2000 Renault Scenic RXE 2.0 16v from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A superb small family car

Faults:

Rear brakes stick when reversing (dealer unable to cure).

Rear washer motor failed at 8000 miles.

Opening rear window failed after 1 week.

General Comments:

The car is very quick - but high revs are required to make the most of the engine.

Handling not as good as the Zafira.

Not very economical (average 29mpg).

Love the car! It has a good level of equipment, is comfortable and very airy inside. We are considering another now in the new Privilege + trim, but with automatic transmission.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th May, 2001

20th Jun 2001, 15:47

Don't buy the automatic!!

Renault just don't seem to know how to make good autos and I've heard of countless problems on auto Scenics.

20th Apr 2004, 14:41

The Auto 1.6 RXE 2000 average 36MPG. Only defect 2 Ignition coils failed at 26K replaced under warranty, and another 1 at 42K at a cost from AA at £52, The AA does carry them as a service spare in their vans. We like it as a family car.

2000 Renault Scenic RX 1.6 gasoline from Trinidad and Tobago

Summary:

Excellent design, but cheaply constructed

Faults:

The car was delivered with only one key, and the second key took several months to obtain, apparently because Renault changed its coding system midstream.

The warranty upgrade from 1 to 2 years, promised on delivery of the car, took many calls to the dealer to obtain.

The flimsy rubber covers on 2 of the pushbutton light switches on the door frames fell off.

The transmission tended to stick in second gear, (fixed?) by the dealer.

The horn stopped working, then came back to life, then quit and was replaced.

The driver's door lock stopped working then came back to life (so far).

The turn indicator resets to the opposite signal on some turns, not to neutral. Two trips to the dealer have not gotten this fixed.

Most irksome: the automatic transmission was ruined by a brief ride over a flooded road. The dealer made me pay for a new torque converter.

General Comments:

An excellent design for families.

The car is difficult to park because of the steeply sloping hood and van-like rear end, neither of which is visible to the driver.

Handling is adequate if not exciting.

The 1.6 engine is inadequate on any kind of hills if the car has more than 2 occupants.

The driver's seating position and shallow steering wheel angle are very odd, making the steering like a school bus.

The great expanses of glass gives great visibility.

However, the windshield pillars interfere with visibility during turns.

Also, the car gets hot inside despite its heat absorbing glass.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 28th April, 2001

30th Sep 2001, 12:21

I find the comment on the performance of the car interesting, because I just came back with my 1.4 16v Scénic driving five people around - four of which who were not exactly slim, so to say. I didn't do the extreme hills you find here in places (on the island of Malta), but the car took it without any complaints.

7th Feb 2002, 21:06

My 2001 Scenic Dynamic has the same problems with the indicator not resetting to neutral.

19th Oct 2002, 03:44

I have a 1997 Renault Scenic which has the same indicator problem. Nice to know that a few years down the line that they still haven't fixed it!!

4th Mar 2003, 02:37

I want to drive a car which is not plagued with fault after fault.

Which certainly is the case with my Scenic, it's once bitten twice shy for me i'm afraid.

Renault's of old had lousy build, but that obviously has not changed.

You just have to look at Fiat (fix it again tomorrow) they cannot sell there cars because it's reputation has caught up with it, which I believe will happen to Renault.

Renault might build great looking cars, but unfortunately when it involves reliability and quality of build, Renault are NOT among the MUCH better built cars out there.

I don't want miracles, all I wanted was a good long lasting reliable car to last for at least 6 yrs, but after only 1 year it is literally dropping to bits, which does not paint a pretty picture.

I intend to get shot of the big pile of junk before the warranty runs out, because I suspect it's going to land us with big unsuspecting bills.