2002 Renault Laguna

Summary:

Power, comfort and safety, all in a hatchback

Faults:

Power steering pipe broke and emptied all brake fluid. The car's brake warning system was great at bringing attention to what could have been a disaster.

General Comments:

I absolutely love this car! Even though the Laguna is idiosyncratic, with a rather strange gearbox that is never quite sure what it is doing, and a sound system designed by minimalists, I adore the V6 engine. The car has such a responsive engine, and it always feels like it is chomping at the bit to get going.

I also like the creature comforts; really comfy, if not a bit squeaky seats, and a roomy cabin.

So far my Laguna hasn't had any mechanical problems, and has been running perfectly.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st October, 2012

2002 Renault Laguna Advantage Wagon 3.0 V6

Summary:

Smooth, svelte, supple and stylish

Faults:

Just bought it, so a bit early yet, but from the previous owner's history - one owner car - just a warranty speedo change at 50000 kms.

Just done the cambelt as it was due, but it all looks OK. Has a full service history since new. No real oil leaks, and pretty clean, although I will go under it to clean a bit further soon.

General Comments:

Nice pleasant interior with a nice sounding stereo. Smooth ride, but not quite as good as my old Merc C200. Great seats and good steering though. OK turning circle (not a patch though on the Merc).

Nice paint as it was garaged by the last owner. Quality of build feels a bit light, but is probably OK as there are no scruffy Laguna's around yet...

Good performance and excellent economy for a 3.0 V6. Smooth gearbox with no issues (not like some of the comments) and nice handling. It feels like it's my car and it's easy to get used to it. It's an alive feeling driving, whereas the Merc was brilliant, but not alive like this... used to feel drowsy when I drove the Merc long distance.. had to stop and have a sleep for 10 minutes now and again... not so with this Laguna. It's a strange observation.

Love the amount of space inside - very clever space design. Anyway, time will tell... so far so good.

Parts from Renault dealers are expensive (like most cars these days) but luckily there are lots of eBay buys in the UK, and the NZ dollar is OK, so that's the way to buy bits at the moment.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th September, 2012

25th Dec 2012, 23:55

Six months later and not much more to report. Had the gearbox serviced as I was noticing slurry changes, and the auto service centre recommended to have the valve assembly reconditioned, as past history with the same gearbox in Volvos and Saabs, suggested that at 100 thousand km it's a good idea, and he was right. Gear changes are better and it feels more "certain" during changes. Was not expensive, as there is now reconditioning of these solenoids/valves, unlike a few years ago. Had new D3 Synthetic put in, which is now it seems the new fluid to use - surpasses the old T4 fluid in performance. Happy with it still, and no other problems.

Have ordered a set of pencil coils, just in case, as it seems to be a bit of a problem eventually. Local agent wanted $265 for one, so on the net I went and ordered a set of six for a total of $150 from China... hope they are OK. Assured by the seller that they have been reliable, and it's not the end of the world if they fail at that price. Have removed the plastic covers to help airflow, as heat seems to be a factor in the failing of these units as well. All is going well though so far.

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