Nice review Joseph. Think you covered most of it including spotting the variable intermittent wiper. It also has smart wiper so the rear will operate in reverse if the front wipers are on. Pretty standard equipment today but not so much back in the 90's. The rear seats do actually fold and have a 60/40 split. I think only other thing missed was electric/heated mirrors and the origiinal factory carpet mats. Again, very nicely done Joseph.
Yes, a rear wiper which comes on when the front wipers are on and reverse is selected was a big deal in 1997. It was good fun sir, must be in excellent condition for one of these.
Your pronounciation of the trim levels in french was very good for an englishman! So are your reviews! Every time I look up a review for a car I am eyeing out, I am sure to find you have covered it...
Well, I do have a degree in French, so that may have something to do with it. I think I have filmed almost 500 cars on the channel now, so I do have a fair bit of experience these days.
I've had '99 1.6 K4M Megane Coupe, now I am a happy owner of '96 2.0 F7R Megane Coach :) I must admit that this model in the video is really in excellent condition especially the exterior. These cars are rare today. You almost cannot buy any running F7R Coupe here in Poland. I was very lucky tu purchase mine for only 650€. Nice to know that not all Megane Coupes had electric tilted rear windows :) And yes there were models with diesel engines after facelift 1.9l about 100HP :)
I think phase 2 in Europe got DCI engine option but not in UK. I wanted an F7R but they are virtually unobtainable now. My Dad owned a brand new 1996 Coupe 1.6e and that didn't even have electric front windows, sunroof, alloys, front fog lights. Was still a really nice car at the time though.
Well, I am afraid that we don't talk about diesels on this channel.... The Mark I Coupés are indeed very rare. I haven't seen another one for a very long time. Mark's car is indeed in really good condition.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting Thank you Joseph. Some of the bodywork needs professional work but the car is structurally solid. Had one small plate welded as there was a small hole but otherwise all good. The things I really like are the origional factory head unit and Fidji carpet mats. Someone even fitted genuine OEM headlamp protectors too. Like many cars they got old, got modified them scrapped so origiinal cars are very difficult to find. Took me years.
I thought I commented on this the other day. It was my favourite colour on this car. I haven't seen one for years, which is a shame. I miss the good old days and the simplicity
The yellow was always the iconic colour on these. I'm very much still enjoying the simplicity. The car did around 700 miles that weekend and is still going well.
Variable speed intermittent wipe,decadence of the ninetys sir, that car is in great condition for its age,mark has done well,excellent review sir by the way.
Thank you John. There are some areas of the body which are not exactly factory fresh but it has come through that stage of simply being an old car. That Variable intermittent wiper is actually very useful and I remember having a Renault which didn't have that in period and being envious of those who did. 😅
The cars which are surprisingly fitted with a variable intermittent wiper function are lots of 1980s Datsuns and Nissans! I haven't seen another one of these Mégane Coupés in years.
I think we need some shots of Mr Lloyd selecting cassette tapes in future reviews and singing along, albeit with no sound so as not to infringe copyright. Love the car. The colour and the rear lights look superb
We did used to have some cassette storage solutions on Tweed Jacket Reviews, sir! My favourite ones were in the Nissan Primera which Mr Coleman used to own. The colour is very typical of the period.
Joseph I made enquiries about a convertible one recently. It had the Williams engine and lots of extras including leather interior but I missed out sadly.
I saw this car on the wulls wheels channel and i loved that so called cassette storage box between the rear seats! Also well equipped but the door mirrors should of been colour coded.
On the phase one cars none of the 1.6e version (I think with the exception of the sport 2 very late on) only ever got the grey plastic mirrors. Both of the 2.0 versions got colour coded mirror backs. Yes the rear storage happens to be perfectly suited to cassettes except for the front edge where the base raises up a little. It's carpeted and I've not actually noticed any rattling of tapes so far.
There is a delicious medium metallic green and a lovely dark metallic blue available in the Facelift models, Sir. Renault probably made it a 2 door to keep the body more rigid for sporty handling. That famous Renault locking switch was advanced for the time to keep you and your handbag/valuables safe in those days of traffic light smash and grab attacks.
The Renault 21s had a very similar locking switch in the late 1980s, and I imagine that the 25s would have been the same. These Coupés do have slightly better handling that the standard hatchback and Classic versions, which I suppose is to be expected.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting The 25 them the 21 got things like remote radio controls in the 80s and the tech trickled down. By the late 90s most of the range were pretty well equipped.
@@markonmotoring my Dad had a 1987 Renault 21 GTS 1.7 metallic green. It was really well equipped, roomy, comfortable and quick when the second Venturi opened as the pedal was floored. It got written off and was replaced a 1988 in red. The colour wasn't as nice but it came with an electric sunroof. However, it was replaced by a 1989 Toyota Camry 2.0 litre GLi which had 125 bhp, more space, nicer gearbox, power steering and practically silent idle. He has been buying Japanese since , 2 Camrys and 2 Grand Vitaras. The Renault 21 still beat the Camry on seats, ride comfort, handling and bootspace.
@@seancooke7332 The 21 was a nice car and I believe it had a pretty low drag coefficient for its time. The 1721cc engine was the one used in some Volvo's. I grew up with R5s and remember that engine being in the GTX and Monaco versions.
Another excellent review of a Megane, think it's just a scenic you need to do now is it? I remember these especially in this shade of yellow was very popular.
My dad owned a 96N base spec 1.6e in red but secretly always wanted a Sunflower yellow. At the time Yellow was only in cars with a 2.0 engine until the Fidji arrived
I must say that I do like this Renault Mégane! Small boot aperture, but volume is not bad, although limited in height. I also like the styling, very attractive, fits perfectly with modern vehicles. Low mileage for its age, a very well taken care of vehicle. Another excellent review, thank you once again Joseph!
It is a bit like posting stuff through a letterbox but the load area is very cube like and swallows up more than you may expect. It's rear leg room where you pay the price. The seats fold 60/40 too but with a big lip but it's there as an option for longer/flatter loads.
@@markonmotoring Thank you very much for the clarification. It seems to be livable. I do like the flexibility of a folding rear seat. And the vehicle is very tractable in traffic.
@@frothe42 Your most welcome. The car is a compromise. You could buy a more practical version like s hatch or a scenic if you so wished but the coupe is stiffer and more eye catching. It's maybe not as sharp as something like a Ford Puma to drive but it's still pretty good and way more comfortable than you would expect it to be.
We aim to please, sir! As Mark says, the seats actually do fold, although the aperture is a bit restricted. He has done a lot of work on it to bring it up to this standard, you really don't see these much any more.
My Rover 45 V6 also likes to have some nice coil packs, so it must be a trait of cars from the early 2000s. The Mark I Méganes are actually quite reliable cars, one or two issues aside. The Mark IIs were not as good in that respect.
Presumably the facelift model with a 1.6 16v engine? That and the 1.4 16v were notorious for coil pack failure. They were coil on plug where as mine has HT could. Two of them each with two leads running to plugs.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting mk2 from 2003 had electric handbrake and key card instead of the key also ecu problems... built-in recipe for faults as it aged!
My Dad owned one of the very first 1996 cars in red and it was a real head turner at launch. I was a little older than you (a teenager) but it made a lasting impression on me. I always wanted a yellow one bite it's taken me 25 years to get to own one.
Thank you Graeme! I have something like 70-80 episodes of No Budget Reviews on one of the channel playlists, so if you like cheap cars, you have come to the right place....
In New Zealand cars made after 2000 like my 2001 Civic only require one Warrant of Fitness (WOF, our MOT) inspection a year. As this Renault is made before 2000 it would require two WOF checks a year. In New Zealand modified car enthusiasts would not have touched Euro cars like this but a comparable Japanese car to this still popular with some car modifiers would have been the 1996-2000 Toyota Levin/Trueno coupes imported from Japan. Thanks for this great video! 🙂
Yes, I have been learning from Ian Seabrook's videos about the Warrant of Fitness and the struggles he had to get his Ford through it before it was exported. I can't imagine that they would have been particularly popular in New Zealand, as they weren't massive sellers over here, but that makes it even more interesting. Got absolutely loads of No Budget Reviews, Sensible Secondhand Reviews, Tweed Jacket Reviews and Sensible Secondhand Classics on various playlists if you like this sort of thing! Far more than 100 now....
Interesting review. In New Zealand European cars are treated as luxury cars and often result in costly insurance! Just mentioned that to give you some perspective. I think they did sell this model here back in the day but it would have been relatively rare compared to cheaper Japanese cars.
Yes, this is a rare car now, probably even more so in New Zealand. Japanese cars are very popular over there, aren't they? I have a friend who owned a Mark III Polo and then a Ford Ka over there, though, so I suppose like this Renault, they did exist....
@@lloydvehicleconsulting Yes Japanese brands are extremely popular especially because of their cars durability. Yes we did have a lot of Ford Kas back in the day, and Volkswagen and Audi are extremely popular brands even for mainstream drivers, although insurance is through the roof.
@@alaricbragg7843 , how strange that Fords and Volkswagens are so much more expensive to insure over in New Zealand. In this country, they are distinctly middle of the road, although Audis can be a bit expensive as they are very common theft targets.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting European cars have been something of a status symbol in New Zealand, especially in the last couple of decades, hence higher prices, insurance etc. Although Ford are still seen as an affordable brand.
Gruesome period for Renault ..(that front end 🙄) if they cant keep material stuck down will the headlining collapse? ..I wonder what velour pattern designers are doing now ..serving fish and chips one would hope.
The headliner they actually got right. Think they must be more of a pre formed foam rather than multi layer fabric glued together. This one hadn't sagged or broken down. Seats still look pretty good too. It's really just those door cards that seem to all go the same.
These Mark I Méganes are actually very reliable in comparison with the Mark IIs and have a surprisingly high survival rate (although Coupés like this are very rare). My Rover 45 V6 has exactly the same problem with sagging door cards and that is six years newer.
Nice review Joseph.
Think you covered most of it including spotting the variable intermittent wiper. It also has smart wiper so the rear will operate in reverse if the front wipers are on. Pretty standard equipment today but not so much back in the 90's. The rear seats do actually fold and have a 60/40 split. I think only other thing missed was electric/heated mirrors and the origiinal factory carpet mats.
Again, very nicely done Joseph.
Yes, a rear wiper which comes on when the front wipers are on and reverse is selected was a big deal in 1997. It was good fun sir, must be in excellent condition for one of these.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting She's far from perfect but gradually working through the jobs.
Your pronounciation of the trim levels in french was very good for an englishman! So are your reviews! Every time I look up a review for a car I am eyeing out, I am sure to find you have covered it...
Well, I do have a degree in French, so that may have something to do with it. I think I have filmed almost 500 cars on the channel now, so I do have a fair bit of experience these days.
I've had '99 1.6 K4M Megane Coupe, now I am a happy owner of '96 2.0 F7R Megane Coach :) I must admit that this model in the video is really in excellent condition especially the exterior. These cars are rare today. You almost cannot buy any running F7R Coupe here in Poland. I was very lucky tu purchase mine for only 650€.
Nice to know that not all Megane Coupes had electric tilted rear windows :)
And yes there were models with diesel engines after facelift 1.9l about 100HP :)
I think phase 2 in Europe got DCI engine option but not in UK.
I wanted an F7R but they are virtually unobtainable now. My Dad owned a brand new 1996 Coupe 1.6e and that didn't even have electric front windows, sunroof, alloys, front fog lights. Was still a really nice car at the time though.
Well, I am afraid that we don't talk about diesels on this channel.... The Mark I Coupés are indeed very rare. I haven't seen another one for a very long time. Mark's car is indeed in really good condition.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting Thank you Joseph.
Some of the bodywork needs professional work but the car is structurally solid. Had one small plate welded as there was a small hole but otherwise all good. The things I really like are the origional factory head unit and Fidji carpet mats. Someone even fitted genuine OEM headlamp protectors too. Like many cars they got old, got modified them scrapped so origiinal cars are very difficult to find. Took me years.
@@markonmotoring , these Mark I Mégane Coupés aren't exactly common any more, are they?
@@lloydvehicleconsulting They most certainly are not, especially I'm the pre facelift form.
I thought I commented on this the other day. It was my favourite colour on this car. I haven't seen one for years, which is a shame. I miss the good old days and the simplicity
Yes sir, very rare now! The good old days indeed.
The yellow was always the iconic colour on these. I'm very much still enjoying the simplicity. The car did around 700 miles that weekend and is still going well.
@@markonmotoring , excellent, sir!
Variable speed intermittent wipe,decadence of the ninetys sir, that car is in great condition for its age,mark has done well,excellent review sir by the way.
Thank you John. There are some areas of the body which are not exactly factory fresh but it has come through that stage of simply being an old car. That Variable intermittent wiper is actually very useful and I remember having a Renault which didn't have that in period and being envious of those who did. 😅
The cars which are surprisingly fitted with a variable intermittent wiper function are lots of 1980s Datsuns and Nissans! I haven't seen another one of these Mégane Coupés in years.
I think we need some shots of Mr Lloyd selecting cassette tapes in future reviews and singing along, albeit with no sound so as not to infringe copyright.
Love the car. The colour and the rear lights look superb
We did used to have some cassette storage solutions on Tweed Jacket Reviews, sir! My favourite ones were in the Nissan Primera which Mr Coleman used to own. The colour is very typical of the period.
Memorable motors, many years ago one of these used to knock about, really appealed even more so now.
That's right, sir! I did enjoy having a go in Mark's excellent example...
Joseph I made enquiries about a convertible one recently. It had the Williams engine and lots of extras including leather interior but I missed out sadly.
@@markonmotoring , never mind, sir, there's always another time!
@@lloydvehicleconsulting Maybe, maybe not.
Wasn't looking for one and don't need it but seemed too good to pass up.
@@markonmotoring , it's always the way!
I saw this car on the wulls wheels channel and i loved that so called cassette storage box between the rear seats! Also well equipped but the door mirrors should of been colour coded.
We can't have everything, sir, but at least we do have cassette storage solutions!
@@lloydvehicleconsulting Albeit a very noisy one (cass. storage) over bumps and imperfect road surfaces!!
@@trabali5168 , indeed, sir!
On the phase one cars none of the 1.6e version (I think with the exception of the sport 2 very late on) only ever got the grey plastic mirrors. Both of the 2.0 versions got colour coded mirror backs.
Yes the rear storage happens to be perfectly suited to cassettes except for the front edge where the base raises up a little. It's carpeted and I've not actually noticed any rattling of tapes so far.
There is a delicious medium metallic green and a lovely dark metallic blue available in the Facelift models, Sir. Renault probably made it a 2 door to keep the body more rigid for sporty handling.
That famous Renault locking switch was advanced for the time to keep you and your handbag/valuables safe in those days of traffic light smash and grab attacks.
The blue could be Monaco Blue or Possibly Ink blue. Both if which suite the Mégane very well I think.
The Renault 21s had a very similar locking switch in the late 1980s, and I imagine that the 25s would have been the same. These Coupés do have slightly better handling that the standard hatchback and Classic versions, which I suppose is to be expected.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting The 25 them the 21 got things like remote radio controls in the 80s and the tech trickled down. By the late 90s most of the range were pretty well equipped.
@@markonmotoring my Dad had a 1987 Renault 21 GTS 1.7 metallic green. It was really well equipped, roomy, comfortable and quick when the second Venturi opened as the pedal was floored. It got written off and was replaced a 1988 in red. The colour wasn't as nice but it came with an electric sunroof. However, it was replaced by a 1989 Toyota Camry 2.0 litre GLi which had 125 bhp, more space, nicer gearbox, power steering and practically silent idle. He has been buying Japanese since , 2 Camrys and 2 Grand Vitaras.
The Renault 21 still beat the Camry on seats, ride comfort, handling and bootspace.
@@seancooke7332 The 21 was a nice car and I believe it had a pretty low drag coefficient for its time. The 1721cc engine was the one used in some Volvo's. I grew up with R5s and remember that engine being in the GTX and Monaco versions.
Another excellent review of a Megane, think it's just a scenic you need to do now is it?
I remember these especially in this shade of yellow was very popular.
My dad owned a 96N base spec 1.6e in red but secretly always wanted a Sunflower yellow. At the time Yellow was only in cars with a 2.0 engine until the Fidji arrived
Yes, only the Scénic now. They are around, just not in huge numbers.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting There was the Cabriolet too. I know by MK1 phase two at least there was an estate but we didn't get those in the UK.
@@markonmotoring , that's right, we never got the Mark I Estate in this country.
I must say that I do like this Renault Mégane! Small boot aperture, but volume is not bad, although limited in height.
I also like the styling, very attractive, fits perfectly with modern vehicles. Low mileage for its age, a very well taken care of vehicle.
Another excellent review, thank you once again Joseph!
It is a bit like posting stuff through a letterbox but the load area is very cube like and swallows up more than you may expect. It's rear leg room where you pay the price.
The seats fold 60/40 too but with a big lip but it's there as an option for longer/flatter loads.
@@markonmotoring Thank you very much for the clarification. It seems to be livable. I do like the flexibility of a folding rear seat.
And the vehicle is very tractable in traffic.
@@frothe42 Your most welcome.
The car is a compromise. You could buy a more practical version like s hatch or a scenic if you so wished but the coupe is stiffer and more eye catching. It's maybe not as sharp as something like a Ford Puma to drive but it's still pretty good and way more comfortable than you would expect it to be.
We aim to please, sir! As Mark says, the seats actually do fold, although the aperture is a bit restricted. He has done a lot of work on it to bring it up to this standard, you really don't see these much any more.
I had a 01scenic and absolutely no rust anywhere, really comfortable and kids loved travelling in it. It did eat coil packs though.
My Rover 45 V6 also likes to have some nice coil packs, so it must be a trait of cars from the early 2000s. The Mark I Méganes are actually quite reliable cars, one or two issues aside. The Mark IIs were not as good in that respect.
Presumably the facelift model with a 1.6 16v engine? That and the 1.4 16v were notorious for coil pack failure. They were coil on plug where as mine has HT could. Two of them each with two leads running to plugs.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting mk2 from 2003 had electric handbrake and key card instead of the key also ecu problems... built-in recipe for faults as it aged!
@@terryatkinson899 , yes, I am not in a hurry to review one of those...
@@markonmotoring , ah, good old coil pack failure...
my auntie had one of these when I was around 7 or 8 and tbh.. i thought it looked amazing!
They were quite distinctive, especially in this striking period yellow colour.
My Dad owned one of the very first 1996 cars in red and it was a real head turner at launch. I was a little older than you (a teenager) but it made a lasting impression on me. I always wanted a yellow one bite it's taken me 25 years to get to own one.
Just come across your channel. Looking for a budget car as you describe. Great stuff!
Thank you Graeme! I have something like 70-80 episodes of No Budget Reviews on one of the channel playlists, so if you like cheap cars, you have come to the right place....
In New Zealand cars made after 2000 like my 2001 Civic only require one Warrant of Fitness (WOF, our MOT) inspection a year. As this Renault is made before 2000 it would require two WOF checks a year. In New Zealand modified car enthusiasts would not have touched Euro cars like this but a comparable Japanese car to this still popular with some car modifiers would have been the 1996-2000 Toyota Levin/Trueno coupes imported from Japan. Thanks for this great video! 🙂
Yes, I have been learning from Ian Seabrook's videos about the Warrant of Fitness and the struggles he had to get his Ford through it before it was exported. I can't imagine that they would have been particularly popular in New Zealand, as they weren't massive sellers over here, but that makes it even more interesting. Got absolutely loads of No Budget Reviews, Sensible Secondhand Reviews, Tweed Jacket Reviews and Sensible Secondhand Classics on various playlists if you like this sort of thing! Far more than 100 now....
@@lloydvehicleconsulting Wow. Cool. I might check out another one to pass the time during COVID lockdown! 🙂
@@alaricbragg7843 , three new reviews a week and a back catalogue of them of almost 150 now...
Nice saved car, as you say very rare these days, engine oil filter very easy to access
Yes, absolutely! A very easy engine to work on, and these are very rare these days.
Interesting review. In New Zealand European cars are treated as luxury cars and often result in costly insurance! Just mentioned that to give you some perspective. I think they did sell this model here back in the day but it would have been relatively rare compared to cheaper Japanese cars.
Yes, this is a rare car now, probably even more so in New Zealand. Japanese cars are very popular over there, aren't they? I have a friend who owned a Mark III Polo and then a Ford Ka over there, though, so I suppose like this Renault, they did exist....
@@lloydvehicleconsulting Yes Japanese brands are extremely popular especially because of their cars durability. Yes we did have a lot of Ford Kas back in the day, and Volkswagen and Audi are extremely popular brands even for mainstream drivers, although insurance is through the roof.
@@alaricbragg7843 , how strange that Fords and Volkswagens are so much more expensive to insure over in New Zealand. In this country, they are distinctly middle of the road, although Audis can be a bit expensive as they are very common theft targets.
@@lloydvehicleconsulting European cars have been something of a status symbol in New Zealand, especially in the last couple of decades, hence higher prices, insurance etc. Although Ford are still seen as an affordable brand.
@@alaricbragg7843 , that's very interesting! I am sure that BMW, Audi and Mercedes are the ones which command the higher prices.
You didn't mention the electric mirrors 😉
You did, so I don't have to.
Do you still have this and is it for sale?
I do still have it but it's not for sale. This one is a long term keeper.
Thank you, sir!
Gruesome period for Renault ..(that front end 🙄) if they cant keep material stuck down will the headlining collapse? ..I wonder what velour pattern designers are doing now ..serving fish and chips one would hope.
The headliner they actually got right. Think they must be more of a pre formed foam rather than multi layer fabric glued together. This one hadn't sagged or broken down. Seats still look pretty good too. It's really just those door cards that seem to all go the same.
These Mark I Méganes are actually very reliable in comparison with the Mark IIs and have a surprisingly high survival rate (although Coupés like this are very rare). My Rover 45 V6 has exactly the same problem with sagging door cards and that is six years newer.
I would love to see velour upholstery make a comeback in cars.
@@mattw8332 They were once seen as being a bit more premium over cloth. I suppose the nearest we have now is alcantara.
@@mattw8332 , much as I like beige leather interiors, I also agree with you.