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Hi Vittorio,

You've got it all answered yourself there. The BMW's overall residual value will indeed be slightly better, but, long term, the Mazda should prove to be much more reliable and rugged. Both are excellent to drive. The BMW's classic rear-drive chassis is slightly the superior, but the Mazda's muscular steering feel and firmly sprung chassis makes it one of the best front-drive saloon chassis around. 

Nothing major to watch for on either - just make sure there's a fully stamped up service history and check the BMW carefully to make sure that all the electrical bits work and that it's been topped up with high grade oil at each service. Both cars may have been driven hard by previous owners (many will be ex-fleet) so check carefully for thinks like uneven tyre wear or noises from underneath that indicate worn or out-askew suspension.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Anne,

Electrics mostly - everything from the electric windows to the alarm system can give trouble, but also check in the boot for water getting in as the boot seals can be a bit dodgy on early models.

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Hi Michael,

Insignias are quite well built (they are German, after all), but seem to be prone to electrical gremlins. Check to make sure that all the buttons and switches work as they should and if anything doesn't, walk away. It's not unusual for the alarm to start sounding for no apparent reason, so be aware of that. Early models also had suspect boot seals that could let in rain, so have a careful check in the boot for any signs of dampness.

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Hi James,

At that low mileage it should be fine. Electrical gremlins are what strike the Scenic, especially the electric windows, but also watch for problems with the cruise control, alarm, electric parking brake and even the indicators. The good news is that the engines are pretty robust and either the 1.5 or more powerful 1.9 dCi diesel engines are good choices. 

Oh, do watch for bits of the cabin coming off in your hand too...

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Hi Denis,

While it shouldn't suffer from any massive mechanical issues, the second generation Mégane upheld Renault's unloved reputation for electrical problems. Basically be suspect of anything with a copper wire coming out of the back - electric windows especially, but also wiper and light stalks, keyless ignition and remote central locking, which all seem to give problems. The engine management system can also go for a bit of a bath, causing sluggish throttle response and poor starting. Squealing brakes usually just means that the pads need changing.

Hope that helps

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Hi Eddy,

I presume you mean the last, rather than current generation. Quite a nice car, actually, majoring on comfort and economy rather than pin-sharp handling and there's that fixed-hub steering wheel and central digital instruments to liven up the cabin. 

Best version to go for is either of the 1.6 or 1.4 HDi diesel models - the 1.4 petrol is just not up to scratch, although the rare 1.6-litre petrol Sebastian Loeb rally edition is worth seeking out as a rare slice of warm hatch - if that's your sort of thing.

In terms of reliability, it's a bit of a mixed bag. There are no huge mechanical issues, but you've got to watch for electrical glitches in the speed limiter and cruise control systems and keep an eye out for disintegrating cabin trim. 

You also have to make sure that all five of the safety recalls have been carried out, including ones for electrical fires, poor brake performance and faulty airbags.

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Hi Gerard,

It’s a very good family car from the point of view of safety and comfort, and yes that 1.5-litre diesel is hugely economical (you should see better than 50mpg on a regular basis). You just need to keep a close eye on electrical items such as the central locking, the key-card and the windows and beware of traditionally steep depreciation for large French cars.

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Hi Gerard,

I write this as a former (recovering?) Laguna owner and the best I can tell you is to tread very, very carefully. Admittedly, I owned the previous generation Laguna that was quite simply a reliability disaster and one that cost Renault a fortune in warranty claims. The third-generation car, the one you're looking at, is much better in reliability terms, but still, you need to be suspicious of anything that uses electricity – make sure absolutely everything electrical is working properly and watch it like a hawk to check for failures. The 1.5 dCi engine is actually pretty good, and robust too, and you should pretty easily get high-forties mpg out of it. However, you're going to be on a pretty steep depreciation slope as nothing loses value faster than a big French car. That's fine if you're planning to keep and use it until it dies, but not so good if you're planning to trade-in in a few years. As a family car, it's actually quite good though – spacious and comfy, with a big boot and Renault has an excellent reputation for safety too.

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Hi Noel,

We can’t tell you if a particular car is worth buying or not, but we do like our Jags and the 2003 onwards XJ was a very nice one. Common problems include broken door handles, leaking boot seals, a rattling from the engine caused by faulty tappets, broken ABS sensors, knocking suspension meaning the dampers are shot, leaking dampers, failed air suspension pumps and basically anything electrical.

While the XJ was always well made and reliable, you’ve got to remember that they’re hugely complex cars and need to be cared for properly to remain reliable. If there are any gaps in the service history, or the car seems tired or worn out, then walk away.

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Hi William,

In general, Renault has picked its reliability game up over recent years,  but we would still advise a little caution. Electrical problems are quite common, especially with the windows and the engine management system, so buy carefully and make sure that it comes with a full service history.