Caporegime
Thinking of picking up a 21 plate RS300 - any pointers/comments from owners in here? I've read about the Trophy battery problems, which could be an issue for me as my car doesnt get driven often.
Who here owns a Renaultsport?
- Thread starter russ9898
- Start date
Go for a RS280 with the cup pack. Mine is going back to the lease company at the end of the month.
Caporegime
Go for a RS280 with the cup pack. Mine is going back to the lease company at the end of the month.
How have you found it? Pretty good given the sad face?
I did look at RS280s but tbh the autos seem pretty rare and none near me to test drive
I can drive a manual, I choose not to, laziness all the way
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How have you found it? Pretty good given the sad face?
I did look at RS280s but tbh the autos seem pretty rare and none near me to test drive
I can drive a manual, I choose not to, laziness all the way
Overall the best car I've had and I extended the lease for as long as I could. Yes, mine is a manual which works well with the car but I guess it is a matter of preference.
I have a factory ordered 22 plate Sport 300 which is almost identical which I have had for a year now from new. Only major difference is the ride on mine is way more comfortable & I do not have any battery issues so mine starts first time every time! Otherwise exact same engine & transmission (minus the LSD which negates the traction improvements by weighting more!!). Performance wise they are identical!
21 plate Trophy should have from the factory as new the firmware update which makes most of the battery issues go away (it basically turns electrical systems off faster to stop the low capacity battery discharging). More detailed info here:
DESS system issues - owners post here (actis solution 60533) - RenaultSportClub.co.uk
right this seems to be taking off a bit so lets just have a list of owners/cars with DESS issues so it is to hand for when we need info to tell RUK... so please post your details as below - 1. si - 19 plate 300edc - 3600mls - battery voltage dropping had to charge before it would start 1x - so...
www.renaultsportclub.co.uk
21 plate is a Phase 2 so this means the following:
Extremely bright LED headlights (£900 per unit to replace if they fail! or get broken!)
Revised rear LED tailights.
EDC gearbox - flawless & a great component which produces seamless low latency shifts at all times - but you can over ride if you must although I find the RS technicians are 100% accurate in their software for this component
Euro6d spec dual valve sports exhaust - this is almost silent you get minimal cracks & pops on over run (although you can replace the secondary cat which has the restrictive sound for a 2019 spec centre pipe to produce a much louder exhaust note - or go full boy racer get a straight pipe!
) - lots of 3rd party exhaust as well to choose from!Revised 10" onboard computer screen & modern digital dashboard
No rear door card LEDs though they were removed as very expensive to produce so you only get the front door card & cockpit LED mood lighting now (cost about £750 to add the rear door card LEDs back as you need to alter the wiring loom!)
Pros:
Incredible handling you can blow pretty much every single production car ever made away around the corners on tight twisty B roads especially nothing can keep up except perhaps another recent RS Megane
200,000 RPM F1 derived turbo with ceramic ball bearings produces incredible acceleration & minimal lag
4 Control steering system means the car is always glued to the road & this produces immense confidence in all weathers but especially heavy rain & icy conditions
Phase 2 = 162 mph top speed which is limited by the gearing (only 6 gears) ....pretty sure it could go way higher than 162 with a 7th gear or better ratios
Fantastic looks from all angles.....triple layer pearls are a big problem though for stone chips & or other repairs it can cost thousands as the entire panel needs matching sometimes the entire side of the car
Factory spec Sport 300 or trophy 300 can lap Nurburgring within 8 secs of the front wheel drive production record held by the £72K Trophy - R (which has a lot of carbon & ceramic brakes)
Dual material Brembo braking system is very strong & can be improved further with different pads
Great all rounder smoking hot hatchback - you can take the family out, do your weekly shop & or go for an almighty blast around the countryside
Engines are ultra reliable - only 1 ever failed due to it being assembled incorrectly but Renault replaced under warranty for a new unit. Not heard of any engine failures whatsoever.
EDC is the best gearbox as the manuals can suffer from expensive bearing failure usually caused by mis matched shifts & or transmission abuse!
F1 style rear diffuser (which runs under 30% of the car) produces immense downforce & really sucks the car down onto the road
More info here: https://www.renault.co.uk/motorsport/technological-excellence.html
Cons:
420nm torque 300 bhp so fuel consumption is very high when driven hard in race mode the 50L tank will only give you 220 miles! I often go through £400-500 of petrol a weekend!
Front tyres only last between 8-12K depending how hard you drive - this is because the 4 control steering system optimises the wheel angle so the inner lip usually goes first by design. ( I have gone through 6 tyres in a year already - 2 punctures & 4 worn out!)
Front brakes also only last so long - expect to replace around 20-22K depending on how hard you drive......rears should last 30K miles.
Cold tyres = you will leave the road fast! make sure you warm them up for a few mins before attempting any cornering at speed
F1 style rear diffuser produces immense downforce but also sucks up dirt from the road in the process along with all the other aero ducts so expect to clean her a lot!!
Lightweight battery costs £700 if yours is worn out !!! - but spanish RS owners have put a std 50amp in with no issues whatsover!
Car only comes alive at certain speeds.......you need to keep a constant check on the speedo as so easy to get carried away
I think they are incredible cars & would never sell mine its just an amazing experience every single time I get into her the excitement & adrenaline rush is unbeatable
I plan to lower the weight on mine by 20KG & buy some lightweight fuji alloys & a titanium sports exhaust & carbon rear diffuser when I have the £8K to spare 
In a few days Renault will announce an Ultimate RS (I posted some pics above in this thread) same engine & transmission just different styling & for sure the last ever RS...not sure its worth the €65,506 price tag though as no more performance than existing Phase 2 RS!!
Whatever you do get a test drive make sure you put it into race mode take a few tight corners then you will start to understand the excitement around these very special cars
Ask away if you have any specific questions!
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Manual get big issues with bearing failure though...all that torque & mismatched shifts = thousands to replace & strengthen the gearbox bearings!
RS280 = 280 bhp 400 nm torque & the old style lights & old cockpit dialsHow have you found it? Pretty good given the sad face?
I did look at RS280s but tbh the autos seem pretty rare and none near me to test drive
I can drive a manual, I choose not to, laziness all the way
RS300 = 300 bhp 420nm torque & newer LED lights & digital cockpit
RS300 with EDC is the one you want to find...only 300 or so ever made for the UK so do not expect to find one on your doorstep they are pretty rare on the roads!
Look at the main Renault dealers they always seem to have 1 or 2 for sale recently but only 8 colours to choose from (2 different whites, black, red, yellow, orange, titanium, highland grey is the rarest colour by far!) so you might have to settle for the one you can get vs the colour you want!
Last RS Megane ever? The Ultime. https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-eurocars/new-rs-ultime-brings-curtain-down-on-megane/46691
Who here owns a Renaultsport?
They will not charge if its a warranty covered item that failed (5 years or 100K miles as long as the rear window warranty sticker is intact!). I think most likely its a sensor or heat related issue and clearing the ECU will fix it! They will charge to diagnose but if its under warranty I think...
forums.overclockers.co.uk
UK might get after all its on the UK renault website now!
www.retailgroup.co.uk
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Caporegime
Thanks!
Soldato
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- 23 Mar 2011
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They are great cars!
Mine was an exdemo at the main dealer here. 2021, bought with 4000 miles on the clock.
I too was worried about the battery reports but so far it's been a non issue. I drive mine all week, but have left it in the garage for a week or so at a time here and there and it starts up just fine
I'm at 13,000 miles on mine. I love it, but for me and my needs Ive actually considered parting ways.
I'm using it to commute the 10-15 minute drive to and from work, running family about at the weekends if not using my partners captur, and not much else
I'm rarely in the car alone to give it a good run for fun, and all the bells and whistles feel a bit lost on me and my usage.
I'm likely due tyres about now for the first time, all ok at the last service in October but likely getting there now.
It's a lovely car, drives great and sounds amazing. Sport/race mode are great fun and bring the car to life, the pops and bangs are fun sometimes
not overkill or anything
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With second hand car prices showing no major signs of dropping anytime soon been looking at 'older' options to get me into a solid hatchback that is Ulez compliant over my diesel around 10 - 13k.
The RS 250 Cup Megane looks to be holding up well many years later. With it coming only in 3 door format anyone found it annoying with the family?
I do the school run and do local miles so it would be a daily with a bit of character?
The other options are VXR, R32, JCW Cooper or Giulietta Cloverleaf but RS 250 looks interesting in Liquid Yellow.
The RS 250 Cup Megane looks to be holding up well many years later. With it coming only in 3 door format anyone found it annoying with the family?
I do the school run and do local miles so it would be a daily with a bit of character?
The other options are VXR, R32, JCW Cooper or Giulietta Cloverleaf but RS 250 looks interesting in Liquid Yellow.
RS250 all the way
smiles per miles is unbeatable (except a newer faster RS ). Rear seats though plenty of room but elderly people have trouble climbing in the back younger people should be just fine plenty of room for 3 kids in the back! And massive boot space so plenty of room as an allrounder then when dad wants to give it some welly you have plenty of power for that Buy an Akrapovic Titanium sports exhaust for extra crackles & pops they are pretty loud on the RS250 range!! and sound glorious !!Mileage wise engines are good for about 200K before they need rebuilding as long as looked after the engine is legendary. Just make sure the cambelt has been changed on schedule & also look for clutch slippage as all that torque with the wrong owner means the gearbox might need some work sooner or later.....! get a test drive I doubt you will ever regret buying one!! But finding one in liquid yellow might be tough they are easy to sell lots of people still looking to buy so do not hang around if you see one your interested in!!
The liquid yellow looks incredible but also be aware as its a triple layer pearl stone chips & minor scuffs can be expensive to repair as it needs 3 different paints + lacquer its not just a simple touch up but the RS250 paint is way harder than the most recent liquid yellow like mine so will probably be easier to maintain!
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Associate
I've owned a Megane 275 Nav (Cup chassis spec) for approaching 6 years now. Amazing car and a rare sight on the road (as are most Renaultsport, RS Megane especially). I love the fact I can drive pretty much anywhere and more than likely not see another one. That alone is a great feeling and makes the car feel special, even on the boring commute to work.
With a budget of 10-13k, you're very much in Megane 265 range with that. Fundamentally the 250/265/275 are the same car but improved over time in minor ways. We're talking a minor map to increase power/change the model name and things like engine/gearbox mount improvements etc. The 265 also got the facelift ~2014 which obviously carried through to the 275.
As for living with it with a family, it depends on your children's age. My first daughter was born when I only had the Megane as my daily driver, and over time lugging a baby seat/carrier into the rear of the car became a pain. Even more so when we went away somewhere and had things like a pram, bouncer, baby chairs etc to lug around too. You end up filling the car's cabin as well as the boot (this could apply to many cars though I guess). I got fed up of it in the end and bought myself another cheap run about for dad duties. The 3 door MK3 Megane rear seating certainly isn't the roomiest. I am however 6' 4", so my seat is always pretty far back. You'd struggle getting any sort of human behind me tbh. The boot however is pretty big, though it does have an awkward/narrow opening so loading large items like furniture for example is probably a no go.
If your children however are older, I see no reason why day to day the car would be an issue. Access to the rear seats isn't great, but certainly not terrible if your children can clamber in themselves. My usage with a new born was probably an extreme case (I also refused to part with it which is why I got a cheap daily alongside
). I still to this day admire the car even though it spends 80% of the time sat on the driveway 
As a car though, they're pretty tough and reliable as AWPC says. The main thing to look out for is regular maintenace and ensure the cambelt service has been done on time by either main dealer, or a specialist. The cambelt change requires special timing tools to ensure engine timing is set correctly etc.
Another point is RS Megane come in two forms, the 'Sport' chassis or 'Cup' chassis. The Cup chassis is the stiffer more track biased configuration that has a LSD & stiffer ARBs. The Sport chassis is a little softer but lacks the LSD. Day to day, it's certainly worth considering the Sport chassis as the Cup chassis is very stiff for a daily. The easiest way to spot a Cup spec car is that it'll have the red Brembo brake calipers and black wheels. Sport chassis tend to have silver/grey calipers with anthracite wheels.
As for car colours, the RS 250 was never available in Liquid Yellow, I believe Liquid Yellow was introduced with the 265 Trophy and beyond. A yellow RS 250 is more than likely 'Sport Yellow'. Personally, I think the best colour for an RS 250 is 'Oyster Grey' or white (unsure of the official Renault name for the white
). My 275 is Titanium Grey The 250/265/275 are amazing cars. I am however a massive Renaultsport fan/nerd so perhaps a little baised. Try one if you can and make your own decision. Happy to answer any further queries!
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250 CUP in Sport Yellow (similar colour to liquid yellow minus the pearl) or Extreme Illusion Blue looks stunning but they all look great after a test drive most people will want one regardless of colour!!
but they all look great after a test drive most people will want one regardless of colour!!
Renault Sport Mk3 Mégane's. 250 to 275 Nav Specification's - RenaultSportClub.co.uk
Renaultsport Mégane 250 Cup (Info as of January 2010) On the road price: April 2010: £ 23,160.00 January 2011: £23,650.00 October 2011: £24,020.00 Equipment: Core Features: . ABS with ESP (electronic stability Programme) . Renaultsport Dynamic Management(three-mode ESP) . Renaultsport...
www.renaultsportclub.co.uk
What is it that you're looking for in a car? Are you planning on doing any trackdays to get the chance to exploit the handling of an RS 250? If it's mainly for the school run and daily duties then, IMO, 10-13k could get you a better overall car than an RS Megane, whilst still ticking the performance box that I assume you're looking for.
Thank you @AWPC and @CaptainFail! for your hands on owner information on the RS Megane.
The kids are now in a booster seat and the main family car the OH has but I do the school drop and go into the office here and there. So any car will do at most 30-50 miles a week with a monthly long motorway drive to see the family.
@dale1uk I am just eager to move into something that is not my solid diesel that was a mile muncher as used to work far and just kept hold as hardly worth anything.
I am planning no track days and just want something that is not mundane sat on the drive and can do a few blasts with the OH when going out to eat, visiting family or post school drop.
What other suggestions did you have that I may not have thought about?
I was drawn to the looks of the Megane along with the seats and overall limited run of it but again that could be said about a few other cars.
I had originally had a bigger budge during lockdown (20-25) but with the hike in second hand car prices I rather spend that on the family or a holiday and have something for my limited miles along with having to replace the OH car in future due to Ulez.
The kids are now in a booster seat and the main family car the OH has but I do the school drop and go into the office here and there. So any car will do at most 30-50 miles a week with a monthly long motorway drive to see the family.
@dale1uk I am just eager to move into something that is not my solid diesel that was a mile muncher as used to work far and just kept hold as hardly worth anything.
I am planning no track days and just want something that is not mundane sat on the drive and can do a few blasts with the OH when going out to eat, visiting family or post school drop.
What other suggestions did you have that I may not have thought about?
I was drawn to the looks of the Megane along with the seats and overall limited run of it but again that could be said about a few other cars.
I had originally had a bigger budge during lockdown (20-25) but with the hike in second hand car prices I rather spend that on the family or a holiday and have something for my limited miles along with having to replace the OH car in future due to Ulez.
I know the appeal of a LY Megane, I had a LY R26. Whilst it handled great when really pushing on, for normal day to day duties it was far from great. The interior was a drab place to be, the seats were pretty good but sat too high, the gear change was comically long, the engine whilst powerful (was mapped by EFI and running 300hp/300ftlbs) lacked any real character, and the niggly electrical faults became annoying. In the end I swapped it for an E87 130i and it was much better in every single way other than the handling when driving it hard/on the limit. It unfortunately got written off 2 weeks before heading to the Nurburgring last June, and after driving my mates M235i over there instead I knew I wanted an N55 engined BMW. Because I also need to do the school run every morning and use it for some family duties when not using my wife's Octavia VRS estate, I opted for an F20 2013 M135i. I'm more than made up with it and ticks every box for me. The performance, and the engine in general is great, the interior is leaps ahead of the Renault, and so far it's been faultless. I'd definitely recommend test driving an M135i or M235i depending on your preference.
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