Faults:

- Driver's side window mechanism broken, repair kit cost 10 € on eBay.

- Exhaust heat shields corroded and rattling, fixed with new washers and bits of old licence plates.

- Front springs broken, 80€ on eBay, but quite a job replacing them. Stabilizer links replaced with the springs.

- Fabric lining of A-pillar and other small trim pieces coming loose.

- Rear brake sqealing when reversing.

- Occasional, ESP and park brake errors, go away after ignition reset. For now.

General Comments:

Needed a car to replace a rusty Toyota Previa that is able to carry a family of 7 comfortably and economically, and the Espace has not yet disappointed.

Engine:

The Nissan designed 2.0 dci 173ps is excellent! While not the quietest around town, it is cultivated on the highway, pulls well and has been reliable. Steer well away from the older 1.9, 2.2 and 3.0 diesels, they are cheap for a reason. Fuel consumption on my commute averages 8.5 l/100 km. At highway speeds, fully laden and with a roof box, 7.5 l/100 km. Sounds boring but that is what a family car needs.

Suspension and ride:

Unlike its modern German, Italian and French rivals, the vehicle is based on the Laguna, and not on a commercial van. Consequently, it rides like a big, soft limousine. And also reportedly tends to eat up its front suspension. Mine rolls on stock 245/45/18 tires and feels planted even at 200 km/h. Corners must be taken leisurely, though, and bigger bumps have caused the suspension to bottom out.

Interior:

Why I bought it. 7 big, comfy, black leather seats, five of them with Isofix. The ones in the back can be thus arranged, so the second and third rows face each other, allowing their child occupants to share food, drinks, laughs, screams and kicks. A drawback of this arrangement is getting in and out of the back is a challenge. In Initiale trim, the car comes with 3-zone automatic climate control, front and rear parking sensors, xenon headlights, glass roof, split rear hatch, CD-changer, heated electric seats, SatNav, and, and, and.... The Grand is 20 cm longer than the standard Espace, so there is also space in the boot for a stroller and some bags or two large suitcases. Another overlooked feature are the roof rails. A bit finnicky to adjust, but practical and very quiet, compared to some after-market rails.

Faults:

Petrol tank warped, causing a leak in the sender unit housing seal.

Dash airbag warning light.

Tailgate locking mechanism.

General Comments:

My Grande Espace was bought in July 2005, specifically for the school run.

It cost £7000, but had just 20,000 miles on it, confirmed by MOTs.

The exhaust fell off (corroded through) on day two, and the front tyres needed almost immediate replacement.

The front brakes had been renewed 6 months before my purchase; the rear ones were replaced 6 months after.

Apart from these consumables, it has been pretty good.

Around April 2006, it started to smell of petrol, so off to the garage it went for its annual service. The warped petrol tank was replaced; cost £500.

It is a nice car to drive, big and roomy with space for 7 six foot adults and their luggage. Or six 15 year old kids and their school bags.

It has taken the family 2000 miles round France on holiday, and never failed to start.

The engine performance is impressive for a 2 litre in such a large car, pulling eagerly and returning an average 30 MPG.

It has niggly faults, but you get used to them, and overall it is a very good car.

Ownership is enhanced with access to the RenaultForums.co.uk website. Here the pooling of information can save a lot of time and hassle.