Spiro,
I've had 15+ cars in the last 30 odd years. My current is an '07 Megane hatch I've had from new. It's my most like car I've ever had with the possible exception of the my first two (Dauphine Gordini & R10 roundeye).
It's a magic little car (not so little inside). Loves to rev freely and is quite spritely - 2.0 petrol engine. Only issue ever was it needed the engine mounts changed. This was done under warranty at Renault's instigation as part of a general fix sort of thing. I never noticed anything wrong apart from actually being able to feel the engine at idle when previously I need the tacho to tell me it was actually running.
It's a manual, stops on a pinhead and my kids complain that it's too responsive when they use it 'cos they're not used to the lightness of the controls.
I love all the auto things so I don't have to fuss with light switches, heater/air controls, wipers etc. They nearly always work as they're supposed to but every now and then they'll just do something wierd, like the wipers will go a couple of times in the middle of a hot dry day. But, hey, I love that craziness to - sooo Renault-ish.
I have found an annoyance though. The headlight globes are a fricking nightmare to get to to change. You can get an hand on the cover from inside the engine compartment but you can't then move that hand - at least I can't. There's an access port in the wheel well so you can get your hand in there and take the cover off. But you need two hands to take the globe out of the holder and to get it in back in. I spat the dummy then and took it to the shop. Only cost $40 bucks or so - but an unnecessary cost and an offensively stupid design. Really, what were they thinking.
But jeeze it's a nice car. I'm gunna keep it for me grandkids -I reckon they'll be a cult item like the R4l and the Citroen 2CV in fiddy years:headbang:
Buy one. Go on, you know you want to.
Geoff