2001 Renault Laguna Sport review from UK and Ireland

- Radiator replaced

- Intercooler replaced

- Airmass regulator replaced

- Front shock assemblies replaced

- 4 new tyres required due to broken spring gouging tyre

- Anti-roll bar bushes and links replaced.

- Ball joints done

- Fuel injectors replaced

- Other problems - tyre pressure sensors faulty, passenger electric window faulty, driver's side electric window faulty, key card door opening malfunction, car will not lock in certain places due to radio signal interference, various leaks.

Anyone who reads the above problems and then looks at the mileage on the car when I purchased it, will probably think "well, high mileage etc". I agree, however, with a full service history, a guarantee, and having been checked by a mechanic, I thought, nice car, bit of work required no doubt but worth the trouble. My attitude was partly a result of having known of many people who bought high mileage, well serviced diesels, which then went on to last for years. How wrong I was!

This car has been a complete nightmare, and in less than 8 months, 8000 miles driven has cost me as nearly as much in problems as it did to purchase the car in the first place. It is overly complicated, extremely poor build quality, mechanically and electrically disastrous, and it will break your heart if you buy one. The other reviews show that lower mileage is no guarantee of reliability at all.

Renault, like Peugeot and Citroen, are smart alec show-offs - "look at our great technology, look what we can do", the trouble is, the quality of the parts and mechanisms is too poor to be reliable in the long run.

I will never buy a French car again - and I feel pretty stupid because I always heard French cars were meant to be dodgy, but I thought maybe that's just unfair stereotyping - well it's not. These cars should be allowed to be sold unless subjected to rigorous fault-finding testing that the manufacturers should be forced to pay for (not that that's much good because they'll just transfer the cost)