Does anyone own a Renault Scenic or VW Passat?

[beth3735]

I am looking at buying either one of these.
We will have 3 children in the back and wondered if anyone who owns any of these cars would know if they are great for 3 car seats in the back.
And also what you love and hate about these cars

Now me myself is swaying more towards the scenic only because it has 3 full seat belts in the back. The passat only has a lap belt in centre so would need that replacing. Even though stubborn hubby doesnt think its unsafe to drive my 4 year old with just a lap belt on motorway

Some men have no sense

 

[Sarah&Braydon]

wen we had our passat it had a shoulder belt in the middle

 

[beth3735]

what year was urs hun? This one is a T reg 1999. Its a pain really as the passat is being sold by our neightbour so we can have it anyday but the scenic is down where my parents live in somerset!

Did u ever have 3 car seats in yours or would you know if that many would fit nicely in back?

 

[Craig]

had a passat estate, and although never had 3 car seats in it, i remember there wasnt a great amount of space in the middle when we had 2 car seats in... sorry cant help for definite!

 

[Sherlock]

We test drove the older style Scenic and really liked it (W or X reg iirc). That it is higher up makes it much easier to get to the kiddies in the back seat and not so much bending down. Easy to get in and out of also. And a bit of extra height driving feels good also.

Also the style of the car made it feel light and airy, as it had a sunfoof over the back seat also. And just felt good to drive in. Handled well also. Good boot space and we liked the back seats had so many options position wise.

With regards to the seatbelts, this one had 3 three pointers in the back. I'd not put 3 full size car seats in there, but would certainly use 2 and a booster in the middle so long as child using it had a 3 pointer. I don't use booster seats with a lap belt as can potentially be nasty results in the event of an accident.

I've driven a Passat also and while they are lovely cars, if I was having to choose between the two now, I'd go the Scenic simply for the raised height and airiness. If the Scenic has a 3 point middle belt and the Passat not, then that would be another plus for the Scenic.

We have delayed buying a new car atm, but the Scenic is top of our list FWIW. Its that or a Mazda 5, but they are hard to come by.

 

[Flame]

We have had both a passat and currently have a scenic, which we are selling. I think for the car seat thing the scenic will be better as they are like 3 seperate seats rather than one big seat, but with most french cars the electrics fail from time to time. The passat is a good car, very reliable but probably not as easy for the car seats as a scenic.

 

[nathanmum]

my OH works for a rather well known breakdown company
most of his work tends to be renaults he loathes them. they are not known for their reliabilty and tend to be more expensive to fix when the go wrong.
if you want reliability then go japanese but they tend to be more expensive initially.

 

[Sherlock]

my OH works for a rather well known breakdown company
most of his work tends to be renaults he loathes them. they are not known for their reliabilty and tend to be more expensive to fix when the go wrong.
if you want reliability then go japanese but they tend to be more expensive initially.

There is the down side to Renault But I've driven 3 of them now and only one was a real problem. That was the petrol engine one I've owned other makes far worse than Renault for reliability.

VW are equally costly to repair I have found fwiw. We have a VW Golf atm as our second car and while its been decent, it costs a flipping fortune for parts.

Honda, Mazda and so on are far more reliable but more expensive to buy. I adore the Mazda 5 and hope we can afford one when the time comes. If not it may well be the Scenic

 

[foxymum]

we currently have a Renault Grand Scenic which is an 2004 & has 7 seats, i am selling it now though,
i have 2 car seats in the back & there is space in between them for another seat, but its a slight squeeze.
my son has friends round & i have put their booster seats in the middle to take them back to my house & its a bit of a task to do them up!.
we've had problems with the electrics too,
have you thought about a vauxhall zafira?
i'm going back to the trusted Vauxhall 8)

 

[_Rosie_]

nathanmum: My OH works for a breakdown company aswell and also hates renaults he wouldnt let me have a clio he said they are ssoooo unreliable.

 

[Sophie1102]

I've got a scenic 2002 and you can fir three seats along the back but all seats touch so you will have to do the seatbelts for the kids, although because the seats can come totally out the seatbelts unclip from both side of the seat, which I found helps when having all three car seats along the back.

I have only got mine because of the back room, there is no centre bulge so there is plenty of leg room for the children, and having it higher up really helps.

 

[paradysso]

what about looking at a picasso, ive been looking at them recently and they have 3 spacious seats in the back.

i would say 3 seats wouldnt fit in the back of a passat.

 

[kirlykird]

Hi

I have a Scenic and the back is great as you have three separate three point harness seats.

 

[leckershell]

We have an 05 Passat and it only has a single strap seat in the middle, whatever it's proper name is... and normal seat belts on the other two back seats. Has huge boot space, is pretty reliable (we've not had a problem yet) but the repairs and services can be expensive (watch out for the 57,000 mile service which will cost you a few hundred - a lot of Passats up for sale around the 50,000 mark).

Can't fault it to be honest.

We have a Scenic at work as our department car and it's 2 or 3 years old and has had a lot of clutch problems and generally unreliable.

But both are good cars...

 

[Princess_Puddles]

I wouldn't go for a Renault, I work for a car garage and we're always having Renaults in, they are totally unreliable and can be expensive to fix. I'd go for the VW they are a great make of car, have a good reputation and are very reliable!!

 

[SarahH]

Four words for you....

Renault Scenics are sh*t!

We had one (a 2004 model) and didnt even keep it a year! The brakes failed twice on it!

Nasty nasty car!

 

[beth3735]

I just feel like buying any car is a lottery. I dont know what to do lol

Well i have had a nosey at my neighbours passat he wants to sell us, I cant get the car to unlock the back doors for kiddies. Maybe im doing it wrong

Wouldnt suprise me with my preg brain, but i also set the alarm off about 5 times. So i think I will let him show me the ins and outs of this car.

My dad is viewing the scenic today for me at 2 so will see what dad has to say about that one. Why is it such hard work sorting a new car out.

If it was just me and hubby i wouldnt be too bothered. But carrying my 3 children in the car I want to make sure its reliable and does motorway journeys well too