Renault Vel Satis (2002 - 2004) 3.0 V6 dCi Initiale 5d Auto Owner Review

After coming from 2 206's the Vel Satis being my dream car since I were 7 years old has been a long wait but definitely worth it. There's nothing quite like one on UK roads. I think the closest that comes in terms of quirkiness and premium factor would be the Chrysler/Lancia Delta or Citroën DS5. It's been absolutely spot on. They were a couple of very small issues at first which all issues on Vel Satis are easily repaired or put right. Usually stuff like failed Temic window modules or a failed parking sensor. After these it's been absolutely faultless and reliable! How does Vel Satis make me feel? Whenever I see it it raises a smile, there's nothing at all quite beautifully designed on the road with such parisian charm! You never get bored of the elegant timeless lines and design cues. It's definitely an instant design classic from launch. The feeling of exclusivity is next to none. You will however get bored of telling people what it is and them replying saying 'a what?' just tell them you wouldn't understand! The way Vel Satis drives isn't particularly the best however this does depend on suspension wear and where it's driven. Driving in town can be stressful as the car is clearly designed for business use on motorways to get executives to their meetings. It does have a tendency to hit speedbumps hard and completely ruin the handling by boating you around the cabin. On motorways the ride is silky smooth and refined. Noise insulation I believe feel class leading and the optional double glaze laminated side glass does make a massive difference. You could cruise along motorways and autoroutes all day without stress or tiredness. The power and torque from the Isuzu P9X unit is brisk and enough power and torque to pull the car along although don't expect insane performance, Renault didn't intend this with this car. On a backroom the Vel Satis does handle exceptionally well for the size of the vehicle and cleaver manufacturing to save weight reduction makes it feel very little and nimble on corners. The car does however wallow a bit from front and rear although this does show that it wasn't intended to be no hardcore hot hatch. It does deliver particularly well though. The gearbox is smooth and not jearky like what you'll find in a Lexus, this is a very good Japanese Aisin Warner box. The box isn't perfect as it does sometimes struggle to remember when to shift up gears meaning the engine can rev higher than nessesary at times. It is a no thrills gearbox but very reliable and is smooth. The interior on Vel Satis is like no other interior in its class. With masses of room it does dwarf the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class for space. Luckily unlike many other executive cars the Vel Satis does have real cow hide and alderwood with walnut marquetry. The cabin is very cleaver with traditional Renault style and practicality. There's storage under all main seats and hidden storage in the dashboard and clever door storage. The seats are a timeless piece of artwork incorporating 3 point seatbelts into the seats with a lovely dash off aluminium engineering for the seatbelt reel. The driver and front passenger is welcomed with 2 piece lounge like seats with complete adjustment to make you feel home including full heated leather and the driver gets memory function which saves to the classy keycard and also saves mirror position. The steering however has average amounts of reach and rake and I personally believe it Could do with a bit more adjustment as you do feel like you're reaching too far forward and high up. Rear passengers are spoilt with acres of legroom and an individual ashtray and sunblind including a rear sunblind. These unfortunately are not electric but you either get a habit of keeping them up or down. I've always kept them up. Rear passengers have a shared climate control unit with its own blower so is as powerful as the front. Headroom is class leading being a large hatchback something so many executive cars seem to get wrong.. Jaguar XJ and Citroën C6, I'm pointing at you! What to look for with a Vel Satis. Make sure the front and rear sway bar bushes have been replaced, front ones are hidden from the MOT inspection and there's too much weight up front to feel for play. You will notice this by a rattle and excessive front wobble in the front when cornering or going over bumps. Make sure all windows work and that the child safety features work, if they don't it means it may have been retrofitted with an aftermarket module which looses out on one touch and child trap features. Check the auto leveling headlights work, this is usually a link that has dropped off on either the front or rear suspension, if they are intact then it will be a failed sensor. Check that headlamp jets aren't sticking and are jetting a good pressure of wash. Silicone spray may help loosened the jets. Check for hazy headlamps, this give Vel Satis a rough look. A good magnesium polish will take this straight off! There's a few more things I could say but overall the Vel Satis is a car I won't be getting rid of anytime soon! It'll definitely rocket in value any time soon so get one while you can! You won't be disappointed provided you maintain it and keep everything solid.