The Lazy Driver's Car (Renault Safrane)

Member Name: cmh4135

Product:	Renault Safrane
Date:	28/11/01 (991 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: very easy to drive

Disadvantages: don't make them any more, poor fuel economy

My husband bought a pre-owned Renault Safrane a couple of years ago (P reg). He was looking for a car that was large enough to accommodate a bike in the back (on the inside) but for under £6000.

What quickly became apparent is that all moderately acceptable second-hand cars cost £5,995 whether it be a little Ford Fiesta or a rusty old Nissan. Then he got a call from the local garage where his car was serviced. "We have a Renault Safrane for sale, come and try it out."

Immediately we both knew that this was the car for us. It is slightly larger than the Renault Laguna and ceased manufacture about 3 or so years ago. Renault designed the car in an "executive" configuration and it appealed enormously to the French market where safety comes first and looks are a definite second. Unfortunately for us Brits, the car had no market appeal here. New prices were comparable to Mercedes and BMW and on the style front this car cannot compete. It hit the road new and lost some 60% of its value. It does, however, make a very good second-hand buy.

The car is packed with features that you would expect to find in high class vehicles. All your trip gadgetry is here together with a voice computer which strikes the fear of God into you as you hear the "bing bong" and think what has gone wrong now, only to hear it say "to obtain the required temperature, please switch on the air conditioning." The computer does have its uses though, it tells you when your lights are on, when the boot is not shut, when you are about to run out of petrol and when your lights are not working. In terms of diagnosing faults it is first class.

The car is exceptionally roomy and yet handles well. Power assisted steering means that much of the weight of the car is controlled for you. It is an automatic and moves through the gears with consummate ease without suffering much of an acceleration time lag. The only complaint with the geari
ng is that 40mph is between gears and so the car can feel lumpy. Otherwise it is a very smooth quiet ride.

This car is designed for the lazy. If it can be electrified it will have been. There are electric front seats (with three memory positions), electric windows front and back and electric mirrors. You can warm your bum with the heated seat or cool off with the air-conditioning. The sun roof has two sections so that you can have light pouring through the top of your car, or not, as the fancy takes you. Then, the ultimate, cruise control with fingertip adjustment. Set the engine to the required speed and relax, need to speed up just a little or slow down just a little, press a button on the steering wheel and you are there!

Fuel efficiency is not that good, but not far off other cars of a similar size. Visibility is generally good if you use the mirrors a lot. Rear visibility is a little restricted and you may need to alter your driving position to avoid the front support bars getting in your way. Safety is Renaults thing and this car is fitted with all of the equipment and safety features that were available a few years back, front driver and passenger airbags, lateral airbags and reinforced body-work.

The car has been reliable throughout our time of ownership, despite being very high milage when we bought it (85k on the clock). It has had a few things done. The head gasket went and it has had a few other minor jobs done. Servicing has not been a problem although official Renault parts are expensive (but then what official parts aren't!). As, Sidneygee quite correctly points out in his opinion, there is a lot that could go wrong with this car, especially as it is rather dependant on the elactronics for many of its features. So far all is well. The only thing that has stopped working is the automatic of adjustment of the passenger rear view mirror when you go into reverse. I do kind of miss this, as it is a big car and not t
oo easy to park, however, it is not going to make me scrap the car!

All in all a good buy second-hand (and that is the only way to get them now).

Summary: