Renault Safrane (1992 - 2000)

Last updated 4 October 2016

Buying Guide

Good

Very comfortable with cosseting ride and excellent rear legroom. 

Revised and facelifted in October 1996. 

Volvo-engined 2.5 litre 5-cylinder automatic capable of covering immense distances at high average speeds. a

Reasonable fuel consumption. Low used prices.

Bad

Lost value quickly. Jerky cruise control. 

In June 2001 Renault was rated by Motor Warranty Direct as Britain's joint 4th worst out of 22 marques for used car warranty claims. Renault had above average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 114.24 v/s lowest 31.93). Link:- www.reliabilityindex.co.uk 

The absolute pits rock bottom 472 in Warranty Direct 2003 Reliability Index www.reliabilityindex.co.uk

Watch

Clonky autobox. Duff cats. Make sure aircon blows cold. 

Check all electrics. Hard ride signifies failure of top model's variable suspension. 

Fishy smell inside and condensation on screen usually indicates failure of heater matrix, many of which were poorly made. Dashboards expensive to remove to replace bulbs or heater matrix which is prone to leaks. 

Electronic autobox problems on pre-1996 facelift versions expensive to fix. ECU problems with pre-facelift V6.

1994 (Dec 91-Mar 94 build): heat shield required to protect fuel tank from exhaust. 1996 (May '94-Aug '94 build): automatic transmission may lock up. 1996 (Jul '94-Dec '94 build): airbag warning light may be faulty. 21/2/2000: 29,000 cars built Jan '99 to Nov '99: possibility that brake servo valve may malfunction resulting in loss of servo assistance.