Renault Megane III - what nuances you should pay attention to when choosing a used car

Buying new car – this matter has become unbearable even for those who were planning to do it just a month ago. Now prices have sharply jumped up, many are forced to consider buying a used car.


But what to choose when the market is oversaturated with models of different brands and classes? You can take the old premium - but it will be too expensive to operate. It is possible that in the first year the car will require from the new owner from 30 to 100% of the cost.

Simple and reliable models remain, you can not limit yourself to state employees, but choose a C-class car. For example, Renault Megane III is sold from 350 rubles. For cars of the highest price category, they ask for around a million.



Renault Megane III was produced from 2008 to 2016, having gone through two restyling. You can choose based on financial capabilities. The most important thing is to know what nuances to pay attention to when choosing.

Body

The oldest cars were released in 2008 and the model went through two restyling. You need to be aware that the body can be touched by the "red plague". Naturally, when buying the most “fresh” copy, there is less chance of encountering corrosion. But the cost of the car will be more expensive.



The most problematic areas of the Renault Megane III body:

• ? The hood, where chips are formed from flying pebbles
  
• ? windshield frame
  
• ? arches
  
• ? thresholds
  
• ? cavities
  
• ? Bottom
  
• ? The lower parts of the doors, including the fifth or trunk lid
  

It is worth paying attention to the front limiters - it happens that the metal in this area cracks.



Finding body parts is not a problem. Cheaper to buy from car dealerships. It was also easy to find a new bodywork until recently, plus there is a non-original from Asian countries.

The windshield is selected from third-party manufacturers - it will now cost 2-3 times cheaper than buying a "native" one with the corresponding logo.

Suspensions, brakes and steering

The hodovka of the Renault Megane III is not considered difficult - the classic MacPherson strut is in front, and the torsion beam is in the back. There are many parts available - from the original ones to the frank "China", so you can choose for every taste. It is not recommended to service suspensions with the cheapest consumables - they quickly fail. But already in the middle price category, you can pick up something of high quality.



The brakes of the car are disc, single-piston bracket. A car with a working system stops well even in the most powerful trim levels. The only caveat is that the brake discs have bearings, which increases their cost even in non-original ones. If there is a desire, then they are selected separately and pressed in independently.



Steering in Renault Megane III with electric power. There are no “proprietary” problems - the node takes care of about 100 kilometers before it begins to demand attention. If knocks are heard when turning the steering wheel, this hints at replacing the bushings. If wedging is felt, these are bearings, sometimes a rail bulkhead is required.

As for the amplifier itself, a new steering column will cost from 1 euros at the current exchange rate, so it’s cheaper to fix it or buy a used one from disassembly.

Gear boxes

Gearboxes for Renault Megane III are found in three types - mechanical, automatic and CVT. The most trouble-free are the first ones, they are most often caught on the used market. Basically, five-speed manual transmissions are JR5, but sometimes six-speed units with the TL4 index come across on two-liter cars. If you change the oil, then they nurse 250 km without any problems.



Automatic transmissions in the classic version on the Renault Megane III are rare. After restyling, they were generally abandoned, leaving an uncontested variator instead of automatic transmission. The unit is known under the index DP2 - in Russia it is somehow not in demand.
The gearbox itself is not bad, but subject to periodic oil changes every 30 thousand kilometers. The main thing is the effective cooling of this unit. By the way, in the event of a breakdown, the DP2 is repaired cheaper than the variator.

The robotic JF015E from Jatco was installed in combination with 1,6 liter engines. He does not like abrupt starts, driving with a trailer, slipping, lack of warm-up before starting to move. When buying this option, mandatory diagnostics at a specialized service station are recommended.



In any case, it should be borne in mind that the best gearbox option for Renault Megane III is a mechanic, which is found in 80% of cars on the used market.

Engines

In Europe, Renault Megane could impress with a variety of engines under the hoods, but in Russia things are easier with this. Only gasoline K4Ms were officially brought to us before restyling with a displacement of 1,6 liters per 106 liters. With. and H4M for 114 liters. With. They also sold two-liter M4Rs with 137 hp in Russia. with., but they were bought badly - the cost affected.



The simplest engine in the lineup is the K4M. It is cast iron with a resource of at least 450 km. Of course, 000 liters. With. - this is not serious and the engine does not shine with dynamics, but the car does not pretend to sports laurels either. Plus, the maintainability of this unit is at the highest level.

The H4M and M4R engines are already with an aluminum block, but they are also reliable. They are dynamic, although they are more expensive to repair due to phase shifters, which the K4M does not have. In any case, if the engine does not work properly during a test drive, it is better not to neglect the diagnostics.

Diesel cars were not officially supplied to Russia, but they were imported privately. All variants are equipped with one engine - K9K with a working volume of 1,5 liters and power from 85 to 110 hp. With. This engine is reliable, but due to the fact that the runs of such specimens go off scale or are wound up, and the cars are already old, it is better to avoid them.



The stories of sellers of diesel options about the "sweet" consumption of 5-6 liters in the city are not worth listening to. Yes, the way it is, only the motor can suddenly break down and require such money for repairs that it will be easier to supply a contract power unit.

Analyzing the information and reviews of the owners, it becomes clear that the best option to buy is the Renault Megane III with a 1,6-liter gasoline engine with a manual transmission. Naturally, you need to look for a well-groomed copy with a minimum mileage. But here it’s already a matter of price - sometimes it’s better to take a cheaper car and invest in repairs.

A serviced Renault Megane III will not cause problems for the first 3-5 years of operation, although this is a used car and the owner is not immune from unexpected breakdowns.