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Hi Bobby,

Well, it's a lot better than the old Mégane, but then that's not saying much... It should be fine, actually. That 1.5 dCi diesel is a solid engine, and Nissan uses it too so it can't be bad, right? Keep an eye on all electrical systems though as these seem to be a perennial Renault weak point and carefully check the rather cheap-feeling cabin for signs of excess wear and tear.

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Hi Michael,

Should be fine, but just check all the electrics and buttons on the inside, as one of the few weak areas on the Vitara is in its wiring. Also make sure that a recall to have the front suspension attended to has been done, and check the service book - Vitaras have rather short 10,000km service intervals so one or two may have been skipped. Other than that, it should be a good 'un.

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Hi Emmet,

It is, actually - one of the few mid-2000s Mercs you could say that about. The 200k engine is a solid old thing, although it does sound worryingly like a broken cement mixer when you accelerate hard. The complex folding roof mechanism is also pretty good, but be careful if the previous owner chose to leave the roof mostly up, as the electric motors can freeze in place if it's not exercised regularly.

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Hi Patrick,

Volvo tends to build its cars pretty tough and the S80 is no different. Make sure that the timing belt (and its tensioners and pulleys) have been attended to at service time and that all of the electrics are working properly - apparently the S80 has a habit of warning of electrical failures when the components are actually fine.

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Hi Craig,

Thankfully, not as much as Land Rovers of old. It seems that, bar the occasional 'Friday afternoon car' the Disco 3 is a well-made, mostly reliable product. Check carefully though for any electrical gremlins (literally push every button and make sure that what it's supposed to control responds as it should) and check for any leaks or uneven sitting from the air suspension - could be a sign that the compressor is on its way out. Make sure that the automatic gearbox (few were sold as manuals) shifts crisply and cleanly too - the Disco 3 doesn't have the same reputation for chewing transmissions as its predecessor, but it can still be a weak point. And, as with any big off-roader, check carefully to see if it's been abused or worked hard as a builder's mate.

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Hi Liam,

By and large, yes. Some minor electrical glitches here and there but Renault had really gotten on top of he reliability problems that plagued the previous Mégane.

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Hi Noel,

Not really, no. 

The second generation (the strikingly styled one with the bustle boot) looks great and is nice to drive, but suffered from a catalogue of reliability disorders including dodgy electrics and brakes.

The third generation (current model) is far better from a reliability standpoint but rampant discounting of the car during the most recent scrappage scheme has seen used values collapse, so while they're cheap to buy, you'll never get rid of it. 

Actually, the best Mégane to buy might just be the first generation, which ran from 1994 to 2002. Yes, they're all getting old now but they were reasonably robustly built, exceptionally comfy and not at all bad to drive. Pick one up for buttons and drive it until it owes you nothing.

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Hi Dolores,

The Fluence isn't one of our favourite cars, to be honest, as it's a bit dull to look at and drive, but in reliability terms it should be mostly OK. The 1.5 dCi diesel is pretty solid in that regard, and it's very economical. Just keep an eye on the electrics, as things like electric windows can give trouble. Other than that the only concern is resale value - it's an area where many previous Renaults have fallen down, so you need to be aware of that. If you're planning to trade it in for another Renault in a few years' time, you'll be OK, but switching to another brand could prove a problem when it comes to trade in.

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Hi Susan,

Wow, you're a glutton for punishment aren't you? You pretty much couldn't have picked two less reliable cars. The Discovery is best avoided. If you could afford to trade up to a third-generation model I'd say that's worth a go, as Land Rover was starting to get on top of its quality issues by then, but the old Series II is just bad news. Gearboxes go, electrics go and even the suspension can fail. I know what you mean about falling in love - it's happened to me too with old Land Rovers, but you're looking at a very high-maintenance partner there.

The Espace is a little better, but not by much. The diesel engines are very fragile - check for smoke, check for oil levels and if there are any signs of overheating, run don't walk away. Check anything with an electrical wire coming out the back of it too as it can all go wrong, although the electronic parking brake and electric windows are especially prone to wrongness. Also, keep an eye on the tyres. Espaces go through them like butter and 20,000km is about as much as you'll get out of a set.

If you really want a seven-seater that works properly, can I suggest either a Mitsubishi Pajero or Toyota Land Cruiser? Not as cool as the Discovery, but they won't let you down.

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Hi Jay,

Well, that's pretty much all you'll ever see at a taxi rank in Berlin or Munich so draw your own conclusions. Just watch the 2002 - 2010 E-Class like a hawk. They were pretty shoddily built my Merc standards and developed a lot of electrical, braking and transmission problems.