Carrying on the Inside Line series, we move on from looking at the Mark VI Volkswagen Golf and turn our focus towards a popular MPV in its day, the Renault Espace. With the fifth generation of the Renault MPV being mooted for a 2015 launch, even though none are expected to be sold into the UK market, this month we are focusing on the Mark IV, which continued to carry the baton for what is regarded as the pioneering vehicle for the MPV sector.
The Renault Espace was considered the king of the MPVs, but as the sector boomed it faced stiff competition from the likes of Ford, Citroën, Volkswagen and Vauxhall.
The competition has been so intense that the Espace has not been revamped since the Mark IV came into production in 2003, as Renault looks to regain a strong foothold in the UK market.
The fourth gen Renault Espace was launched with a range of powerplants in various guises, which included 2.0-, or 3.5-litre V6 petrol engines and 1.9-, 2.0-, 2.2- and a 3.0-litre V6 diesel options. This variety of engine options has provided some additional challenges.
Remember, too, that the information here is extracted from generous submissions from the market.
Next month we’ll be looking at the third generation Mercedes C-Class, so if you have expertise and insight to share, we would be delighted to hear from you. To get your advice included contact hemal.mistry@haymarket.com
Click below to see technical contributions on the Renault Espace from:
Autoelectro – looks at rotating electric issues with Renault’s MPV
Cambiare and VOSA – cover a variety of issues with the Espace family
Comma – discusses the foibles of fluids and the importance of oil
Corteco – explaining why TVD bolts require replacing after servicing
Dayco – shows how to change timing belts on the Espace
First Line – Borg and Beck comments on solving DMF issues with the Espace
Gates – issues warning when tackling the belt drive system
KYB – explains the challenges of changing shock absorbers on an Espace
Meyle – common issues on the fourth generation Espace solved
TecRMI – gives us an insight into a some of the technical problems on the Renault
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