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Hi John,

The Scenic has been heavily revised and updated since 2007 and really there's no comparison. A new 1.5 dCi diesel is going to be far more comfy and refined than a 2007 model. Besides which, Renault's build quality has also improved in the intervening years so it'll be more reliable too.

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Hi John,

As always this depends on condition and history but I'd say you're looking at around €4,500, maybe as little as €3,000 on a trade-in.

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Hi Susan,

Values seem to range from just over €8,000 to just over €13,000 - a pretty big variation. To be honest, the big numbers are being asked by dealers and we think they may be on the optimistic side. Probably around €10,000 is a fair valuation, maybe €9,000 as a trade-in.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Joe,

If it's the 180hp 2.0 dCi model you mean then its CO₂ emissions are 172g/km, which means annual road tax of €750.

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Hi Grainne,

Yeah, at that price level I'd avoid a Scenic. They older they get the worse their reliability becomes. How about a Toyota Corolla Verso instead? It's within your price range, has the space and is ultra reliable. The only thing is you'll probably have to break your 1.5-litre boundary and go for a 1.6.

What do you think?

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Hi David,

Not a terrible car but you could do better. The third generation Mégane atoned for many of the reliability sins of its forebears. It's well made, comfy and super economical. Make sure all the electrics work properly and argue yourself a good deal - Méganes depreciate heavily so make sure you're not putting too much into the front end.

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Hi Pat,

Yeah, electric window failures are depressingly common on most Renaults of that vintage. I'd say generally you're looking at a trade-in value of around €3,000 but you can probably knock another €750 or so off that thanks to the knackered windows.

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Hi Barry,

To be blunt, you're going to struggle to get a decent diesel engined car at that price level. There do seem to be one or two diesel Peugeot 307s or Renault Méganes around at that sort of money but we'd advise serious caution before purchase - neither have a great reputation for reliability. 

Unless you're covering mega-miles every week, you would probably be much, much better off getting a tidy 1.4 petrol hatchback, perhaps a circa 2002 Toyota Corolla? Really solid on the reliability front, excellent fuel economy and affordable motor tax. It would be a much better idea than going all out for diesel but ending up with a less reliable car.

What do you think?

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Hi Carmel,

OK, full disclosure - I owned a 2003 Laguna estate for several years, so I know here what I'm talking about. Realistically, they're not very reliable at all. The engines tend not to break in and of themselves, but everything else does. Anything electrical is suspect (especially the electric windows and the credit card key system), the suspensions are fragile (especially the rear rubber bushings) and the catalytic convertors regularly pop a rivet or two.

Best avoided to be fair.

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Hi Clare,

If you're looking for an MPV, I always tend to recommend a Toyota Corolla Verso. They're spacious, have plenty of room for boosters seats and the like and are very safe and reliable. If you get around €3k for your Renault, that should get you into a 2008 or 2009 Verso diesel.