Soapsuds Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Initial Review – Renaultsport Megane 225 F1 Team Having covered just 300 miles in the little beast since I picked her up 2 weeks ago, I thought I would just write an initial review of how we are getting on! Pics to follow one day when the sun comes out again!! Dealership: Lookers Renault, Stockport. Sales department were ok – I think if you are used to selling family cars all day, trying to sell something like the F1 is tricky! It sells itself and chances are the prospective purchaser is into his / her motors and there isn’t a great deal you can say!!! Very friendly, attentive and dealt with me efficiently. Test drive was good and they weren’t pushy at all. Pointed out some of the more ‘boring’ features of the car that I didn’t know about, or was used to from the Audi – e.g. storage; auto wipers / lights etc. Also seems like they have dealt with the Reg transfer ok – over the the DVLA now, god forbid!!! Called me up on Saturday afternoon as a courtesy call to make sure everything was ok – fair enough, it was a spotty teenager, but it’s the thought that counts and something that never happened when I bought from Audi. Performance Simple stats for this car are 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds, 225bhp. Renault have upgraded the engines recently to the Euro 4 specification and as such, the standard bhp is now looking like 240bhp due to the improved injectors. This has been proved over at meganesport.net Rolling Road days and seems fairly universal across the range….. My car is the Phase 2 – essentially it has the ‘soft-touch interior’, upgraded nose and nicer rear lights – as you see on the new Meggy ‘Shake you’re a$$’ advertisement. (Some nice bikini bums on there…. Wow!!! – sorry, diverging slightly….) The Phase 2 Renaultsport models have been tweaked though – improved steering feel and vast reduction of Torque steer – something that plagued the Phase 1 Megane 225’s…… All this essentially means it’s quick. 0-60 is realistically nearer the 6.0 seconds. The torque is amazing though! I cannot believe they have made the engine so flexible. The turbo really spools at 1800rpm, but kicks at about 2200 and keeps going. Driving her around town is very easy and relaxing, pulling from 25ish in 4th no problem at all…… totally different to some other turbo’d vehicles. This Phase 2 also has ‘Launch Control’ similar to other hot hatches (Golf GTi etc.). Not used it yet, as she isn’t run in!!! Also has fully switchable traction control, understeer control and cruise control with speed limiter function. Stopping is in the same league too, with Brembo 4-pots up front, drilled and vented discs up front with drilled rears. They are yet to let me down, but are taking a bit of bedding in. Handling One work: UNBELIEVABLE! There is simply no other way to describe it! This thing handles like it is on rails and I have only ever been in one car that can match it – the Evo 8. Even the Evo kicks back at times….. this is just so neutral! Through the bends, its agility really surpasses itself – it sticks like 5hit to a blanket and you get a little ‘light’ feeling when you get near the absolute limit. This is then followed by the usual FWD trait of a TINY fraction of understeer followed by a lovely correctional lift-off oversteer to get you back in line. It can catch you out thought – the speed you carry through bends means that you often meet slower traffic rather rapidly!! Also, you seriously don’t realise the speed you are doing because at times you think it’s impossible!!! Just yesterday I exited a roundabout on a large dual carriage way at 70mph – exist speed as I glanced at my Snooper mounted in front of me!!! WTF!!! That is just wrong!!! Car has 25% uprated front shocks and 77% uprated rears over and above the already very good ‘Cup’ pack on standard Meganes. Ok, it rattles your teeth out – it’s the price you pay and I will admit this might annoy some people. Very similar to the ride of an Evo / Scooby / M3 CSL etc…… Oh and it weighs feck all – there is climate control, naff MP3 CD player and some electric mirrors – that’s your lot. No spare wheel, no keyless entry and the wheels are specially for the F1 – some 20kg each lighter each than standard Cup alloys…….Tyres are Dunlop Maxx Sport specially designed for the Megane 225’s. Simply divine grip, but they were spinning at 70mph on the bypass today in 3rd gear!! Ultimate test will be a trip to the Nurburgring in October hopefully…… Day to Day Living Ok, so a 2.0 Turbo isn’t going to be vastly economical. It’s currently giving me 25mpg average across a full tank (£45-50 on Optimax) running to work and back and with the odd cross-country thrash. Not taken on a run yet, but apparently anywhere between 35-40mpg on the m’way at a steady 70 is easily achievable! Range around town is just under 300 miles…….. also has trip / mpg / distance computer etc. like full DIS in Audi’s. Well, the interior is a nice place to be! God knows what ‘soft touch’ interior is supposed to be, but the plastics are good quality and the dash is nice to look at and illuminated with a fresh ‘white’ light for all the dials / gauges. IMO it’s way better that sitting in the new Golf which I really don’t like for some reason….. Just my opinion though!! Not up to German quality – don’t be silly!!! Seats are fantastic. Recaro buckets with slots for a harness (track –day’s here we come!!) Offer immense support through the fast, windy sections and a good level of comfort for normal driving. Good pull-out support pad at the front of the seat too – quite nice in traffic jams!! Stereo is ok – MP3 CD capability. Average tuner quality, but nice and sleek and has steering wheel remote controls (usual Renault behind-the-wheel stalk). Saves a couple of hundred quid on an IceLink. Auto lights and wipers take some getting used to, but haven’t annoyed me just yet!! Seem to be good sensitivity and lights don’t come on for no reason going through a small dark patch! Stupid key card takes some getting use to! What is wrong with a key???!!! Electronically locking the steering column is asking for trouble surely….. Boot is good. Managed to get a Chocolate Labrador and a small German Shepherd in there this morning! Only a short 5 min journey! Plenty of room for my German Shepherd normally. Build Quality Was expecting a few nightmares and at this early stage, who knows!! The car has now covered 1k miles (bought ex-demo) and over on meganesport.net, there have been some reports of various bits and bobs not working, falling off etc. by this mileage. These Phase 2’s seem to be much better put together. Or is that because this is an F1 special edition to celebrate Renaults GP 2005 World Championship and Le French put some effort into building them!!??? I have a small rattle from the passenger Recaro seat frame, but you can’t hear it with the radio on normal volume. I also have a rattly brake pedal if you go over a big bump. On closer inspection, some grease should sort this out. Other than that, fingers crossed at this early stage, all seems to be ok. Only time will tell and I will then have to find a good Stealership!!! All in all, I do not expect it to be like the Audi. I will be over the moon if it is though, as the Audi never missed a beat in 30k miles. Conclusion I have to say, I love it!! At the moment, there is nothing I would change on it, apart from possibly the silly key card, but I just need to get used to that. I need a good few more weeks to really learn the limits of this car and only then I think it will start rewarding me. Should be perfect timing for a very fast blast down to the Nurburgring in a couple of months……… I really like this car for what it stands for – in your face aggression that means you don’t really need to boast about what it CAN do, but based on a family hatch that means you can use it daily with little or no compromise. All for a ridiculously low price tag considering the technical research and development that has gone into the Renaultsport models such as this, the standard Megane 225 and the Clio 182’s & 197’s…… Well done Renaultsport……. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Excellent review. We need lots of pictures to go with it now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapsuds Posted August 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Excellent review. We need lots of pictures to go with it now! [/ QUOTE ] Will do mon ami - as you know, living ooop north, the sun has to be coaxed out at times!!! When she rears her head, i will grab a fair few Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterS Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Thanks - good review Does yours have the F1 stickering on the bumper? Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Excellent review. We need lots of pictures to go with it now! [/ QUOTE ] Will do mon ami - as you know, living ooop north, the sun has to be coaxed out at times!!! When she rears her head, i will grab a fair few [/ QUOTE ] Ya what! It's been bloody tropical for 6 weeks now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 I thought the stereo in the Megane was awful It looked like something saisho would have sold circa 1989. It was near on impossible to figure out how to use it without resorting to rtfm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterS Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I thought the stereo in the Megane was awful It looked like something saisho would have sold circa 1989. It was near on impossible to figure out how to use it without resorting to rtfm. [/ QUOTE ] Agreed the head-unit is not that intuitive to use. However, I find that the Renault application of steering wheel controls for the stereo is by far the best I've used, and never have to touch the head unit in ours. You can alter volume, track or radio station, as well as source (CD/CD Changer/FM/AM), and scrolling through the CDs in the autochanger, without touching the head-unit. Makes the two programmable buttons in the BMW laughable (although in almost every other respect the BMW is the better car ) Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Nice review Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapsuds Posted August 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Thanks - good review Does yours have the F1 stickering on the bumper? Peter [/ QUOTE ] sure does - front and rears and the side stickers on the back window celebrating Alonso's / Renaults 2005 World Cahampionship Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapsuds Posted August 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Excellent review. We need lots of pictures to go with it now! [/ QUOTE ] Will do mon ami - as you know, living ooop north, the sun has to be coaxed out at times!!! When she rears her head, i will grab a fair few [/ QUOTE ] Ya what! It's been bloody tropical for 6 weeks now! [/ QUOTE ] yea!! But i've been driving it........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapsuds Posted August 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I thought the stereo in the Megane was awful It looked like something saisho would have sold circa 1989. It was near on impossible to figure out how to use it without resorting to rtfm. [/ QUOTE ] yea - you are right!! I actually read the manual the other day and worked out the various features of it - it has a funky 'Update List' feature that scans for all available FM stations and lists them with their RDS name - you then scroll through the names and select much like your MP3's....... Also has ability to display full MP3 tag info which is also nice. Its not that bad when you get the hang of it, but the sound quality aint a patch on the stnadard concert set-up i had in the Audi (non-bose). It'll do though!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lottiefox Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Just seen a black one of these on the M25 tonight.....he came past me, then slowed and pulled in....wanted a bit of a play......so we had a little play, but were hampered by traffic.....but he sure could shift!! Traffic cleared and we did a major acceleration play - me following and matching each other - but I'm afraid I bottled it at 128 (KPH) on the M25 at 10.00 pm and left him to it!! Nice looking car, very stealthlike in the black. Avant - good review, makes me want to drive one now especially after seeing the one tonight! - interesting how the turbo spools up lower than the TTs - might be quite fun to pitch them against each other one day when our paths cross...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arch Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 [ QUOTE ] and the wheels are specially for the F1 – some 20kg each lighter each than standard Cup alloys……. [/ QUOTE ] They must be some real heavy alloys on the Cup then..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapsuds Posted August 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Just seen a black one of these on the M25 tonight.....he came past me, then slowed and pulled in....wanted a bit of a play......so we had a little play, but were hampered by traffic.....but he sure could shift!! Traffic cleared and we did a major acceleration play - me following and matching each other - but I'm afraid I bottled it at 128 (KPH) on the M25 at 10.00 pm and left him to it!! Nice looking car, very stealthlike in the black. Avant - good review, makes me want to drive one now especially after seeing the one tonight! - interesting how the turbo spools up lower than the TTs - might be quite fun to pitch them against each other one day when our paths cross...... [/ QUOTE ] hey lottie the black one will either have been a 'Full Fat' version or a cup - in black, i think it will be the full fat (cups have v limited colour choice). Effectivley heavier, not got the uprated suspension etc. but same engine..... if it was older than an 06 plate, it will have the Euro 3 engine with about 15bhp less than mine In standard guise, they do still shift!!! Maybe we can go and 'play' at the Buxton meet if you are coming?? Oh - not 'play' like thet!!! Well, unless you want to........ Cheers babe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapsuds Posted August 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] and the wheels are specially for the F1 – some 20kg each lighter each than standard Cup alloys……. [/ QUOTE ] They must be some real heavy alloys on the Cup then..... [/ QUOTE ] oops - maybe i didnt mean that!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lottiefox Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 Avant - it was an 06 plate - and yes I am going to Buxton!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapsuds Posted August 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Avant - it was an 06 plate - and yes I am going to Buxton!! [/ QUOTE ] see you there then!!! Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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