Magpies Rides: French Style leaves (2025 summer update)

  • Thread starter Thread starter MagpieRacer
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I've had the Roomster for 18 months now, and the only surprising thing about it is that it hasn't bored me to death in that time, near death, but not quite in the coffin.

Kids can get in and out on their own now, belt up, use regular booster seats etc, so I can be a bit more adventurous with my car to go alongside the wife's capable family Dacia Duster.

What have I bought then? Well, something French, which almost guarantees quirky; sporty, yet stylish, efficient, but still capable enough. You don't see many of them around, I would say now, but even when new, they didn't sell in big numbers at all, and perhaps contributed to the killing off of this car and it's range in the UK and perhaps the wider world (though the move to crossovers probably helped it on it's way.)

What is it? Find out tomorrow.
 
MagpieRacer
What have I bought then? Well, something French, which almost guarantees quirky; sporty, yet stylish, efficient, but still capable enough. You don't see many of them around, I would say now, but even when new, they didn't sell in big numbers at all, and perhaps contributed to the killing off of this car and it's range in the UK and perhaps the wider world (though the move to crossovers probably helped it on it's way.)
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I hope it's either a Scenic RX4 or a Matra Rancho.
 
lbpomg95
Renault Laguna? Or maybe the Laguna Coupe? One of the best looking cars of the last 15 years
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Gold star and internet cookies for you 🥳. And you're quite right, a fantastic looking car, really is one of the best looking cars Renault have ever made and one of the nicest looking Coupé you can buy.

It is indeed the Renault Laguna Coupé.

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Specifically I have acquired a 2010 TomTom Edition, for an absolute steal of a price (funnily enough the demand for these in Norfolk is limited or anywhere for that matter). Has the 2.0 DCi M9R engine with 150hp. Not crazy power, but twice what the Skoda has and plenty enough for Norfolk. Rides and handles really nicely, sharp steering and a really nice cabin to sit in.

Good level of standard equipment, sat nav (being the TomTom edition), parking sensors, auto lights, auto wipers, dual zone climate control, cruise control, keyless entry, bluetooth. Granted, lots of stuff you would expect nowadays, but were by no means a given in 2010.

so some history on the Laguna for those interested in this interesting machine.

The Laguna first hit production in 1994, after 6 years of development work, replacing the aging Renault 21. Offered initially only as a hatchback, an estate did follow in late 1995. It had 1.8, 2.0 and 3.0 V6 engine options. A limited edition RT Sport model came along in 1996 alongside the Lagunas success in the BTCC. The Laguna did the double in 1997, taking the drivers and teams championships in the BTCC with Alain Menu and young upstart Jason Plato, making his BTCC debut. The first generation car received a facelift in 1998.

It was generally a sales success and many rated it higher than the equivalent Ford and Vauxhall offerings of the time (Mondeo, Cavalier/Vectra) and comfortably better than Peugeot's 406.

In 2000, the 2nd generation was announced for the model year 2001. New upgraded engines, new equipment, first vehicle in Europe to reach the 5 star NCAP safety rating, and of course, the controversial key card.

Many will say the key card in the Laguna II, was solely responsible for Renault's reputation becoming known for unreliability, issues were quickly fixed, but the damage had been done, Ford had upped their game massively with the 2nd Generation Ford Mondeo, and the Vectra C in the works, and Renault were on the back foot. Despite this, the Laguna II sold in even bigger numbers than the I. However the Mondeo had it beat. The Laguna II was facelifted in 2005, bringing the design in line with the new language seen on the Megane, Scenic and others.

In 2007 the Laguna III was announced and it launched for the 2008 model year. It was offered as a hatchback and estate, as per the previous models, but this time also a 2 door coupé. The range was offered with the usual array of Renault-Nissan powerplants, 1.5 diesels, 2.0 petrols, 1.6 petrols and the like, but also a new V6 diesel and 3.5 V6 petrol. Sales of the Laguna III peaked in it's first production year of 2008, reaching just over 90'000 sales in Europe, the Laguna II peaked at 246'000 and the Laguna I at 195'000, a significant drop off for the III. The Mondeo of the time in 2008 sold over 163'000 units in Europe.

The Laguna was ultimately discontinued in the UK, along with the Espace, Kangoo, Modus and Wind in 2012. In 2015 the Laguna had been replaced altogether with the Talisman model. Another relative failure in the sales realm in Europe and was discontinued entirely in 2022 with the crossover Austral replacing it's place in the range.
 
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Lucky guess! I'm generally not a fan of French cars (other than the quirky pre-2000 cars) but I remember when this was revealed, I thought it was a Renault DB9 :D

After Peugeot made the 407 Coupe so ugly this really showed how styling should be done. Makes me wish there was a coupe variant of the Insignia and Mondeo of the same time period. Any plans with it?
 
I’ve never seen a Laguna Coupe. Cool info. Looks like a Calibra and Aston Martin aft of the b-pillar. Slick interior.
 
lbpomg95
Lucky guess! I'm generally not a fan of French cars (other than the quirky pre-2000 cars) but I remember when this was revealed, I thought it was a Renault DB9 :D

After Peugeot made the 407 Coupe so ugly this really showed how styling should be done. Makes me wish there was a coupe variant of the Insignia and Mondeo of the same time period. Any plans with it?
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Agreed with the 407 Coupe, considering how gorgeous the 406 Coupe was, the 407 let itself and Peugeot down. I can't help but think a Mondeo Coupe would have been hideous but the Insignia could have worked, I guess we kind of got a look at how that would have looked with the Vauxhall Cascada.

No immediate plans other than enjoy it. Some of the chrome trim needs a tidy up and a polish, wouldn't mind getting some new mats inside as the ones it came with are showing their age (though the car is in overall remarkable condition for it's age). My mind is already wondering if the wheels would look better in black but perhaps that will be something to think about in the spring.
Korvregn
Cool ride and info, didn’t even know they made a coupe out of the Laguna!
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Thanks! Yeah they are definitely a rarity, even when new, they didn't sell in big numbers.
 
MagpieRacer
Agreed with the 407 Coupe, considering how gorgeous the 406 Coupe was, the 407 let itself and Peugeot down. I can't help but think a Mondeo Coupe would have been hideous but the Insignia could have worked, I guess we kind of got a look at how that would have looked with the Vauxhall Cascada.

No immediate plans other than enjoy it. Some of the chrome trim needs a tidy up and a polish, wouldn't mind getting some new mats inside as the ones it came with are showing their age (though the car is in overall remarkable condition for it's age). My mind is already wondering if the wheels would look better in black but perhaps that will be something to think about in the spring.

Thanks! Yeah they are definitely a rarity, even when new, they didn't sell in big numbers.
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Dunno, the Mondeo is a fairly handsome car to my eye, no matter which generation (as much as I don't like Ford...). The original Insignia was a pretty stunning car considering the class it was in. Coupe body styling makes most things better... except SUVs. The Renault Arkana makes me want to hit people. Preferably the Arkana's designers if possible.

There is a Laguna coupe local to me in suffolk, white with black wheels, and it does look even better, similar to the concept car. I've seen one lowered as well, and it was one of the best looking cars I've seen.
 
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lbpomg95
Dunno, the Mondeo is a fairly handsome car to my eye, no matter which generation (as much as I don't like Ford...). The original Insignia was a pretty stunning car considering the class it was in. Coupe body styling makes most things better... except SUVs. The Renault Arkana makes me want to hit people. Preferably the Arkana's designers if possible.

There is a Laguna coupe local to me in suffolk, white with black wheels, and it does look even better, similar to the concept car. I've seen one lowered as well, and it was one of the best looking cars I've seen.
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Yeah the Arkana is pretty nasty looking, very awkward and I don't understand why someone would buy it over the Kadjar.

You must not be far from me in Suffolk, I'm South Norfolk. Good chance a white one with black wheels will be a Monaco edition, which are particularly pretty with the pearlescent paint and fancy interior.
Famine
That was, in effect, what the Probe and Cougar were.
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True, I had never really thought of them like that before, especially the Cougar. Cougar even uses the Mondeo platform. Gives a whole new light to that car.
 
MagpieRacer
Good chance a white one with black wheels will be a Monaco edition
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There's a fella down my road who has one. Always catches my eye.

Nice choice @MagpieRacer, something a bit different to the norm. I see coupés are making a bit of a comeback recently, which is fine by me.
 
MagpieRacer
Yeah the Arkana is pretty nasty looking, very awkward and I don't understand why someone would buy it over the Kadjar.

You must not be far from me in Suffolk, I'm South Norfolk. Good chance a white one with black wheels will be a Monaco edition, which are particularly pretty with the pearlescent paint and fancy interior.

True, I had never really thought of them like that before, especially the Cougar. Cougar even uses the Mondeo platform. Gives a whole new light to that car.
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Small world, we're going to the all about dogs show at norfolk showground tomorrow. If you ever want the car detailed, that's literally my job :D
 
Famine
That was, in effect, what the Probe and Cougar were.
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The Cougar was absolutely disgusting, the Probe was quite nice, (although was never a coupe, always a 3-door hatchback.) My '95 Probe GT remains to this day the most reliable car I have ever owned. Nothing to do with the Mondeo, as it was Mazda 626 underpinnings. It's also the last car I purchased new. I was actually looking for a Mondeo when the car I bought presented itself to me, at a dealer in Tampa where it had been sitting well past their floor plan finance time. It was a "stripper" as far as Probe GT's went, with no sunroof. But that was fine since I can't sit in a sunroof-equipped Probe! It was a great autocross car, and while autocrossing cost me some tire money, it never affected the reliability of the car. Even had the original clutch in it when this kid came up and offered me stupid money for it at 165,000 miles!
 
lbpomg95
Lucky guess! I'm generally not a fan of French cars (other than the quirky pre-2000 cars) but I remember when this was revealed, I thought it was a Renault DB9 :D
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This. There used to be a Laguna coupe local to me and every time it came towards me in traffic, I’d always go ‘ooh a DB- oh’. Mind you, that isn’t the exactly a bad problem to have if you owned one!
 
INEEDNAWZZZ
This. There used to be a Laguna coupe local to me and every time it came towards me in traffic, I’d always go ‘ooh a DB- oh’. Mind you, that isn’t the exactly a bad problem to have if you owned one!
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Reminds me of the MG4 a little bit, especially in the brighter colours, it's like, oo a Lamborghini Urus? Oh no it's an MG.

Anyway, first purchase relating to the car is this nice find on the Ebay, a hardback brochure with all the spiel on the car, the why, the how and some very nice pictures (in the same colour as mine). As well as a nice, comprehensive spec sheet for all the engines and variants as well as the entire option list for the Coupe and the Coupe GT.

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A nice find that feels particularly cool being a hardback.
 
Somehow missed this thread until now, what a spectacular run of Renaults! The Laguna looks great though I'm fond of the Clio Initiale too, they must be incredibly rare now. The yellow Megane Coupe is also great, I'd love to find a really tidy phase 1 16v at some point.
 
homeforsummer
Somehow missed this thread until now, what a spectacular run of Renaults! The Laguna looks great though I'm fond of the Clio Initiale too, they must be incredibly rare now. The yellow Megane Coupe is also great, I'd love to find a really tidy phase 1 16v at some point.
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Thanks! Yeah I do love a good Renault, always have, even before I met my wife who's father is a Renault technician of 35+ years, so sourcing parts and getting work done is pretty straightforward.

As you say the Initiale of the generation Clio is very rare, I know only of 2 others, both owned by members of the Renault Owners' Club, and one of those, rather incredibly, has a sat nav. My father-in-law still uses it as he loaned it to me whilst I looked for the Roomster. He's also currently repairing a NB MX5 Charlie's Angels edition to run alongside it.

The Megane coupe was a fun one, paid less than £500 for it and had a lot of fun in it, unfortunately like all impractical cars, it wad the right car at the wrong time. Made it nice and turned a profit so can't be too upset. Was surprisingly spritely albeit not particularly dynamic in the corners in stock form. Given some time and some tinkering it could have been a wonderful B-Road machine.
 
Very beautiful profile. Won't get bored of seeing this rear end.
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Nearly a month of ownership already. So good time for an update, covered nearly 1000 miles on a variety of roads.

The thing that has really stood out to me has been how dynamic the car feels when you chuck it down a B road or good twisty A road. The steering is really sharp and feels very precise, much more so than I was expecting, it's definitely more Renault Sport than your typical Renault. I was expecting it to be a bit more wallowy and not quite as responsive, just for it being a larger car of the GT style.

It's very comfortable, the seats do a great job of holding you in without ever feeling restrictive. When cruising on the dual carriageway it rides nicely, despite how stiff it can feel on twisty roads, that doesn't translate to casual driving. The engine has plenty of go, good torque low down, catch it in the wrong gear however and it can bog down a bit with a good chunk of turbo lag.
Plenty economical as well, comfortably in the mid-high 40mpg range when cruising, drops when having fun of course, but with mostly back road driving, occasional dual carriageway and plenty of fun, it's averaging 40mpg.

Practically it's been excellent as well, my kids have plenty of room in the back, a little table in the middle instead of a seat plus air con vents in lieu of opening rear windows. Front seats fold forwards plenty to give a good size route into the rear seats which makes life easier for them as well.
The boot is absolutely huge, I describe it as cavernous. My golf bag and trolley go in with ease and space to spare, shopping is easy and today even went to a wholesaler to pick up bulk catering disposables, it all went in without the need to even fold the rear seats.

So far, so very good. MOT ready to go imminently, should breeze through.
 
Well the Laguna Coupe has given me 9 months of mostly trouble free motoring, then towards the end of May it all started going tits up.

First, the intercooler pipe cracked, but not at the bottom as would normally happen, but at the top where it feeds the engine, lots of air rushing out, massive power drop, not ideal. Couldn't find a replacement part, my mechanic used a gloopy mix to seal it temporarily while we search for a part. That failed partially anyway, which was quickly followed by a fuelling issue. At first it seemed simply that the filter needed replacing after pulling something into the system. We then uncovered a leak on a fuel line which led us to discover the fuel pump was failing. It's a low to high pressure pump with a little shaft between the 2 and the high pressure pump had failed.

After 2 weeks of searching, we couldn't find a replacement, there were some out there but they looked pretty ratty and refurbishment would cost too much.

Reluctantly I had to accept that it was pretty much game over, a fairly innocuous part that we can't find a reliable replacement for, combined with a slightly more integral part we couldn't replace put the writing on the wall for the Laguna.

As I rely heavily on having my own car I needed to replace pretty quickly. Whilst I loved the Laguna Coupe, it did occasionally struggle with my work duties, and whilst my kids could fit in the back, my eldest was starting to struggle with the leg room. So I decided the replacement would be more practical, have more than 2 doors and a large boot. I also still wanted something that drove well, had the tech I desired (sat nav, Bluetooth, climate control as a minimum), easier to maintain (i.e. be able to actually find parts of needed), at the very least not cost more to run than the Laguna AND had to cost less than £2000.

So after a week of searching, welcome everyone to my 2012 J10 Nissan Qashqai+2 Tekna!
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Practical? 5 doors, massive boot, loads of rear space, plus 2 boot seats to turn it into a 7 seater. Check

Reliable and easy to maintain? Nissan's have good reputation for reliability, plus it's equipped with the ever reliable 1.5dci 110 Renault unit that also powers my wife's Duster and my Renault tech father in law is a big fan of for it's ease of maintenance. Check

Cost of running? Cheaper tax due to the later eco version of the 1.5dci, cheaper insurance, better fuel economy than the surprisingly thirsty 2.0dci M9R unit of the Laguna. Check

Spec I desire? Bluetooth, sat nav, dual zone climate control, heated seats, USB, Bose sound system, panoramic roof, good cupholders, all leather interior, 360° parking cameras? Check and then some.

Under £2000? Yup! All this car for just £1600.

What's the catch? So far, none. Aside from potentially the mileage. It's high at just over 187'000. However, mostly motorway milage, 2 owners (I'm the 3rd) and the 2nd owner had it for 6 years. Maintained with no expense spared. It needs new brake pads all round and we're going to do the cambelt kit as a matter of self reassurance.

I've done about 180 miles in it so far (collected it on Sunday evening) and I have to say it has impressed me. For a car that is a common sight on the roads of the UK, pretty much started the much maligned craze of the compact crossover/SUV and doesn't exactly set the hearts of petrol heads on fire, it has surprised me. It drives well for quite a large vehicle, holds the road well, doesn't lurch around like some taller cars do, the 110bhp 1.5 diesel unit does a good job of pulling it down the road without it feeling sluggish, the gear shift is tight and responsive and it's a very comfortable place to sit. The sat nav is a nice system and the Bose audio is a lovely bonus and still sounds fantastic 13 years in.

So, jobs that need doing? Well it came with a full year of MOT so that's sorted. Brake pads will be the first job closely followed by the cambelt and water pump kit. Before the next MOT I'd like it to have 4 matching tyres where currently it has 4 different tyres on the corners. A set of good old wind deflectors as I do find they help with wind noise a lot and I like having the windows down when going through the Norfolk countryside on a warm sunny day.
 

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