During its conveyor life, the second generation Megane delighted its customers with a striking design, high comfort and safety. The car, even by modern standards, does not look outdated, making it a rather attractive purchase thanks to it.

What about the reliability of the model?

After all, there are many rumors about French cars, which are associated with their low reliability and maintainability. However, in the case of this model, things are actually far from so bad. So, about everything in more detail and in order.

If you are already the owner of Renault Megane 2 - we offer a free download, and if you are just going to get a Frenchman, then after reading this article you will learn the nuances and features that you should pay attention to when buying a "used" Renault Megane 2.

Problems in the 2nd generation Megan cabin

It is imperative that you begin your acquaintance with the Megan's second-hand salon by checking the operation of all the windows and the microclimate system (its fan). There is a likelihood of more serious problems Renault Megan 2. It happens that the cable of the electrical wiring may break, because of which the airbag becomes inoperative. And you only have to change it together with the steering column switch block, without options. The interior of the car can sometimes emit unpleasant creaks when driving through irregularities.

About lighting engineering

But here everything is not so unambiguous. Many "meganovody" complain that dipped-beam lamps in cars often burn out, and replacing is a time-consuming task. Also, due to the poor tightness of the optics, there is a possibility of oxidation of the contacts.

The body of the car Renault Megan 2

As many as five body options were offered! a hatchback in three and five-door versions, a sedan, a station wagon and an exclusive coupe-convertible. In Russia, there are all types, but a huge number of cars sold with hatchback and sedan bodies. According to the reviews of Megan's owners, the bodies of French cars can do very well. If there is a lot of rust, and there is more of it than in their foci (and foci are almost always in the rear wheel arches), then, in most cases, the car has been in an accident, and has undergone a not very high-quality repair.

Operation of Renault Megan engines of the 2nd generation

There was a pretty good assortment of power units - gasoline sixteen-valve four-cylinder 1.4, 1.6 and two-liter in which the power varies from 82 to 136 forces! There was also a choice of two-liter turbine units with a capacity of 163-225 hp! Here, only one weak point in the "luxury" gasoline 1.6 and 2-liter units fails the mechanism for smooth regulation of the valve timing, as in other models of the company with similar motors. There were cases when this system failed for 30 t. Kilometers of run. but most often its resource can be about 80 tons. kilometers. The engine mount has the same resource, but if you drive aggressively, then it can be halved.

It happens that the contacts of the "crankshaft" sensor are oxidized, which can sometimes lead to the fact that the engine will stop starting altogether. A similar situation can be observed due to a dead "battery".

It is worth noting that the Megane 2 requires an "update" of all the rollers and the timing belt approximately every 60 tons of kilometers. It is better not to trust garage craftsmen to do this kind of work. For example, they often fall short of the fastening bolt, which is why the pulley almost always turns. As a result, the "meeting" of the valves with the pistons will take place. Together with the timing belt, it is necessary to change the attachment drive belt and pump. There are no complaints and big complaints about turbodiesel engines... They have a working range from 1.5 to two liters, and the power is 80-150 forces, by the way, the most powerful and momentary of all the basic Megans is a two-liter turbodiesel!

Transmission (gearboxes) Renault Megane 2. Typical sores of the "machine"

As with many Renault, buying a used one is better with mechanical transmission... Before buying, you need to make sure that there are no oil smudges at the junction of the gearbox and clutch housing. In general, the "mechanics" will not cause problems. And those who nevertheless decided to choose the version with "automatic" may face problems associated with the valve body, torque converter, replacement of oil seals, and failure of modulation valves.

Operation of the suspension and chassis Renault Megan II

She has the highest smoothness, coupled with excellent handling, however, almost like all Frenchmen of this class, regardless of their generation. Reliability is almost perfect. Here, only one weak point is the support bearings of the front struts. Otherwise, all parts are much more durable. If ball joints will have to be replaced after 60 tons. kilometers, then the silent blocks "run" twice as long. Branded parts only come with a lever, which is why they are quite expensive. In principle, you can save money if you buy non-original parts. The rear suspension is all right - it is quite reliable- there are no problems with her. It is of a semi-dependent type (torsion beam mechanism).

Steering

Here, the steering rods and the rack bushing can most often be "covered". The consolation is that the rail itself is maintainable.

As seen from of this review things are not all that bad. If you enter "Renault Megan 2 owner reviews" in the search engine, you can make sure that the car is not so bad, especially if it is sold in good technical condition. In this case, you most likely will not be disappointed.

Megan of the second generation in terms of reliability is among the leaders on the same step, for example with the Peugeot 307, and is only slightly inferior Opel astra... Also, possible problems are more than offset by the fact that Renault will cost a little less than its "sworn" competitors, plus low prices for spare parts.

Video - review of used Renault Megan 2

There is a whole bunch of gears in store for the Renault Megane II. Gasoline engines up to 1.4 liters relied on a simple five-speed JH1 gearbox, but sometimes a stronger JH3 was installed with them, and from 1.6 it was always installed. It is easy to distinguish between boxes: the younger series has a clever design of the left SHRUS - its tripod is located inside the box.

JR5 - more a new version five-stage boxes, designed for a moment up to 200 Nm, and it is installed with 82-horsepower diesel engines 1.5 and gasoline engine 2.0. Unlike JH1 and JH3, it has cable drive switching mechanism.

Exotics, which we mainly find only with powerful versions of the 1.5Tdi diesel, are the six-speed PK4 / PK6 and the reinforced PF6 for gasoline turbo engines and the most powerful 1.9 and 2.0 diesels.

Well, there is only one automatic machine, on all versions there is a four-stage "all-French" DP0 in several versions - from DP0-046 to DP0-054.

Manual transmissions from the French are far from ideal, but in most cases, serious problems with them are not encountered up to runs of 200-300 thousand kilometers. But there are nuances.

JH1 gearboxes for 1.4 do not tolerate races - both synchronizers of 2-4 gears and a differential can die. The JR5 boxes are even harder if they have a turbodiesel. Here the severity of the consequences varies from the howling of the bearings to, again, the folding of the differential.

Another problem of the JH1 boxes is the design of the tripod glass and the boot of the left drive. This glass does not have the usual system of fixing the shaft, and the profile of the contact surface is such that with runs over 200 thousand, the shaft begins to vibrate, make noise, and at the slightest opportunity can "go out for a walk." But more often from the bearings of the "star" of the tripod ball bearings simply fall out, which are sent to "float" along the insides of the box. This usually ends up badly for the differential and gears.

The problem is complicated by the fact that the "CV joint boot" here is actually the gearbox oil seal, simply hypertrophied. It breaks when there are problems with the shaft, and all the oil from the box ends up on the road.

In the photo: Renault Megane 3-door "2006-09

JH3 is devoid of this dubious design, it has other CV joints with an intermediate shaft to ensure equal length, and there are immediately noticeably fewer problems. Let it flow no worse than the junior gearbox of the series, and the oil level must be monitored just as carefully, but the oil here will leave relatively slowly through ordinary oil seals or a sensor reverse, and little by little through the breather. Tripods with their open bearings are outside the box body, which can be considered a plus.

The JR5, as already mentioned, is rather weak for motors with a torque of 200 Nm, but after restyling, it was installed on cars with 1.6 engines, with which it is almost eternal in the presence of fresh oil. Well, from 2.0 or 1.5, after a couple of hundred thousand run, you can expect increased noise from fans to drive or ride on maximum speed... But most often the box is ruined by simply missing the oil.

All six-speed gears have a much higher maximum transferable torque. Even the youngest PK4 has a limit of 360 Nm, and given that, for the most part, they are installed with 1.5 dCi motors, which do not give out more than 240 Nm in stock, and it is almost unrealistic to tighten them for a moment more than 270 Nm, mechanical problems happen mainly due to a missed oil level. The differential is made with a good margin. However, diesel engines 1.9 and 2.0 fully realize all the capabilities of PK4, and they are entitled to PK6 / FP6, which have a limit higher than the 300-360 Nm that they develop.

Dual-mass flywheel on diesel engines in Renault performance- oddly enough, the thing is reliable, withstands more than 200 thousand mileage, but the cost of the clutch kit turns out to be rather big, more than 60 thousand rubles, and improper work with the clutch can finish off both it and the flywheel for much less mileage.

In younger gearboxes, the shift mechanism is driven by rods, with all the backlash relying on older cars. On the six-speed gearbox and JR5, the drive, as already mentioned, is cable-driven, noticeably more reliable, but sensitive to wear on the gear lever bearing. Also, the cables do not like long machine downtime, they can get jammed. You should not be intimidated by the hydraulic squeeze, it works perfectly and runs for a long time.

In the photo: Renault Megane "2006–10

Automatic boxes

AKP DP0 is fanned by some kind of demonic glory. Although, in fact, the idea was not bad. The older AD-4 box, which was a licensed, but modified and "improved" version of Volkswagen's masterpiece 01M, was redesigned and "improved" again to ensure the minimum cost and maximum manufacturability, and at the same time equipped with more advanced control electronics.

The result is that a good mechanical part was at least able to cope with a torque of up to 200 Nm, but even with a torque of 130-160 Nm on the motor shaft, there were a lot of problems with it. A weak cooling system, a heat exchanger clogged with deposits, intense contamination of the oil in the box, weak solenoids and a valve body, which is generally sensitive to pollution, created many problems for owners with runs over hundreds of thousands of kilometers, especially in Moscow traffic jams.

The creators of the box clearly knew about the weaknesses of the valve body and provided for a rather serious filter in the design, and not just a steel mesh. But they forgot to oblige the owners to often change the oil, and the internal filter simply clogs over time, creating oil starvation in the box. Moreover, it begins to be felt after 60 thousand kilometers of heavy traffic. The active use of blocking the gas turbine engine leads to its operation to the adhesive layer with runs of less than 150 thousand kilometers in urban traffic.

Overheating, which is practically programmed by the design of the box, and oil starvation quickly disable the bushings, and often still cause the valve body plate to bend. The Teflon O-rings of the back cover also fall apart almost immediately in such conditions. As a result, after the first overheating, the box is no longer a tenant.

An attempt at further operation after changing the oil / installing the radiator in a hurry only increases the cost of subsequent repairs. However, despite all this, at frequent replacement oil, normal thermal mode and the absence of racing ambitions from the owner of the car, you can find a completely live automatic transmission with a range of under 300 thousand.

The box endures peak loads quite normally, and small improvements in the form of an external radiator and the installation of an external filter for the automatic transmission, coupled with an oil change at least once every 30 thousand kilometers, translate this automatic transmission into the category of quite "long-playing" even with 2.0 engines.

Unfortunately, good hosts are as rare as ideal cars... However, the box can be overhauled once, since it is relatively inexpensive, and it is very simple to repair. The main thing is that in addition to repairing the mechanical part, do not forget about the valve body: its plate can be purchased for 16 thousand.

Gasoline engines

All engines on the second generation Megane are well known in Russia. The 1.4-liter K4J is a version of the popular K4M found on the Logan and Sandero. The two-liter F4R was installed on the Duster, as was the 1.5-liter K9K diesel. There will definitely be no problems with spare parts and service.

Of course, there are fewer specialists on the turbocharged F4Rt, but this is, in general, the same engine from the point of view of a locksmith, and diesel engines 1.9 and 2.0 were widely used on Nissan, Renault, Volvo and even a bunch of cars, but just on Megane they are completely irrelevant. Finding a car with this engine is as difficult as with a turbocharged gasoline engine, so we will not dwell on them in detail.

Motors of the K4 series, in general, have long proven themselves as reliable and inexpensive units to maintain. Especially the 1.6 liter K4M. The smaller K4J engine with 98 hp. less fortunate: his phase control system wears out more actively, and he is more susceptible to vibrations, traction failures and triplets. Otherwise, the design of the motors is practically the same, with the exception of the dimensions of the piston group, of course.

The most successful engine options are without a phase shifter, it is not the best design here. K4J with 82 hp just without it, it is not threatened with knocks in the morning, as well as the 105 hp K4M engine, which is very rare.

In the photo: Under the hood of Renault Megane Grandtour "2006–09

But all motors with a phase shifter, unfortunately, will require additional costs every hundred thousand. The current "phasic" is not only the loss of oil, but also the ingress of oil on the timing belt, which in such a situation will not live long. By the way, the service belt also needs to be monitored in both directions, here it is easily wound on the pulley, after which the timing belt slips. However, replacing the phase shifter will not ruin - it costs 6-8 thousand rubles, besides, there are recovery kits on sale.

Like other budget engines, the K4 has problems with oil leaks through the oil seals, the quality of the seals, noise and vibrations, as well as an intake leak.

The timing belt here requires routine replacement at least once every 60 thousand kilometers. It is not worth tightening, the belt itself and the rollers wear out - they are usually of average quality here. At the same time, you need to change the pump, she is unlikely to survive two timing changes.

Ignition coils are not particularly durable; after 50-60 thousand mileage, they can present surprises. The damper pulley of not the best design requires control and replacement every second timing shift, otherwise surprises are possible, up to smoke in the engine compartment and timing failure.

In the photo: Renault Megane 3-door "2003-06

Timing kit 2.0 F4R

price per original

4 978 rubles

The layout in the engine compartment is tight, for work with attachments it is often necessary to remove the front panel. But these are, in general, trifles. In general, this is an excellent motor with a resource of at least 300 thousand kilometers with normal maintenance.

The two-liter F4R is also a simple motor and even more reliable than its "small" counterparts. The problems are exactly the same: not a very large timing resource, leaks, a phase regulator with runs of more than 80 thousand, a dirty intake, a damper pulley.

A dirty choke and unsuccessful seals of the ignition coils are added - often punches the tip onto the body. At the same time, the engine is less sensitive to the quality of fuel, it runs even quieter and is not prone to vibrations. The resource is expectedly decent, for 300.

Diesel motors

Diesel K9K - in general, it is also a good engine. Only to the number Supplies here you need to include the inserts crankshaft... With runs of more than 120 thousand and the use of SAE30 viscosity oil, seizures are a common thing, especially after chip tuning.

In the photo: Renault Megane "2006-09

The rule is simple: buy a car, change the timing - change the inserts too. It is much cheaper than looking for a new motor instead of the old one with a hole in the block later. And it is best to use SAE40 or even SAE50 oils in the summer, change every 10 thousand maximum and regularly measure the oil pressure.

The EGR valve on the running cars sours tightly, after which the intake is also clogged. Sometimes the EGR pipe burns through.

The particulate filter is not a tenant when operating through traffic jams, and the regular burning procedure is very harmful to the motor, and it cannot be started without a scanner, especially since the liquid costs a lot of money for this. In case of serious contamination, the filter is more often removed than burned. Fortunately, there are Euro 3 versions without a filter.

Photo: Renault Megane station wagon 2006–09

From diesel cars it is worth choosing post-styling ones, with fuel equipment from Bosch, which is both more reliable and easier to find specialists. It is no coincidence that Renault has abandoned the Delphi supplier.

Turbine on versions over 100 hp rather gentle: during long warm-ups, for example, the wastegate will wedge, and overdue is fraught with torn shoulder blades ..

Fuel and air filters should be changed very often, optimally - once every 20 thousand, it is not so expensive. Under normal service piston group withstands more than 300 thousand escapes, and average consumption will please even Plyushkin. On the highway, you can achieve an indicator of 3.2 liters, if you do not exceed the speed of 90 km / h, and up to 5 liters in the city.

Photo: Convertible Renault Megane CC "2006–10

But still, if you want not to think about the motor, you'd better take something else. This engine requires high-quality maintenance, does not tolerate forgetfulness and carelessness, especially at the age at which all the second generation Megans on the market are.

Radiator

price per original

4 170 rubles

Finally, I would like to say about the problems that are typical for all motors. For example, leaks in the cooling system. The main radiator corrodes at the bottom and leaks closer to 200 thousand mileage. Factors contributing to this are the mileage on the highway, the lack of a protective mesh in the bumper and old antifreeze.

The radiator fans are not particularly tenacious; after 150 thousand mileage, it is highly recommended to monitor the rotation, and, if necessary, lubricate, clean or replace. In severe cases, the wiring to the fans may burn.

The engine mounts are weak, especially the lower "guitar" - with diesels and younger gasoline engines, they have to be changed often in order not to tolerate vibrations.

What's the bottom line?

Very interesting car turned out from the French. Comfortable, nice and easy to maintain. As always, there are several nuances that require attention: not a very successful electrician, suspension features, a phase regulator for most engines, EGR and liners on a diesel 1.5. Yes, and corrosion still occurs - as I said, they did not completely defeat it, they just made it invisible. But all the shortcomings in human rumor multiply many times over, remember and, and much more, often imaginary.

On the picture: hatchback Renault Megane "2003-06

In general, we can admit that the rumors about the incredible unreliability of Megan is greatly exaggerated. Especially if you take the 1.6 or 2.0 petrol version in combination with a manual gearbox.

Owner review

Philip Ivanov

Finding a diesel Megan in an "unkilled" state is almost impossible, but I found it was 5 years ago. At that time, most diesel engines were with a range of 500-600 thousand kilometers. Having bought the car, I immediately changed the connecting rod bearings in order to avoid the “fist of friendship”.

The car is excellent for comfort. I changed my native suspension by about 240,000 km. Replaced levers, silent blocks, ball joints and steering rack assembly. With all this, I still have my own shock absorbers, and they are alive.

In the photo: Renault Megane Grandtour "2003–06

The cabin contains many drawers and a gigantic refrigerated glove compartment. True, there are a lot of crickets. You can cure them by parsing and gluing, but I'm too lazy.

In the photo: Torpedo Renault Megane Grandtour "2006–09

The metal on my car doesn't rot at all. For example, 6 years ago I moved off a high curb and bent the hitch, which caused me to bent a little rear bumper... I didn't notice the problem right away. The clapperboard began to scratch on the bumper, and the paint chipped off, but after 6 years the rust did not appear.

Of the breakdowns ... The EGR tube burned out, but it turned out to be unrealistic to unscrew it - everything got stuck. I had to disassemble the muffler, remove the catalyst and turbine in order to remove all this and change the tube.

A separate story is the replacement of native xenon bulbs with the removal of the "muzzle" and the headlights themselves. I did it twice, the second time I did it in 15 minutes. It's also a lot of fun changing fuses: you have to remove the battery and turn off the brains.

Expert opinion

Renault Megane second generation - great option for those who are on a budget, but at the same time no longer feel a sense of beauty in the domestic auto industry. It is the reasonable price that is the main advantage of this car. For a pre-styling copy you will be asked for about 170 thousand rubles, and "rest" is not far from it - about 200 thousand. In this case, you will receive a truly European car. Here, for a minute, the cruise control was put even on fairly simple configurations with "mechanics". And the cars themselves are started from the button (and this is taking into account the years of production).

With a fairly large number of offers on the secondary market, the bulk of the cars are concentrated in the regions. Therefore, when choosing, be sure to expand the geography of your search. Traditionally, sedans prevail, and with a devastating score. Among the three available engines, the most common are the 1.6-liter 115 hp.

In the photo: Renault Megane 5-door "2003-06

Do not be surprised that the box has already been replaced or has been repaired several times for most automatic machines. The famous VAG-ovskoe heritage under different names took root for a long time on the "French", massively out of order in the mid-90s and successfully continues to take the soul out of their owners in the mid-2010s. Another feature of these cars is the plastic front fenders, which are not only unrepairable, but over time they also "move apart", forming gaps, which gives the impression that the car has been in an accident.

The stumbling block when choosing a Megane can be assembly, namely the choice between a purely French and Turkish assembly plant. Personally, I think the opinion about a better French assembly is just another stereotype and I don't see much difference. Is that in the body type - hatchbacks were assembled at a factory in France, sedans - in Turkey. There were also rare generalists from Spain. But if this is a matter of principle, then the owner is the master.

In the photo: Renault Megane 3-door "2006-09

When looking to sell a car, you have to be patient. It is difficult to name any specific dates, how lucky you are. The French, in principle, are strongly attached to their Russian owners and are very reluctant to part with them. Moreover, Renault Megane II has more popular competitors in the face of Ford focus, Opel Astra and Nissan almera... I personally know the lucky one who parted with the swallow for more than a year and a half (!). True, in fairness, it is worth noting that it was a hatchback.

Would you buy yourself a Renault Megane II?

So, let's start from the beginning, namely from the moment of choosing a car. Why did you choose Megane? Before him, my car was a well-known Chevrolet Aveo hatchback in our market (just like the hero of our review, a 5-door version), I had it for 3 years and proved itself from the best side, this review is not about him, so let's move on to Megane.

There were several reasons why I thought about changing the car. Firstly, this is a banal term (both moral and technical) of the operation of my current car at that time. Secondly, this is the birth of a son - accordingly, a relatively spacious and safe car is needed. And finally, this is an automatic transmission - I dreamed about it for a long time, since my three previous cars were on "mechanics", this frankly got me, since Kiev is by no means a problem-free city in terms of traffic jams.

Let's go directly to the choice and "candidates" for the role of my future car. According to my above requirements and budget, several cars were suitable (and as often happens, the hero of our review was not in it). For myself, I chose three cars:
1. Mitsubishi Lancer of the 9th generation, sedan, with a "tip-tronic" gearbox and excellent reviews of the owners.
2. Chevrolet lacetti, also an option in a sedan, frightened off with an outdated design and an archaic (but problem-free) automatic machine.
3. Hyundai accent, nice car but not much different in size and spaciousness from my Aveo.

After reviewing all the cars, I became desperate. Not so much on the quality of the cars themselves, but on their condition (on secondary market). And I was mentally prepared that the amount I had at that moment would not be enough for me. But one day (I will say more, nervous days) an acquaintance from the Renault dealership called me and told me about a good option they had on the trade in site.
Arriving at the car dealership, I immediately went to him - Renault Megane. He stood on a separate site in splendid isolation, but with a proud inscription on the license plate - "with a trial".

Having walked around the car from all sides and made a short test drive, I paid the necessary amount for the car without further hesitation. The state of both the exterior and the interior was completely fine with me, with the exception of small chips on front bumper... Nothing critical, and the specific color of the car masterfully hid this defect. But the "control shot in the head" for me was the set of the car - Extreme.

This package includes the following amenities:
- checkpoint tip-tronic (Hurray!);
- 1.6-liter engine with a capacity of 116 hp;
- full electric package, windows on all doors, electric mirrors;
- climate control;
- light sensor;
- Rain sensor;
- fog lights;
- control of the head unit on the steering wheel, more precisely under it;
- engine start button;
- chip key;
- lensed optics;
- 6 airbags and iso-fix attachments for child seats;
- branded alloy wheels 16th diameter.

As I already wrote, the car is equipped with Extreme in 2007, but was bought by the first owner in the summer of 2008. At the time of buying the car, the mileage was 80 thousand kilometers, I will say right away: I did not face any serious repairs this year. Why would this be a huge plus, since all the familiar “experts” of the Renault brand scared me away precisely by the high cost of repairs. During this year, I managed to drive about 8 thousand, and all I did was change the oil, all the filters and changed the front stabilizer bushings (a known Renault problem). It cost me 490 UAH. (about 60 cu), of which the “astronomical” amount of 52 hryvnias fell on the stabilizer bushings. (about 6 USD) for the original set.

After that, the ordinary operation of the car began. The first thing I had to get used to was the “automatic machine”. For the first weeks I thought that I would knock the floor of the car with my left foot (I think many of you have come across this). Far from departing from our topic, I will immediately answer why I was looking for the type-tronic as a type of automatic transmission. For me, this is the ability to force the selection of gears, so to speak, imitating the classic mechanics. Plus, all the familiar owners of classic "automatic machines" unanimously "shouted" about the problems in winter period, but more on that later.

I have a car dark gray and has a classic design for the Renault brand of the time. The period of the early and mid-2000s is remarkable for the Renault brand as a period of active design experiments (which is only a "spaceship" - Renault Vel Satis), design notes of which are embodied in my Megane.

During this year of operation, the car pleased roomy interior, a huge number of all kinds of boxes and compartments (in addition to the glove compartment, there are 5 more of them: two under the feet of the front passenger and the driver, and two more - in the front doors), not a super-large, but quite roomy trunk that can easily accommodate a stroller, and now and my son's bike (for comparison, the same bike did not fit into the trunk of a Mitsubishi Lancer X).

In addition, I was pleased with the excellent seats. By the way, they have not changed at all to this day, in cars such as Renault fluence and Megane 3 in their modern interpretations, have the same seats as in my Megane 2. Of course, this can be attributed to the "stinginess" of the automaker, but after spending more than a year behind the wheel, I can safely say - the seats are excellent. Lateral support and moderate stiffness promote both active drive and imposing ride. The only drawback specifically in my car is a worn-out place, which was formed thanks, apparently, to the rather big ass of the previous owner.

The landing in the car can be called ideal - the rather large front pillars do not interfere with the view at all. Seat height, reach and angle of the steering wheel can be changed, there are plenty of adjustments for a comfortable fit. With my height of 188 cm, I am absolutely comfortable, although I have a habit of adjusting the seats and steering wheel in a sporty manner. There are very few flaws in ergonomics. So little that I can’t say a few words about them. Either they are not critical, or they are not flaws, but a matter of habit. The only thing I can remember is that the window lifters are shifted towards the A-pillar, which causes your fingers to fall on the rear window buttons instead of the front ones, if you put your hand on the door card without looking. Maybe this is a feature of my landing, I will not argue. Rear passengers are comfortable if there are not more than two of them, since the seat for the middle passenger is much less comfortable. There is enough legroom - about 5 - 7 cm remains from the knees to the back of the front seat.

The car multimedia system is a head unit of the Renault concern, nothing special in terms of capabilities: it reads audio discs and has RDS support in the radio - that's all. The sound in the car is produced by four speakers (one in each of the doors) and two high-frequency tweeters, which are located directly in the dashboard itself. The sound in the car is good, but no more. I must say right away that I lacked low frequencies - but I solved this problem quickly, since I have an active 8-inch Blaupunkt subwoofer, which wanders from one of my cars to another for the third time.

In the future, I plan to add an external USB-module to the standard head unit, which adds a USB-connector and support for the mp3 format. If it is interesting, I will definitely write about it in more detail.

As for driving a Megane, I can say one thing: the car is comfortable and moderately hard, it reacts absolutely calmly to uneven asphalt. Summer consumption is 9-9.5 liters in the city. Outside the city, this figure drops to 7 liters. Quite a lot today, but do not forget that there is a 4-speed type-tronic - on a much more modern Renault Fluence with a similar engine, but a 6-speed CVT, the figures will be 1.5-2 liters lower. In winter, constant warming up of the engine and gearbox leads to 11 liters in the city. For comparison, the Chevrolet Lacetti, which I considered above as an option, has a consumption of 14 liters in winter.
As for the operation of the box, to be honest, over the entire winter period I never had to help it manually. Apparently, the "learnability" of the type-tronic has an effect.

Summing up my review, I can say one thing. Do not be afraid of French cars (Renault in particular). The myth about their lack of vitality and fragility is most likely a thing of the past. There are enough flaws in every car, the question is which ones you can put up with and which you can't.

In my case, the only drawback is fuel consumption, but if you like a similar car, you can always buy it from a manual transmission, thereby reducing consumption. And if you have enough funds for a new generation, feel free to look towards modern Fluence and Megane, many of the features indicated in my review are also true for them.

• , 08 Jan 2015

Renault Megan 2 began to conquer the hearts of many motorists with its design since 2002. Produced in sedan, station wagon, hatchback versions. And although in 2006 it acquired a slightly different appearance, General characteristics it had no effect. And minor flaws and malfunctions of Renault Megan 2 remained without the attention of the automaker. Especially a lot of complaints from the owners were about the electronics of the Frenchman. Although there are lucky ones who do not know Megan's breakdowns and illnesses. In this case, let's just talk about the weak points and frequent malfunctions of the Renault Megane 2 car, so that the owners of this beauty know in advance what to look for in the first place and from what to protect it.

Engine

• The phase regulator runs less than desired(often frightens with its crackle, besides, the car refuses to gain momentum). And his price is not small - from $ 120. Those who have a 1.4 liter engine do not have a problem (there is no phase regulator). On engines 1.6 and 2.0 liters. The problem may begin to bother after 30 thousand km of run, although it often arises at 100 thousand.
• Small service life of the crankshaft pulley with a rubber damper (60 - 80 thousand mileage).
• At 30 thousand mileage may need throttle cleaning, moreover, along with this procedure, it is necessary to change its rubber seal (it becomes dubious and as a result air leaks appear).
• Not happy service life of ignition coils which is like a crankshaft pulley is 60-80 thousand km.
• After 80,000 km will probably start to create problems with starting the car,- starter... But often small defects are easily eliminated (replacing the retractor fuse, stripping contacts and wires).
• Owners of the first second generation Megan weak rear lower engine mount... In most cases, the lifetime will be only about 20-30 thousand kilometers. Jerks and jerks at the start will speak of her death. On cars produced after 2008, the problem was eliminated by the manufacturer.

Unfortunately, there is little information about reliability diesel unit Renault Megan 2. The main problems arising with it are burnout of the washer under the nozzles or cracks in the intercooler housing, but such defects threaten no earlier than 120 thousand mileage.

The most reliable is a 98-horsepower 1.4-liter gasoline engine. The least of all complaints arose against him.

Electronics

• Glitch in ECU with engine speed in the cold season. The revolutions immediately rise, and then fall sharply and freeze at around 400 rpm.
• If there is a Valeo generator on the car, then after 60 thousand km, it very often fails (the problem is either in the regulator relay or brushes).
• 60 thousand kilometers in the steering column breaks off... Since you can only buy an assembly with a steering switch for 200 dollars, then the best option there can only be a soldering of the loop. A sign that the train will soon close and the pillow light will light up - there will be a rustling sound when the steering wheel is turned.
• On older cars of 2006, in wet weather, miracles with electronics can often happen, in particular, the image on the board of the bortovik can disappear.
• Closer to 60-80 thousand km. may refuse power windows, will often be the front ones (they are used the most). Due to the destruction of the bridge in the gearbox housing, or the drum with the cable wears out.
• The wiper motor may burn out (due to its location). When the drainage hole of the water drain is clogged, in front of the windshield, it fills the motor.

Transmission

• After 60 thousand km may appear whistling release bearing on the secondary shaft.
• Also, in most owners, on a run of 60,000 km box kicks appear through worn clutch disc, its lifetime is short. And for more than 50 thousand it will not be enough either. The clutch disc from Scenic showed itself much better.
• On automatic transmissions after 40 thousand valves in the hydraulic valve clog up(mainly depends on driving style).
• A field of 60 thousand km there is a high probability of an imminent failure of the automatic transmission pillow.

Undercarriage

• One of the frequent breakdowns that manifest themselves after 50 thousand km is an .
• Closer to 60 thousand steering tips will have to be changed.
• To 80,000 km. would need .

Salon

• After forty thousand runs in the salon settling "crickets"... Most often, the tanning seal between the dashboard and the glass creaks, although this is not the only place. The source of squeaks will be handles, door hinges.
• When the thermal insulation under the hood sags, then hot air from the engine enters the passenger compartment through the ventilation system... Warm air will flow from the air ducts of the stove even in the heat.

Exhaust system

• Strongly the exhaust pipe is corroded.
• Small catalyst resource... In most cases, it should serve at least 150 thousand, and on Megan 2, it is barely 100 thousand capable. This is another weak point of Renault Megane.

Headlights

• Enough frequent malfunction Megan 2 is burning of the negative terminal of the power supply of the rear lights... As a result, "color music" appears when you press the brake pedal or turn on the turns. Only replacing the connector will help (cleaning the contacts will temporarily solve the problem).

As you can see, the list of Renault Megan 2 faults is decent, but not all of them are serious, so if you know about them, you can prepare in advance. Plus, of course, everything is not so sad and it’s sad how it might seem at first glance, after looking at all these upcoming breakdowns, because the probability that this particular set is waiting for one owner is negligible, although 5-6 weak points will come out for anyone.

The second generation of Renault Megan cars was presented at the 2002 Paris Motor Show. After the debut, the production of five-door and three-door hatchbacks began, a year later a coupe-convertible with a CC prefix and a compact van called Scenic II went on sale, in the same year the French manufacturer decided to supplement the proposed din with the Break station wagon. In 2006, the first generation of the model underwent restyling, and in 2008 it was discontinued.
The most memorable and striking detail in external appearance The second generation Megana became the luggage compartment lid, which caused a mixed reaction among motorists.
Body. On used Renault Megane of the second generation, rubber glass seals tend to peel off by themselves. Hatchbacks produced in 2005 also have one weakness, they fly apart for no apparent reason rear glass, therefore, before buying such a copy, it is better to make sure that its former owner eliminated this problem and did not ignore the recall campaign. The second-generation Renault Megan sedans suffer from an even more exotic problem, in some models the roof bulges in severe frosts. Most often, such cases were noted in the winter of 2006 in severe frosts, the reason for this phenomenon was the firmly attached panels of thermoregulation of the roof, which shrank from the cold and pulled the metal along with them. In 2007, the creators began to use thermal insulation from other materials. Therefore, if you find traces of repairs on older cars, then this is not a sign of an emergency past.
All the bodies of the used Renault Megane II cars received quite reliable protection against corrosion: the boot floor and front fenders were made of polypropylene plastic, and all metal panels were galvanized. But in any case, time affects the body and the rear wheel arches may rust in places where the paint is worn to metal. Owners of such vehicles should regularly monitor the condition of the anti-gravel stickers on the rear fenders, as they easily come off during washing. Owners should also clean the gutter holes at least once a year in front of the windshield, otherwise you can not only dilute the swamp in the cabin, but also severely spoil the thermoregulation and sound insulation in the engine compartment and even change the trapezoid of the wipers, which, moreover, will not be able to for a long time work after that.
When inspecting a second-generation Renault Megan second-generation car, special attention should be paid to the work of lighting equipment. It is known that the xenon ignition unit can often fail due to moisture ingress into it through the oxidation of the electrical contact. Nearby halogen lamps do not last for a long time, and it is very difficult to change them; this has to be done by touch through special hatches located in the front wheel arches. Pre-styled sedans suffer from diffuser reflow rear lights moreover, their optics are often leaky.
Salon. Compared to the body of a used Renault Megane II car, its interior is less avant-garde, but in general everything is quite spacious and comfortable. Inside this vehicle there is a large number of different drawers, stashes, pockets and glove compartments.
One of the weakest points of the cabin is considered to be power windows, or rather, control buttons. The fabric used for the upholstery of the doors does not have sufficient resistance to staining. With intensive use, the rubber-plastic coating on the inner surface of door handles can completely peel off after a few years.
The left A-pillar somewhat restricts side view visibility. Torpedo on some copies annoys squeaks windshield... The driver's seat can comfortably accommodate people of any configuration due to a wide range of steering wheel and driver's seat adjustments. But in winter, the carpet tends to crawl out from under the linings.
Both the station wagon and the Renault Megan sedan have a longer wheelbase than a hatchback, thanks to this, the passengers in the rear row of seats feel more comfortable. In hatchbacks, the roof height is sufficient for comfortable seating of passengers of average height up to 1.8 m.
The interior climate control system may refuse to work due to the control unit or the fan; after a run of 100 thousand km, the situation deteriorates significantly, since there is a high probability of jamming of the air conditioner compressor. After 80-100 thousand kilometers, a break in the steering column may occur in the wiring bus; clicks when turning the steering wheel are the harbingers of this problem, in which case the owners have to change the steering column switch block.
On a used Renault Megane II, the rear wiper may suddenly fail, the driver has to turn off the ignition and wait a while to turn it on again.
Cars manufactured before 2007 often had to change their heads. standard audio system under warranty due to display shutdown.

Motor. On domestic car markets, only petrol modifications Megana of the second generation, the most common of them are versions with a working volume of 2.0, 1.6, 1.4 liters. Most typical problem 1.6-liter and two-liter units became a short-lived valve timing mechanism. In the best case, it is capable of serving 80-100 thousand km, but sometimes its refusals were recorded even for 30 thousand km. This malfunction in a 1.6-liter engine manifests itself at first with a knock when starting, and in a two-liter engine, an unpleasant sound resembling a diesel engine is constantly heard on idle... If you regularly process individual coils in the places of contact with the candle with special grease, then this should slightly extend their life. For everyone gasoline cars Renault Megan of the second generation, released before 2006, the creators installed only coils called Sagem, which could not even nurture up to 30-40 thousand km.
In a 1.6-liter unit, failures of the sensor responsible for the position of the camshaft often occur. He suffers from problems that are inherent in all units. If the engine refuses to start, the reason may lie in the blocking of the ECU start button or in a slightly dead battery, or in the oxidation of the crankshaft sensor contact. For active drivers, the rear engine support often only withstands 30-40 thousand km, practice shows that with a 1.6-liter engine it lasts several times longer.
It is advisable to change the water pump for any of the proposed engines together with the timing belt, as well as rollers, and this must be done every 60 thousand km. By the way, experts do not advise changing the belt in garage services, because the consequences of such a replacement can be dire (there you need to properly tighten the fastening bolts and correctly set the phases).
Two-liter and 1.6-liter engines have one of the most costly malfunctions - the variable valve timing system. This mechanism on many Renault Megane cars of the second generation, produced before 2006, was replaced under warranty, since the malfunction manifested itself at low mileage.
Transmission. With more powerful power units installed six-speed manual gearboxes, and with less powerful - five-speed "mechanics". They are considered a strong and reliable unit, therefore, by themselves, they do not let their owners down. Complaints can only cause oil seals to leak after a run of 100 thousand km and an indistinct lever stroke from birth. But on some specimens, after 10-15 thousand km at the moment of closing the clutch discs, jerks appear, which is especially often manifested in congestion and when the unit heats up in hot weather. This problem cannot be cured even by radical means - by replacing the basket assembly.
Experts do not advise buying a used second-generation Renault Megan car with adaptive automatic transmission gear. This unit is sensitive to the level and quality of the oil, and also does not like working in a cold state. The risk group is always the torque converter and oil seals. And the modulation valves or even the entire valve body, the owners of such versions are forced to change due to strong jolts during gear shifting already at a run of 60-80 thousand km.
Running gear. The working chassis of the Renault Megane II is capable of providing quite comfortable movement on our roads. In the front, manufacturers have installed independent suspension MacPherson strut, and a semi-independent torsion beam suspension is installed at the rear. If rear suspension he has no complaints from the masters, then there are enough complaints to the front. On versions produced before 2007, the thrust bearings on the A-pillars had to be changed every 15-20 thousand km. The reason for such a limited resource was inadequate protection from dirt.
In the front suspension, silent blocks could have a resource of 120-150 thousand km, but they are consumed before half of them together with non-removable worn out ball bearings. No one disputes that non-original hinges can be purchased separately, but in this case, the strength of the lever with the ball bolted will be unknown to anyone.
The struts and bushings of anti-roll bars go 110-130 thousand km without question, shock absorbers have a similar resource. But rear shock absorbers it is more difficult, so they can start knocking up to 100 thousand km. As for the rear silent blocks, if on a run of 100-120 thousand km they begin to creak, it means that they are already torn.
Rack steering was equipped with an electric amplifier, it is able to change the gain depending on the speed. Weak point The steering rack has become a rack bushing, which breaks very quickly, as a result of which it begins to knock unpleasantly when driving over irregularities. I am glad at least that steering rack has good maintainability. Branded tie rods also cannot be called durable, the masters advise installing non-original spare parts that last much longer. But the steering tips run about two to three times longer than the steering rods.
On old cars, the electric drive of the sensor anti-lock braking system the brakes can break, this leads to system failure. On used Renault Meganes of the second generation, created before 2006, the rear brakes do not have special mud guards, and this significantly accelerates the wear of the inner pads.
Service and prices for spare parts. The undeniable advantage of the Renault Megane II is its maintainable design. A locksmith can easily repair its mechanical part. If we talk about the cost of new original spare parts, then most motorists will find their prices unreasonably high, especially if these are specific parts. But the owners of this model can always turn to disassembly, since there are no problems with them, the prices there are average, the same as for many classmates.
Conclusion. French cars cannot be denied their sophisticated style. It is contraindicated for pragmatic people to buy used Renault Megan of the second generation, they probably will not like it frequent breakdowns and problems with different nodes. But if you think you can handle most of the problems of this French model on your own, then Renault car Megane, in addition to its unusual design, will be able to offer you a decent level of comfort, a high level of safety, fairly rich equipment for a low price.
Today, in the secondary market, you can buy a used Renault Megane II at a price of 8 to 14 thousand dollars.