/08/08 00:01

Foe the record I asked around, on here as it happens, for recommendations for cars to buy for the price and the Megane was highly rated! As was kindly pointed out, I am looking for helpful suggestions not pointless piss takes for what has turned out to be an expensive mistake!

gdeSat 02/08/08 00:03

quoting > "well maybe he hasnt had a sense of humour by pass ?

and its was probably better advice then telling him about your VW foreman when he has a Renault"

If you read the whole of my post you would have seen that I was recommending looking for a small Renault specialist.

:oP

I think someone needs to be slightly less touchy and perhaps examine their sense of humour too...

*tongue firmly in cheek*

freestylSat 02/08/08 00:12

I appreciate the remark about my stupidity was said in jest but it doesn't seem so funny when I am trying to make ends meet, need a car and am trying to find a way of affording to keep the one I have on the road. It's just not always possible to change a car when things start going wrong and, the way my luck goes with cars, any I change to will develop expensive faults within weeks anyway so I think my choice of vehicle is a non starter!

I totally got the point about the local specialist as well, this is the route I am taking but have not yet found one with the right diagnostic equipment. This is why I am trying the old fashioned method of seeing if maybe someone has experienced something similar and what it may be ... in a way, that it is a Renault is probably not even relevant to this

jay78Sat 02/08/08 02:04

My advice is to find a specialist independant renault dealer, who are likely to charge a lot less than a main dealer. You could find one at http://www.renaultforums.co.uk/ which is a great resource, and there may also be threads from other owners with a problem similar to yours.

freestylSat 02/08/08 13:13

I may have a little man locally or, at least a guy who owns a diagnostic kit. Renault main dealers take the pee on their diagnostic charges (£80+).

It's possible from the kind suggestion of one other member and some web searches that I have discovered what the problem is. As seems to be a recurring theme in this car I have owned for less than 3 months, another £500+ bill to rectify. Renault are aware of the fault and the crap parts were changed once it was discovered but my chances of them accepting even part of the repair cost I think are zero.

Warranty expired in May just before I bought it. They already said when the air con failed that the fact I have not owned it since new means a good will gesture is very unlikely. There suggested price for the repair would be more, including possible good will gesture, than my air con specialist if going to charge me!

It's just annoying that this dephaser fault would have been a zero cost repair as a borderline recall under warranty but not out of it ... just good timing on the part of Renault IMO.

I am so never buying another French car ... I deserve all the ridicule I have got as this is French car number 5 and every one of them, even the new ones, have been unreliable and expensive to repair.

Get this repaired, cut my losses and get a good car I think ... any suggestions?

large boot, 40mpg+, seats 4, low insurance (group 10 or lower), low VED?

gdeSat 02/08/08 23:09

VW Jetta 1.9 TDI Blue Motion

Group 6 Insurance
61.4 MPG Combined Cycle
Band C car tax

Gets 4 stars from What Car?