Used Renault Koleos a Good Car for The Price?

LMiloB on 18/06/2023 - 16:24
Last edited 18/06/2023 - 16:49 by 1 other user

Hi OzBers,

I'm looking for a second-hand mid-size SUV or stationwagon to replace my 2007 Corolla. Finally requiring to update and upsize due to a second baby arriving soon. I have 25-30k to spend on a car, and with the inflated second hand car, I seem to have narrowed down my choice to 2019-2020 Renault Koleos or Skoda Octavia wagons.

Does OzB recommend either of these cars? Particularly the Koleos, they look good, and it looks like I can get a few around the $28K mark 2020 models with ~60,000 km on the clock. They seem quite cheap as compared to similar in the market? Is there a reason why, or do Renaults just have poor resale value. Similar story for Skodas.

Automotive Renault Koleos

Comments

  • GordonD on 18/06/2023 - 16:39
    +2

    Renaults just have poor resale value

    This. But, ask yourself, why do they have poor resale value. As a Renault owner I'd be happy to tell you.

    At least in the case of the Koleos, its at least in part a Nissan X-Trail.

    Its similar with the Skoda. The brand reduces it resale value, but underneath its largely VW.

    • CptnObvious on 18/06/2023 - 19:22

      VW is good right? German voom voom?

      • JIMB0 on 19/06/2023 - 18:26

        Until your Golf goes putt putt.

  • dtc on 18/06/2023 - 16:47
    +4

    The Skoda is a pretty good car, I would go with it out of those two for sure.

    However you might find something like a Subaru Outback for another $3-4k (2018 probably) or even just a Camry will be a better option long term - they will retain their value and you will pick up the extra cost when you sell/they are relatively cheap cars to keep running even when they get older (especially the Camry). Good luck on a major renault repair job

  • pharkurnell on 18/06/2023 - 17:06

    good quality cars hold their value… the rest Renault ….

    • Tricon on 18/06/2023 - 17:24
      +2

      Renault R5 Turbo2

      • blitz on 18/06/2023 - 18:42
        +1

        One of my top 20 cars of all time. I would own one in a heartbeat.

  • Gdsamp on 18/06/2023 - 19:05
    +2

    Seriously just only consider buying Korean or Japanese (excluding Nissan). Toyota, followed by Honda, Hyundai/Kia, Mazda in any order. Mitsubishi if you must.
    Curiously this philosophy actually counts out the Renault Koleos, which is based on the Nissan X-trail, but built in South Korea.

    Subarus are not bad but the head gasket/s will eventually fail. and they've now all got CVTs. Most of them are underpowered as hell (turbocharged models not withstanding)
    Nissan and this Renault in particular also have crap CVTs that are generally regarded as worse than the subaru CVTs. Honda CVTs are OK.

    And for the love of God Don't buy a European car, unless you wish to get clowned on on OzB 4 years down the track when the DSG goes (because they put a fancy transmission on a volume car that has to be built to a price), or the turbo causes you grief (see previous comment), or the engine's f**ked due to carbon build up (because theyve all got direct injection that causes it) (new toyotas have both direct and port injection for this reason, to clean the back of the valves/cold starts then switch to direct for efficiency; Mazda's skyactiv doesn't seem to have this issue though), and the parts + labour cost a fortune because we live in Australia

    • shxhshzhz on 18/06/2023 - 21:53

      what about toyota CVTs?

      • Gdsamp on 19/06/2023 - 14:09
        +1

        They seem to be pretty good. biggest issue is overheating. keep up with maintenance though they should be fine. I'd opt for an torque-converter auto Toyota over a CVT where possible, but you dont get that choice with the Hybrids.
        Having said that, nobody builds hybrids better than Toyota, and CVTs dont really seem to be an issue for the hybrids really. so perhaps having the electric motor actually assists CVT longevity.

        • JIMB0 on 19/06/2023 - 18:32
          +2

          The CVT in the hybrids is a totally different beast. It just has conventional gears with no belt. Uses an electric motor/generator on a planetary gear set to give variable speed drive between the engine and road wheels.

    • Techie4066 on 21/06/2023 - 23:29

      Nissan and this Renault in particular also have crap CVTs that are generally regarded as worse than the subaru CVTs

      The Koleos is the only model in the Australian lineup with a Nissan drivetrain, and therefore a Jatco CVT. The Arkana and Captur both have one of the best small turbo engines on the market, a 1.3L 4cyl co-developed with Damiler.

      Also, the DSGs in all new Renaults are wet clutch 7-speed models made by Getrag that don't have a track record of issues.

      OP, if you're turned off by the CVT, look at the Captur (bit small but punchy), Arkana or the Kadjar which was phased out locally and could be found cheap. All share the same drivetrain, including the Mercedes M282/Renault H5Ht engine.

  • bobbified on 18/06/2023 - 19:48

    French cars are reliable… (at breaking down!)

    • GrueHunter on 18/06/2023 - 23:00
      +1

      This "French" car shares the X Trail platform and was manufactured by Samsung in South Korea, but you do you

      • pegaxs on 18/06/2023 - 23:41
        -1

        Ahhh… that old “BuT iTs bUiLt oN tHe x-TrAiL” nugget… Put it this way, Renault and Nissan were in bed together. (Nissan is to Japan automotive companies what Daewoo was to Korean automotive companies…)

        Nissan is so garbage that Renault, the 3rd worst car maker in the world, doesn’t want anymore to do with them. How bad do you have to be when one of the worst car manufacturers in the world is trying to break away from you?

        So, one of the worst car companies in the world built a car based off a car made by one of the worst manufacturers in Japan… Basically, Renault took a shit sandwich from Nissan and just removed the bread.

  • mreddie on 18/06/2023 - 19:57

    Don't buy Renault.

  • pegaxs on 18/06/2023 - 23:25
    -1

    Holy shit… came here expecting $2,800… not $28,000. Buying a Renault is a really quick way to turn $28k into $2.8k

    Friends don’t let friends buy French cars.

    Don’t do it. Even if they were giving them away for free… don’t do it.

    There are only 2 car brands worse than Renault… and ironically, they are both French as well.

    InB4 nubzy gets here and tries to convince everyone that the French make the finest vehicles on the planet and regales us with anecdotal stories of air conditioners that work when the car is off, and how if you find a French car specialist, they are cheaper than a Corolla to own…

    • bobbified on 19/06/2023 - 14:13

      InB4 nubzy gets here and tries to convince everyone that the French make the finest vehicles on the planet

      Haven't heard from the guy for a while. Can't really blame the guy for being a proud frenchman! lol

    • Techie4066 on 21/06/2023 - 23:30

      What kind of 2019-20 midsize SUV is $28k? Do tell.

      Modern Renault reliability is on par with industry averages, and regularly leads each class in UK reliability surveys. Besides the Megane RS (runout) they're made in Spain (Captur at the Renault Valladolid factory) and South Korea (Koleos & Arkana at Renault Korea Motors, Busan, formerly Renault Samsung Motors), all producing fine vehicles. Side note, you might be surprised to know Renault has beaten Skoda in sales in our market for quite a while now, including to date this year - outselling Honda!!

      And yeah, French car specialists are great. A good example is Renotech in Sydney.

  • subydooby on 19/06/2023 - 07:54
    +1

    Toyota drivers will never be able to appreciate French cars…
    There I said it.

    • Sinnerator on 19/06/2023 - 08:09
      -2

      sobbing by the side of the highway, at 3am, 200km from anywhere, in the rain, ahhhh euro

  • Bilby s on 19/06/2023 - 08:35
    +1

    Too many issues with French cars and limited dealer coverage - hence the poor resale values. I love them but would not own one again.

    • Techie4066 on 21/06/2023 - 23:46

      Renault has more dealers than Honda (58 providing sales and service at last count). If anything, Aussies just stick to what they know which informs resale values. But go on.

  • Ade99 on 19/06/2023 - 08:38

    Cars have low resale values for a reason……matter of deciding if those reasons are important to you….

  • dasher86 on 19/06/2023 - 10:12

    If you're looking for no frills I would suggest a Mitsubishi ASX.

    • bobbified on 19/06/2023 - 14:15
      +1

      I would suggest a Mitsubishi ASX

      I drove a rental one in heavy rain and, no shit, it handled like a boat!

  • panorama on 19/06/2023 - 13:11
    +3

    Oh you poor misguided people, I have 2 x 2017 Koleos Intens have had no problems with either, 30,000 between services no turbo to worry about and no timing belts to change at the moment 70,000 ks on Hankook's on one car and the other car Conti's at 60,000 and still have heaps of tread and best of all 7.7litres per 100k's.

    I can tell you all, these 2 cars have been the best cars we have had over the the looong years we have owned cars, Fords, Holdens, Honda's, Rovers, Volvo's, Hyundai's, Toyota's.

    Buy it you wont regret the purchase.

    • Gdsamp on 19/06/2023 - 14:11
      +1

      you've got 2 mechanically sound examples that are only ~1 year out of warranty, and you've been going 30,000kms between services?

      Yeah they won't be great for much longer

      • Techie4066 on 21/06/2023 - 23:35

        Uh, yeah it will be. Renault service intervals are 30k kms. Only thing I'd suggest is requesting the CVT fluid be replaced, it's not a "lifetime" sealed unit.

  • bbinc on 19/06/2023 - 15:25
    +2

    I recently parted with my 2011 Koleos, petrol 2wd, to get some of the newer features cars have now. So, 12yrs is the longest I've ever owned a car, and that happened because we just loved the Koleos. Comfy, quiet, and trouble free. Yes, appalling trade in value - so not something to buy if you renew often. Can't agree with the litres/100km mentioned above - they must do a good deal of highway driving. Normally I sat around 9 to 10l/100km, more if only short run city driving. Yes, I got 60k kms on a set of Conti's with heaps of tread left, but at 6yrs old the rubber was really hard, rough to ride on, and would wheel spin on dry roads. Michelin Primacy is a good match for this SUV. Dealers are few and far between. Never needed parts apart from spark plugs, brake pads and discs, these were easy for my mechanic to get - basically Nissan parts.
    Have a look on Carsales at the very high mileages on Koleos's for sale. Before I traded in I watched Carsales, and most of the private Kollies for sale sat there for months and months without moving.
    We did get a good offer pre-covid from a Renault dealer on a new 2019 Kollie, but so many of the features we liked - split tailgate, adjustable rear seats, huge chilled glovebox etc etc were not in that model. Little things you don't notice until they are not there.
    Nissan CVT's (same unit) did have problems pre 2012, but there seem to be lots since then that last the distance, especially if they are serviced . Dealers won't service them - they quote 'sealed for life' - not so, a good specialist transmission shop can service them - I had mine done twice during 100k km. Compared to the Mazda box 6 speed in current car, the CVT is so smooth to drive. Some people don't like the CVT drive, once I got used to it it's been a dream - always in exactly the right gear.
    Good luck, but do lots of research that you are getting the features you really want. The Koleos has been around a long time, and is still basically the same underneath. The same basics and platform now underpin the Koleos, X-Trail, and Mitsubishi Outlander.

  • imnotgoingtopayrrp on 20/06/2023 - 23:59
    +1

    I had the Diesel AWD manual transmission Koleos and it was a great car. Just wasn't big enough for growing a family. I towed a 2T Jayco camper and took it on fire trails. During the week it was the wife's daily driver. I loved it. Definitely get the manual if you can find one.

  • Penican on 21/06/2023 - 05:52

    Google 'nissan CVT issues'

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