Faults:

Constant rattling from drivers door. windows would shake at high speed and wind would whistle in.

After heavy rain, water would leak in above electrics for sunroof and central locking! common problem, but not one dealer would handle.

Rubber seal on passenger side corroded away to a point that water seeped in under the wing mirror and dripped onto the speaker below.

Exhaust center section corroded away and rattled awfully loud. had to be changed.

Clock light would go out and a tap would get it going again.

Rattling dash.

General Comments:

Not a bad runner besides the bad points. very nippy 1.6 8v engine. rev happy, but only reallty went after 3000rpm. quite engine too.

Seats are quite comfy... and that's it. a big disappointment really.

Faults:

The water pump went soon after buying the car and had to be replaced at a cost of £140.

The lock for the bonnet also broke just after I had bought the car.

At 60,000 miles the catalytic converter had to be replaced, cost £175.

The whole exhaust system has been replaced in the time I've owned the car.

I got a small chip on the windscreen, which developed into a large crack due to some cold weather. It cost £90 for a new windscreen.

On very damp mornings the car sometimes struggles to start and often cuts out again once you've began your journey.

The rear breaks can also lock when the car is left in damp conditions for a day or two.

General Comments:

This car is a nice car to drive without being overly impressive.

The interior looks good and it is a comfortable car for long journeys.

Faults:

Cracked windscreen due to stress fracture - replaced for £50 by insurance.

Exhaust rattles from front mounting point by catalytic converter.

Cat failed at 55000 miles - £210 to replace.

Failed engine management sensor.

Cracked headlight due to stone damage (still works though, so not paying out £200+ to have it replaced)

Squeal from starter motor (?) on starting car for 1st time each day.

General Comments:

Despite other poorish reviews of this car, I have never had any real problems with it.

Reliability has been fine, with the car getting me to work and back for 4-5 years without any problems or breakdowns. The only time the engine management light came on, it turned out to be a failed sensor which cost just £15 to replace.

For a 1.6 litre, 8-valve, engine, I'd say the performance is more than adequate, although it will never astound.

The car has a tendency to understeer quite badly, a trait which is exacerbated by tyres. The worst were Pirelli P4000 which made the car almost undrivable. The best tyre I've found for the car so far is Goodyear Eagle Ventura which improve front end grip considerably, but at the expense of tyre life.

Returns 35-40 miles per gallon when driven fast and hard.

Coupe design has lasted despite the model being quite a few years old now.

Boot space is limited, but not as much as 'real' sports coupes. Rear seats are usable (at a push) by adults.

Faults:

Catalyst failed at 40000 miles.

Premature rusting around rear wheel arches and tailgate.

Front springs needed replacing at around 100,000 miles.

Some electrical faults including a short in the lighting circuit which caused the engine to run on if you kept your foot on the brake after switching the ignition off.

General Comments:

This car has generally been very reliable, the only major glitch being the catalyst failure.

The rust is more worrying, but I have yet to see another Megane with a similar problem.

Dynamically, the Megane is nothing special. Performance from the 1.4 8-valve engine is disappointing, particularly below 4000rpm. That said, it never fails to start first time and noise levels are low, even at motorway speeds.

Handling is sloppy, but there's plenty of grip and the ride is very good. The brakes are excellent.

Interior looks very tired now, but its not too bad considering mileage.

At first I found the driving position awkward, but have since got used to the cramped foot-well and offset pedals.

Considering most major components (including the original alternator and clutch) are still going strong, I don't have much to complain about.