Anyone got a Vel Satis?

[demag]

At the moment I am getting rather dismayed with my Fiat Multipla. I had a 2.5 Xm before that. So you can see I don't like mainstream! Vel Satis's are going for silly money now so was wondering if anyone has experience of them. The review sites are mixed so I can't get a clear idea.

Thanks,

Dave.

[Citroenmad]

Nice cars, i do like those, however ive no experience of them. Renaults dont often tend to be the most reliable or best built cars, but when they work they are usually great cars.

Though the only bad thing ive heard about a velsatis is the 2.2DCi is not as economical as you might think, 30 if your lucky, but ive not heard anything else velsatis specific.

Have a look on the honest johns website, though it might be scary as it often is. No one in their right mind would buy most used cars if they go by that

[demag]

Hiya Citroenmad, fancy seeing you here!

Yes the Multipla versatile as it is, is getting to be a pain. The heater just when you need it is more or less non-existant. I had a play with it today and managed to bleed some air out, it now gets quite warm instead of luke warm and I'm being serious now. When we had the snow the handbrake seized on and I had to drive to work like that. I took it very easy though. The gearchange gets very stiff in the cold weather because water gets in the cables (how?!) and freezes. Everyone on the forum is moaning about the lack of heat.

I am getting near to a change now. I can feel it in my bones! I haven't had the Multi a year yet! I quite fancy another auto. I looked for a Multi auto at the time but they only make manuals. The last one I had was a Saab 900 years ago. At the moment I am looking at the Vel Satis or Kia Carens diesel auto. Yes strange mixture I know but that's me I'm afraid.

[raggerminder]

An interesting post as I have a Multipla which we have now had for nearly seven years and another for thee years before that and I certainly recognise the issues you raised. The heater is rubbish, but then, so is the air-con. Handbrakes do freeze, we have got into the habit of brakes off and leave it in gear during cold snaps, but the gear linkage problem is not one we have encountered.

Because we have 4 ankle biters, admittedly ranging from 16-22, there really is nothing to compare for practicality and SWMBO loves it. Therefore, it has sucked money from me on a regular basis and probably will continue to do so for a while. When it was six months old, I had a remap done by the chap at Angel Tuning and it made a huge difference to the driveability of the car. It was well worth the cost and the engine has suffered no adverse effects, as far as I can tell. We have done about 10k per year in it.

I am also thinking about a Vel Satis as a possible future motor. I had lots of Renaults when I was younger and particularly love the R16s I owned. There are some good ones around at very reasonable prices and I am finding my own VR4 Legnum a tad thirsty. Having said that, though what a car the Mitsubishi is!

Should you buy a Vel Satis, Iwould love to hear your thoughts.

Rob

[demag]

Definitely a very practical motor Rob. But living with the foibles is hard going. The Xm had a brilliant heater but this is absolute crap and everyone on the forum moans about them.

Great minds think alike! I chipped mine a couple of months back and the midrange is phenomenal. Although I've only got the power button screwed half way up. I've sprayed the release arm shaft where it goes into the bellhousing with WD40 and that has made quite a difference to the clutch. I'm going to try and bleed the slave cylinder today/tomorrow but it looks like a bit of a stripdown to reach it. Hopefully it will be worth it.

I had a test drive in a Kia Sedona last week. Auto diesel. What an absolute stunning motor. Makes the Multi look proper second class. 35k miles 04 plate £5995. Like a new car it was with grey leather, but it was too big. A shame but we have to be sensible don't we.

[raggerminder]

I looked at the Sedona before buying my first Multipla and again before buying our current one and decided that for all their size they just didn't have enough room. With all the seats in position there just wasn't any room for a week's shopping, never mind luggage for a few days away with the family.

Rob

[vince]

Ive always found carsurvey.org to be a great review site...written only by owners

[demag]

Well, I went after a few Kia Carens only for them to be sold when I got there. Much as I liked the idea of a Vel Satis I didn't really fancy a 100 mile run for a test drive only to discover I didn't like it!

So..............today I bought a Grand Scenic 2 Expression. 1.5 diesel. '54 plate 48thou on the clock. Metallic red quite nice condition. Paid 5 grand but got 2 back in p/x for the Multi. It's got 2 key fobs and everything works (including the heater!) Should get it next week all things being well. Back to a French car again. My Italian sojourn didn't last long. I'm looking forward to being warm again!

Strangely the last Renault I owned was a 16 and I loved it!

[Wile7]

Just bought one.

Bonkers value given the £32k price new on this 3.5 V6 Initiale (I have the FSH and original bill of sale). I only ventured because a) its petrol and b) the lump is Japanese and one of the most rated engines in the world c) it has service provenance and was cheap.

Is it a risk? I don't think so.

No more than any large exec. Show me a Diesel BMW or Merc that does not have its share of injector problems after 100k....although I would never buy diesel (its just me...).

So, a 2002 car that has a silky smooth engine, is in great condition, averages 28mpg at the moment, all the toys, has rarity and goes like stink for under £2k with FSH and 52k miles....??

I think its a bargain

Dave

[demag]

Oh nice one Dave . Hope it goes well for you.

Well I got the Scenic and have done a few trips in it. Hayling Island for a week just after buying it and I just got back from Llandudno the other day. On both journeys mpg averaged out to 60!! . It is incredible on diesel, even around the town where most days I do 10 miles in heavy ish traffic it still returns between 46-48mpg. I've never known a car like it.

However! I hate the bloody thing! It's as boring as beans on toast. It really is mainstream and I don't do mainstream! Once again the clutch is awful. What is it with modern cars and crap clutches? Do they do it on purpose?! Even the Xm was a bit iffy but it was better than this. I'm still hankering after a Kia but I'm trying to watch the pennies and I can't afford a later Carens only the early one which apparently wasn't so good. So at the moment I'm thinking maybe looking for a 1.6 or 2.0hdi Berlingo. Looking at the reviews there aren't many bad ones and once again I'll be back to quirky looks!

[Hubert Vel Satis]

Hi demag,

Shame you didn't get a Vel Satis in the end, but at least you've been getting good MPG economy out of the Megane, even though you think it's not very exciting. Keep us posted with your car travails.

I got a Vel Satis a few years ago, a 3 litre diesel one, and I've not looked back since. Yes, several things (small and large) have gone wrong, but no other car offers this much "sense of occasion" and luxury for the money. And if you look after one, it should last a fair while and has already become a collectible modern classic.

Fingers crossed you can get the Kia you want in the end.

[demag]

How spooky! I was on Autotrader again last night drooling over them and today there's another post!

Actually Hubert the Scenic and I didn't stay friends for very long. It started getting all sorts of warnings on the dash. Injector fault was the common one but there were others as well. Eventually it died one day, just cut out stone dead. The dash was a blaze of colour and sound, with lights and warnings flashing and buzzers sounding. Very impressive! If only the car was as impressive as the dashboard! I had to be recovered and it cost 300 notes to get sorted.

Not long after I p/x'd it for a 55 plate Kia Carens diesel auto with only 30k on the clock. I mean you can see why they're cheap, compared to the Scenic it really is agricultural! Sitting inside you can hear that traditional thrashy diesel noise . It only does 24mpg round town and the box is not all that clever. I think it's electronic control similar to the French adaptive box. However! It is nice and roomy with big Citroenesque seats and drives quite well. I would say the suspension is probably better than the Scenic. I can traverse speed bumps without slowing to a crawl now. I think I'm going to fit the Tunit module to it, not to get more performance but to see if it improves the mpg.

What really annoys me out of all this is, a couple of years ago I owned a beautiful 2.5td Xm with 80k on the clock. It went like a rocket if I wanted it to. It was very civilized to drive. I had done a lot of work on the suspension and although it wasn't perfect it was getting there. And I got rid of it for something more "modern" to please the family (well the missus actually ) From what I can see modern = trouble! The electronics on new cars are just a nightmare waiting to happen, and cost. The Kia doesn't have much in the way of electronics. There's no computer, no external temperature read out, no cruise control........ In fact not much of anything in that direction. If I want to work out the mpg I fill the tank and set the trip. The only digital read out in the whole car is the odometer and the clock!

When the weather warms up I'm seriously considering lifting the carpets and fitting some sound deadening material. There's also a lot of vibration from the doors so I will fit some self adhesive sound deadening in those as well. It's really quite nice apart from the noise and mpg. If I can improve on those two areas it will be really good.

Just out of interest Hubert what is your mpg? I used to get 24 out of the Xm around town in busy traffic but on a run it would push 50!!

[Hubert Vel Satis]

Hi there,

That sure is a coincidence, you having been drooling over Vel Sati again last night on Autotrader. Which one would you go for if you did take the plunge - a diesel I take it? I look on Autotrader daily and not many 2.2 diesels come up, but there are some decent 3.0 diesels on there. That's the spec I've got and if driven carefully, I get 36-38 mpg around town (bear in mind I hardly do any short trips though) and on the motorway I always get 44mpg upwards. The highest I've seen is 52mpg, which was when the air temperature was just right and I had put some diesel additive in it. So it is possible to get a good MPG even from the bigger diesel engine. I used to hear that the 2.2 returns an even better MPG, but recently I keep reading posts eluding to the MPG actually being better from a carefully-driven 3 litre.

It's a shame what happened with your Scenic re the failure, the dash lighting up, etc. The Kia Carens should be reliable and well-built, even if the MPG isn't great and it's a bit basic? That's the thing to bear in mind about a Vel Satis - that if things do go wrong, it's best to have a decent or savings pot there, just in case.

[demag]

Well went on my first run in the Carens today. 100 mile round trip to Belper and back. I checked the fluids yesterday and thought the atf was a touch low. If the weather holds out this week I'll try and change it.

Mpg has certainly improved on a run. Cruising at 65-70 the noise is nowhere near as intrusive. Fuel gauge was showing midway between full and 3/4 when I got back. Around the town it would be between 3/4 and 1/2 now for the same mileage. I noticed a very slight wheel wobble at 70 so will get them balanced. Other than that I'm pleased to say no nasty surprises.

If I ever went for a Vel, it would have to be v6 diesel in a dark colour. Auto. From what I've read mpg would be about the same as the Kia!

[Citroenmad]

What MPG do you think your getting with your Carens at motorway speed?

I find my C5 does 50MPG usually without fail when cruising at 70mph.

The V6 DCi Vel does sound better than i had thought on fuel