7th Nov 2005, 17:50

Further update to my first review. Now the weather is starting to get cold, I have noticed that the engine runs very sluggish until it warms up.

Also whilst the engine is idling the engine seems to misfire slightly, the dealer has told me it is due to the valves, with it being a VVT engine it does not like running slow and it is classed as a sporty engine - come off it a 1.6 "sporty"

15th Dec 2005, 12:21

I have had my Grand Scenic since August 05, it is a Motability vehicle. I have had nothing but problems with brake noise, low power, clunky gears, too light steering, and plastic inserts on the sides of the seat which are no problem getting into the car, but getting out!!. I feel that I should be on Strictly Come Dancing. However, I shall proceed with taking it back to my Dealer for them to sort out.

14th May 2006, 08:32

I am driving a 1.5 dci, 100 hp version.

It now has over 88,000 km in just over a year.

Since it is a leasing-company-owned vehicle I can only indicate problems, but the leasing company will do the discussions with Renault. This gives some very strange reactions to problems, but that is just side info.

I have seen;

-- electrical problems including refusing to start several times (great invention -- an all-electric-system without an escape route)

-- drained battery without any app. reason (it is a standard car, nothing special)

-- parking brake failure.

-- general brake failure.

-- emission system failure.

-- alternator failure.

-- injection system failure (it is a diesel!!)

-- window lifter mechanism snapped off (at -10 C), it is all plastic and very very small.

Very important, the TOTAL lack of engine power under 4000 revs, the same engine is used in their Clio range.

Vibrations and noise everywhere, getting worse over time.

-- In order to keep the engine running when you drive off the motorway you need to keep the aircon switched ON!! otherwise the engine will stall on halt.

Third gear has a life of its own (you will get a very strange gear-shifting pattern here, going from 2 to 4)

Since it is a leasing-car it has NO spare tyre, but the good-oll-sticky-stuff-bottle which renders the smallest puncture to a replace-the-whole-tyre operation (now you can figure out why leasing is a gold-mine).

The official Renault dealer indicated the life-cycle of a car like this at "5 years and 15k per year", everything more is luck.

The car has been in so many times without things fixed...

I am very disappointed in the quality in general, this car simply has no positive points.

I am glad it is not mine!!

19th May 2006, 06:16

I recently purchased a 1.9DCi (130bhp) and in general have found the car to be excellent achieving around 43mpg (predominantly motorway driving).

The only significant problem I have encountered in heavy road vibration through the steering wheel, which was temporarily fixed by having the front wheel re-balanced; but the vibration is back and now find the car uncomfortable to drive after about 30 miles. The car is going to the garage after work and will keep you posted.

A minor problem is the (electronic) boot opener, which failed; the garage advised me of a manual switch that you have to move with a screwdriver.

Side indicator repeaters (plastic panels) are not securely fixed and have to be checked every so often (especially if you use a car wash frequently, which I do not).

22nd Nov 2006, 05:46

We purchased our 1.6v dynamique grand scenic in August 2005. The vehicle itself is a lovely car to drive the mechanical side of it lets it down. Our car has been back to the garage on numerous occasions with the same fault, the pulley in the engine. The car is about to make its third trip to the garage for the same problem that was rectified 3 months ago. The constant squealing from the rear brakes when executing slow manouvers is also embarrassingly loud for a vehicle that was bought brand new last year.

1st Dec 2006, 17:12

We have had our 1.9DCI Dynamique just over a year now. We bought it from Renault Watford, it being a 6 month old ex-demo with 9k on the clock.

Throughout the year we have had to put up with the unbelievably noisy brakes, which they tested, but said they could not fix, even though they knew it was a 'known feature'.

The air-con in winter is a disaster - there is more moisture than in a Turkish bath if there are more than two people in it (a 7 seater!) and it takes ages to de-mist the front window on a cold morning. Basically not enough power to do the job.

After its 18k service, I was advised that the front brakes were "70%", so decided to not get them changed (shouldn't they last to 100%??). Since then I have had continuous brake failure warnings. When I took it back in for the 4th time, they told me that the brakes were now at 90%! What did I do differently in a month to lose 20%?

In a moment of madness I agreed to part with £150 to get new brakes, but why should I have to? I do really feel I have been conned.

Even though I like the car and its great features, its definitely a summer car, due to the air-con limitation, I don't see myself sticking with Renault.

I'll also get my rear brakes done privately as I hear generic pads don't give the terrible noise.

Oh yes, the rear wiper doesn't work in the cold and the washers freeze due to lack of insulation..