First time Renault owner 😁

[timetaker]

Test drove a Megane RS(Orange) this morning and I was impressed by the comfortable ride. I wasn't after a hardcore hatch like a Ford RS just after one that was comfortable but handled well if I wanted to take it for a spirited drive. I believe that the Megane RS fitted the bill.

I will take delivery of the car most likely mid next week.

Some people may be surprised that I coming from a BMW  M140i however the ride in the RS is superior and the handling is sharper. I'll probably miss the wallop of torque in the BMW but I couldn't really stretch it's "legs".I certainly will not miss the ride quality.

I'll report back next week, hopefully Telstra will fix my phone line and I can use my computer rather than trying to type on a phone............ with pudgy fingers.😀

[chuckovski]

So what was it? Sport or cup? Manual or auto?

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[timetaker]

15 hours ago, chuckovski said:

So what was it? Sport or cup? Manual or auto?

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I bought the Sport (non-cup) and it's auto.I had tested a Golf GTI (7 speed DSG) the previous week and I can confidently say that Renault's EDC is superior. The RS will also be used to cart around my elderly parents.Hence the 4 doors  played a large part in the decision process to buy the RS.

I'll post more thoughts on the test drive about the GTI later. But all I'll say is that it was disappointing and not a patch on my Mk 7 Golf R(dsg).

[chuckovski]

Great colour by the way. Have I mentioned how much I like the looks of this car? So much better in the flesh than in photos.

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[timetaker]

I've only had the car a few days but I'm loving it.The suspension is more compliant than my M140i.The handling is sharper as well.I really need more driving time with the car.The acceleration pick -up is very good not to mention the crackling sound of the exhaust note.I am also very inpressed with the fit and finish of the car.I used to work at Ford and I know what to look for.

Anyway just a very short review and a picture,I will post more in regards to my review of the car as I do more Klms.

[chuckovski]

Yes I'm amazed at how comfortable the ride is. Glad you're loving it!

[rampage]

Congrats, great colour. Keen to hear yr thoughts once you have had a chance to run it for a while


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[MattySa]

Congrats on the new purchase and love the color 

[Sdubs]

Put it in sports mode and use with paddle shift, you will love the exhaust tone...particularly the over run and changing down..

[timetaker]

Just a quick update.I took my nephew and his fiancee this afternoon in the RS and they loved it.They liked its duality of how it can be in a quiet normal mode and when called upon, change into a car that is begging to be driven in a very spirited fashion.😁My nephew,who had been in my BMW only a week or so ago commented(3X) about how more comfortable the ride was compared to the BMW.He was also astonished at the acceleration pick -up and very surprised that it was a 1.8L.They own a 2017 STI and they both wished it had more of an exciting exhaust note.I took them on a short route where there were a number of corners and curves and were amazed at the handling.My nephew's fiancee, who was sitting in the rear seat said that the car felt solid and reasurring during cornering.Although I was driving quite quickly I wasn't going stupidily fast.

My nephew is a mechanic or is it technician these days(?).He also services and rebuilds transmissions  and he believed that the EDC  seemed to have faster(crisper?)shifts compared to some of the Golfs that he had serviced.

Just a couple of things I haven't liked so much have been the Stop/Start function,the transmission letters are still on the left hand side.The brakes are good but I found that I've had to dig a little deeper than usual to stop the car compared to the MK7R Golf and BMW M140i.I wouldn't say it is a negative more like a different feel?

Next on the agenda is to take a very good friend of mine on a short stint in the RS, he owns a ST Focus.I had a Koleos for nearly three days from the dealership(time was needed to transfer my custom plates onto the RS)and I've tried to convince him that I had bought the Koleos but I don't think I've succeeded, he knows me too well..😊

Edited 27, January 2019 by timetaker

[chuckovski]

I don't know if the brakes from the cup would give you more confidence. Shame they weren't an optional extra for you. Could also be the extra weight the Megane IV has.

 

I have to say there are a huge number of people who have a WRX (can't say the other letters, otherwise I feel like I'm making a comment about their sexual habits) and are amazed by awesome FWD cars such as the Megane. Those Subarus seem to be very overrated.

 

 

[JamieN]

Better late then never, so welcome fellow tonic 280 owner Awesome to hear you are loving it, completely agree with everything you have said here about it.


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[SARS280]

Stop start not activated on sport, race. Other modes you can turn it off using one of the buttons on the centre console, however you do this for each trip you take as it resets when you turn engine off. 

I'm starting to master the exhaust in sport mode with pops and crackles in normal EDC mode (not EDC shift paddle mode). When gearing down to slow down a few light taps on throttle and then wait a second before accelerating gives a nice loud POP/bang followed by burbles when you lift off accelerator. Im sure there are more techniques out there to try but I driveability is awesome around town, my only let down is the brake squeal from the brembos, but am told this is normal as they are race spec and therefore harder material etc....

Tonic Orange does look good and would be my 2nd choice but am very happy with the red.

[timetaker]

On ‎17‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 1:59 PM, SARS280 said:

 ...............Tonic Orange does look good and would be my 2nd choice but am very happy with the red.

 

There was a red RS Cup at my dealership.It looked great too!The late afternoon sun made it really sparkle with a deep richness of colour.

[DaveMc]

On 27/01/2019 at 11:50 PM, chuckovski said:

I don't know if the brakes from the cup would give you more confidence. Shame they weren't an optional extra for you. Could also be the extra weight the Megane IV has.

I have to say there are a huge number of people who have a WRX (can't say the other letters, otherwise I feel like I'm making a comment about their sexual habits) and are amazed by awesome FWD cars such as the Megane. Those Subarus seem to be very overrated.

 

Cup or non-cup, the brakes on the Meg IV RS feel spongy and weak compared to the old car - or rivals such as the Honda CTR, Focus RS, Scooby STI etc. Apparently some nuffies complained that the brakes on the old car were too grabby, resulting in confidence-sapping sogginess in the new model. Maybe bitey pads would help? Maybe not.

WRX has really lost its shine. On my i30N v WRX v GTI v Focus ST test for Drive, the WRX's open front diff would spin up an inside wheel on tight corners, causing TC to intervene and chop power altogether... effectively making the car no-wheel-drive instead of its much-vaunted "Symmetrical AWD". The Hyundai (or a GTI 40 Years / GTI Performance / MY19 GTI) will actively send power to the outside wheel, helping the car rotate AND drive out of the corner. A CTR or Meg III/Meg IV in sports mode will spin up the inside reasonably freely while pushing power across the diff. All of those are better options than the laggy, under-done, numb and generally underwhelming WRX.

On 17/02/2019 at 1:59 PM, SARS280 said:

Stop start not activated on sport, race. Other modes you can turn it off using one of the buttons on the centre console, however you do this for each trip you take as it resets when you turn engine off. 

I'm starting to master the exhaust in sport mode with pops and crackles in normal EDC mode (not EDC shift paddle mode). When gearing down to slow down a few light taps on throttle and then wait a second before accelerating gives a nice loud POP/bang followed by burbles when you lift off accelerator. Im sure there are more techniques out there to try but I driveability is awesome around town, my only let down is the brake squeal from the brembos, but am told this is normal as they are race spec and therefore harder material etc....

Tonic Orange does look good and would be my 2nd choice but am very happy with the red.

The stop-start reset is a requirement of the car's type approval. Fuel use, CO2 emissions etc are calculated based on the car's most efficient mode - race mode with stop/start off would return much less attractive numbers! It's the same in all modern performance cars.

The brake squeal is interesting. I found the Meg's brakes to be pretty underwhelming on track at Norwell and Wakefield Park - really wouldn't call them "race spec". Many of us run much (MUCH) more aggressive pads than the OEM Brembos with minimal or no squealing. Have you given them the old "Italian tune-up" to get them properly hot and bedded in?