Renault Laguna Hatchback (2001 - 2007) 1.9 dCi Dynamique 5d (2004/04) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

The dealer obviously saw me coming! I had really like the look of the Laguna so thought I'd give it a try to own a Renault. Big mistake.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

My neighbours keep reminding me that they'd warned me about owning a Renault. Wish I'd listened.

Would you buy this car again and why?

No, I wouldn't buy it again. The reliability issues are too big of an issue with the Laguna in my opinion, and simply not worth all the hassle.

What are you likely to buy next?

I'm already looking at buying a Volvo estate. My previous car was an Audi A6 and I feel that I desperately need to get back to owning a better quality car.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£5,600

When did you buy the car?

June 2008

Did you get a good deal and why?

I did get a very good deal on the car as it was from a small dealer on a country estate, with presumably quite low overhead costs.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

I'd just sold my previous car because of high miles so needed a replacement.

What was the dealer like?

They seemed decent enough as far as second hand dealers go. Nothing to write home about but reasonably straightforward in their answers and nothing inconsistent with the condition of the car, or of the documentation, which was complete.

What's it like to drive?

It's very nice to drive, as far as the steering is concerned, but the gearbox has always been difficult, particularly when the engine is cold in the morning. Once the engine has warmed, changing gears is more smooth, but it's still much more clunky than should be expected of a car made in Western Europe.

What's it like to park?

It's pretty good for parking. It has good visibility and although it's a family sized car, it's never seemed too big to me for squeezing into tight spaces.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Lots of things have gone wrong mechanically, so many in fact, that I would be quite reluctant to ever buy another Renault. The most major breakdown has been that it needed a new gearbox at 76000 miles, which I find unbelievable. At 105k miles the heater fan motor stopped working. It was in the middle of winter and I couldn't defrost the windscreen. Renault had to order the part from France, which took two weeks to deliver and cost me £497. It had been clean when I left it with them but after two weeks of sitting idle it was covered with bird droppings, had leaves stuck to it, etc. I would have to say that this is the least reliable car I've ever owned. It's not been a good experience owning this car and I would not recommend to anyone that they buy a Renault.

What's most practical about your car?

Because it's a diesel it gets good mileage, which is just under 50 mpg.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

I do like the radio controls on the steering column.