Bonjour my French car friends i hope you will enjoy this video about a very special car. I want to apologize to you in this video my english really wasn‘t on fleek😅 it is not my mother tongue and i can‘t express myself as precisely as i wished to. Nevertheless, thank you guys for over 200 subs! You are ballers! Much love from my side❤️
@Interestingcars66 thank you, sad but true in a normal conversation i have no problems the thing is as you said to find the right word in the right situation
I've always liked this car, both interior and exterior. I was on the point on buying one with 2.0T Aut last year. I'm still thinking about it as a old timer project. You've done a nice job with your video.
@@adymateo Thank you my friend! Very kind words. If you want the 2.0T the automatic transmission is the way to go. Before this one i owned a fully equipped 2.0T automatic was much better i also talked about this in the video✌️
i second this advice, best to take an automatic. if you fall for a manual and from the first years of production, they are known to have some crappy 3rd/4th bearings from the factory. so best to keep some euros aside in case of. i had this engine with a BVM in an Espace MK4, i bought it very cheap, immensly practical and comfortable... but i scraped it, not worth repair the gearbox against the low price of the car itself
@@wardeadfr yes pre facelift in general was much worse but after the facelift the Vel Satis actually was a very reliable caf tbh. Thanks for sharing your opinion and experience✌️
The sad thing is they don't make like these gems anymore, only bunch of soulless electric SUVs ... You can really feel how this car has its own personality, design wise... interior wise...even the feel of driving it ( i still haven't had the pleasure to drive it ) ... But you can tell when a car has its own feeling. The good thing is there are people who still has this Beauty in their collection, it's a really pleasant thing to see. Great video bro as always, still hasn't finished it yet but always drops a like before watching.
@@samtropolis6213 appreciate a lot my bro! Comments like these make me keep going. I completely agree with you. Renault only offers Suvs now and even Alpine which is supposed to be sports brand now plans on building fully electric suvs…that‘s really embarrassing and i think it‘s a shame for Renault‘s heritage. We still have to rely on the classics unfortunately
The R4 and R5 look quite neat and have some pretty interesting stuff going on compared to the rest of the car industry but nothing on the level of the Vel Satis or Aventine
@@anusername8350 agree on the R5 very cool looking. The R4 just really doesn‘t hit me and i really can‘t explain what sense it makes to have 3 small cars in their range: Clio, R5, R4
@@kingvii7250 never had the pleasure to sit in a R16 but i can only imagine how great this car was. From my childhood i can maybe remember a little bit of my Dad‘s R25 but i was very young. The Safrane also was so so comfortable it is a car i need someday in my garage
When I was 17 or 18 an older friend of mine bought a R16TX (I think in 1981 or 82) which did not only have very comfortable seats and lots of space but also electric windows, on all four doors, a miracle at that time (power windows is the English term I believe) and on top of that central locking, it was probably the first time that I saw that (only an incredible expensive Mercedes or something like that had those things and they were completely unaffordable for young people if not just almost all people).
Great review, thanks for sharing. I've never seen this car before but I just fell in love with the design and uniqueness of solutions it shows. If I live in Europe I'd like to own one of these myself. Unfortunately, there are no such Renaults in South America.
@@martins767 hey there thank you for your kind words✌️ Yes Renault has a bad policy when it comes to bring cars to the American continent (i think they sell you dacias as renaults in South america) even in europe it was a very rare car because people somehow hated the design it is simply a car for individualists😅
@@0bzen22 well taste differs my friend. The avantime looks extremely futurisitic and now it somehow became a Classic. Even though many people prefer the Avantime which is a lovely car, the Vel Satis actually is the better car objectively speaking. Cheers
Enjoyable video to watch. The 'hidden' cup holders are amazing. Did this model have the little drawers hidden under the rear seats? I love them. A design that has mellowed with time and now look simply superb.
@@philpaxton2078 thanks for the kind words! And yes i even showed the drawers in the video, they are nice if you want to hide some..stuff haha (just kidding ofc)
Nice to see a video like this, made by someone from Germany no less. I've also often thought about buying one, basically because it's both luxurious and practical (and never gave much thought about the looks). Practically all other big luxury cars are sedans (yeah ok there are cars like Mercedes-E or BMW 5 as stationwagon, but they are so much more expensive and if they are still very reliable as in the 80's and 90's? .... from what I see online, they often have huge problems). The main reason I didn't buy one yet is that I always found either cheap ones with a lot of km's or cars with low mileage (kilometrage?) and in very good condition but at Renault dealers and they are/were still quite expensive. For people like me (in the busy part of Holland) driving at high speeds is not very important because.... when do you ever get the chance to do it (even on holidays driving through Germany it's often to busy to drive over 150 km/h. I think I would go for a V6 though, but I'm also curious how that 2.0 Turbo drives because I heard it's like you say almost like a diesel with a lot of torque at low rev's. I think Renault is BTW the only car that has always had a hatchback/notchback as their top model (R16, 20, 30, 25, Safrane, Vel Satis (and arguably the Avantime)) They made some sedans, like the R12 and the R18 but those were not their top-models I think, correct me if I'm wrong. The only oter brands that did so (for some time) were the Saab 9000 and the Fiat Croma (based on the similar Euro-4 platform with the Lancia Thema and later the Alfa 164). I've had two Croma's (both 2.0 Turbo's) and these were also very nice cars, hugely underrated but that's why you could buy them rather cheap, just like the Vel Satis now. BTW The Saab 9000 also had a "saloon"(sedan) variant.
@@martsteegh4122 lovely cars that you used to own, i always liked big cars. But i hate the mainstream idea of: „ you want an executive car, then a german one is a must“ no for me not. I don‘t hate german cars but they are so boring..i always loved to go for the alternatives and i prefer to be an individualist. A category of one. Well nowadays you can find some nice Vel Satis in many countries. I recommend the 2.0 Diesel one it is the best engine for this cat imo. The 2.0T is also great but do yourself a favor and go for an automatic transmission. Imo you are right, Renault always tries to do something else with the shape of their flagship models. Even today the rafale is their flagship model and it is a Suv Coupe. Nice choices made unfortunately not acknowledged by the buyer😅. Cheers to the Netherlands, the kindest people in Europe imo🇳🇱🌷
I have the same car build in 2004, but with an automatic gearing. I have it now for nine month and didn't have any trouble with it. They have a bad reputation, especially the electronic parts but I guess my car was build on a sunday:) I agree completely with the essence of your video!
@@wimhuismans4810 hey there thanks for sharing your opinion🤙 well you know electronics are always a problem in french cars i guess but if you go for a renault and chose a car after the facelift most of the probs are gone. Nice to hear that you vel satis is healthy. Take care and enjoy your beautiful car💪🏻
thanks for the commentary French cars have brilliant chassis and suspension, I used to buy French cars because my parents only drove French and other European cars I used to own a Peugeot 605 2.0 litre multipoint injection with the XU10J2 engine which was another lovely French car I miss European cars, I am now back in Africa driving boring Toyotas.
@@andrewmusisi7147 sorry to hear that im sure it depends where in Africa you are located. In north africa there are many many Renaults driving around. The 605 was a beauty and so so rare, sadly not acknowledged by many
@@ViveLaCoupe Thanks Mr Vive La Coupe French Cars were available in both East and Southern Africa aswell post colonial times right up until the mid 2000. . The fact I think is as African economies declined the Africans could not Afford to run and maintain European and French Cars. Thats when we saw a trend and increase in purchase of Japanese and Indian Vehicles over the decades. About 30: percent of the cars are European in most African countries. Mostly it's down to the GDP of the Country which determines the purchasing power
I just bought one(1 week ago), its the 2.2 dci auto initiale from 2004(so ph1), i drove it 1 time for 10 min and fell in love... and the seats man is the best seats i sit on. Many ppl say the car is ugly, well is a case of individual taste... i like it... :)
@@LuisG-SC congrats my friend you made the right choice! The seats are the best thing ever righh. How do you like the engine, never had the pleasure to drive a 2.2dci in the Vel Satis. Powerful enough?
@@ViveLaCoupe Its nice engine, i know it as its issues if not well care for, but it as already 244.000k so it as to be good lol i think(we will see with more time) :D I say its powerfull since i normally see me getting to 100km/h and dont even notice it :) Anyway good video, keep it up :)
@@LuisG-SC wishing you the best bro, I only know that the engine with 139hp is better than the 150hp reliabilit wise but as you said already 244k and still running im sure it will do a lot more! Enjoy🙏
I used to work at Renault and I have made many kilometers in the several version. Such a comfortable car, the F4T engine which you drove unfortunately was a very unreliable one. The 2.2Dci was on the other hand a very nice and reliable engine. Keep up the good work!
@@PW-um4ch that‘s really crazy i heard rhe exact opposite from many many Vel Satos drivers especially because the F4RT has a good reputation in general. The „worst“ engine was the 3.0 dci. Thank you for sharing your opinion. Thankfully (This is my third Vel Satis) i never had any problems with the engines. Take care and thank you for the nice words. Do you k ow what exactly was broken in the 2.0T? I know that before the facelift the turbo charger was prone to breaking but i think after Facelift they worked on most issues. Would appreciate if you could let me know
@@ViveLaCoupe Hi, I used to work at warranty and aftersales division at Renault Netherlands between 2001 and 2005 at that time the F4T especially in the Espace was a disaster, the 3.0 Dci which is a Isuzu engine had a problem with overheating. The most unreliable car at that time by far was the Espace type 4 with the F4T and also in combination with the 3.0 Dci. Unfortunately Renault lost a lot of credibility in those years. I wish you save and many plezant journeys in this lovely but very underestimated car.
@@PW-um4ch thank you for sharing my friend, great so you worked on the pre facelift cars as i assumed because after 2005 they improved a lot! Very interesting and very kind from your side to share your story. Was a nice job for sure. Wishing you all the best aswell and drive safely my friend! Have a great week🙏
I had a Renault 25 Baccara, and a 2.5 Volvo powered Safrane. I wanted Vel Satis, but backed down exactly for the thins you mentioned: wind noise and floating suspension at some bump frequencies. And yes, for bad visibility in city driving. Huge A pillars. I went for Peugot 607. But Renault seats are in the league of their own - not even the big German boys can come close: absolute ergonomy.
Its still a french car. And older french cars have a ton of electric problems. I can relate I owned Peugeot's and I currently own a Megane but even with the minor problems, i still enjoy it everyday.
@@ViveLaCoupe i got the mk2 megane facelift. Loads of cruisecontrol problems and window comfort modules are a big issue. Also wiring in the trunk is junk 😂
@@DNH-Acceleration Hey there my friend! Thank you for the kind words 😊 and Yes the Vel Satis came with a very unreliable 3.0 v6 diesel engine from Isuzu and a mighty 3.5 v6 petrol from Nissan!
@@ViveLaCoupe Ah nice, but I prefer the 2.0 Turbo with 6 speed manual, which you have. You really got my dream garage man, the cars I love, and also dream specs on the cars :D
@@DNH-Acceleration thank you my friend i am also really happy, if you love Renault like i do i think, without being arrogant, it‘s the best you can get from the brand apart from the RS models✌️
@@Ted_Kenzoku well it is a great car ofc but nowadays the Avantime is already an appreciated classic so i don‘t really know if you can still call it controversial you know
I tried to find and buy this car as my first car last year, but there were absolutely none unfortunately :/ (i'm from Czech Republic). I would have to bring it from Germany, but since i and none of my family members have license for towing, it was not possible. So i ended up with 2003 mondeo with 2.5 V6 duratec instead haha
@@Akimek666 still a nice car your Mondeo a V6 is always great and yes that‘s true you can find the best Vel Satis in Germany even better than in France somehow, there were some passionates of this car. Maybe one day you will get yourself a nice Vel Satis
@@josemanueldacostajanuario4296 hey bro i would love to but might be a Little bit complicated as my Laguna is at another location than the Vel Satis and the Talisman. Maybe one das i will try would indeed be a great Video
So here are my thoughts as a American who will never see this or probably any French car in his life. I think the biggest problem with the car is the front. Let me state I really dont find cars ugly with a burning passion like some. Most cars are just there for me. But objectively this car is dorky and unserious. I dont see the premium vibes at all. It looks like a econmy car. I feel like a lot of people would say they wouldn't be caught dead in it. So with the front the split grill just isnt working for it. I feel like brands that embrace it as a corporate look like Pontiac and BMW did it much better. And the front over hang. I never really notice them. But that thing sticks out really far. The back is fine. But for such a small car the cut off for the glass seems dumb. Style over substance. It wastes a lot of space for what is a "executive" car. I dont see anything special about the interior. Rear ash trays is crazy for a 2000s car and sooooo French. Nasty too. The seats do look comfortable. But even if everything is soft touch the materials arent blowing me away compared to cars from the era. You say its spacious but I think it looks cramped. Especially the back seat. 170 hp is fine for a car this size. But again if its trying to be upmarket thats completely unacceptable. I guess being from the 2000s it makes sense. It would be bad on a modern car this size in that category. Fix the front end and it probably would have gone places.
@@baronvonjo1929 i respect your opinion and thanks for sharing it, i agree on some points but please don‘t forget that this is the lowest trim level. Looks are subjective, trim isn‘t. I owned the same car but it was fully equipped makes a hige difference, unfortunately someone crashed into it. And yes this is the weakest petrol Engine availlable in the Vel Satis. A BMW or Audi is much more boring and soulless compared to French cars
Funny he keeps using the word "futuristic" because for me personally it reminds me of some old Citroens of the 1960s and 70s - The clunky proportions, raked back appearence and overall odd look are very reminiscent of old Citroens more than anything Renault did previously (or has done since). When they first came out I thought they were very ugly but compared to many modern cars, it now looks ok. Not great, but ok. The interior is pretty neat though, In top spec trim with the V6 engine I can imagine how luxurious it must feel.... A quirky, French kind of luxury.
@@soundseeker63 Well you are right about the interior, there is no doubt it is a lovely designed and comfy interior. Maybe with age the car started to look more classic but when it was released in 2002 it simply was a shocker and looked like a car from the future. Age helped a lot imo
@@dersigmaallersigmas ist in düsseldorf aber nicht am Unterbacher see ist die schnellstraße richtung garath und dann war ich auf der a59 richtung leverkusen
It's non-conformist and worlds apart from the generic designs of Audi & BMW. As a Citroën fan for 40 years I appreciate the wackiness and individuality of the Renault Vel Satis. Going back to the 60's and 70's some of the commentators in here would be shocked witless at how human imagination was allowed free fall in car design. Different shapes, colourful interiors, colourful two-tone exteriors ( Vauxhall Cresta, Ford Zodiac, Citroën DS21 etc.). It's sad to see so many grey or black interiors these days, particularly in the UK where colour is shunned. Why? Are they all puritans?
Bonjour my French car friends i hope you will enjoy this video about a very special car. I want to apologize to you in this video my english really wasn‘t on fleek😅 it is not my mother tongue and i can‘t express myself as precisely as i wished to. Nevertheless, thank you guys for over 200 subs! You are ballers! Much love from my side❤️
Your english is pretty good for me! Very nice video
@@guchpl that‘s very nice but there is always room for improvement! Thank you✌️
@Interestingcars66 thank you, sad but true in a normal conversation i have no problems the thing is as you said to find the right word in the right situation
I've always liked this car, both interior and exterior. I was on the point on buying one with 2.0T Aut last year. I'm still thinking about it as a old timer project. You've done a nice job with your video.
@@adymateo Thank you my friend! Very kind words. If you want the 2.0T the automatic transmission is the way to go. Before this one i owned a fully equipped 2.0T automatic was much better i also talked about this in the video✌️
i second this advice, best to take an automatic.
if you fall for a manual and from the first years of production, they are known to have some crappy 3rd/4th bearings from the factory.
so best to keep some euros aside in case of.
i had this engine with a BVM in an Espace MK4, i bought it very cheap, immensly practical and comfortable...
but i scraped it, not worth repair the gearbox against the low price of the car itself
@@wardeadfr yes pre facelift in general was much worse but after the facelift the Vel Satis actually was a very reliable caf tbh. Thanks for sharing your opinion and experience✌️
The sad thing is they don't make like these gems anymore, only bunch of soulless electric SUVs ... You can really feel how this car has its own personality, design wise... interior wise...even the feel of driving it ( i still haven't had the pleasure to drive it ) ... But you can tell when a car has its own feeling.
The good thing is there are people who still has this Beauty in their collection, it's a really pleasant thing to see.
Great video bro as always, still hasn't finished it yet but always drops a like before watching.
@@samtropolis6213 appreciate a lot my bro! Comments like these make me keep going. I completely agree with you. Renault only offers Suvs now and even Alpine which is supposed to be sports brand now plans on building fully electric suvs…that‘s really embarrassing and i think it‘s a shame for Renault‘s heritage. We still have to rely on the classics unfortunately
The R4 and R5 look quite neat and have some pretty interesting stuff going on compared to the rest of the car industry but nothing on the level of the Vel Satis or Aventine
@@anusername8350 agree on the R5 very cool looking. The R4 just really doesn‘t hit me and i really can‘t explain what sense it makes to have 3 small cars in their range: Clio, R5, R4
I grew up with our familys new Renault 16 TS model 1969 and the seats in that car was incredibly comfortable. Like luxury armchairs and sofas.
@@kingvii7250 never had the pleasure to sit in a R16 but i can only imagine how great this car was. From my childhood i can maybe remember a little bit of my Dad‘s R25 but i was very young. The Safrane also was so so comfortable it is a car i need someday in my garage
When I was 17 or 18 an older friend of mine bought a R16TX (I think in 1981 or 82) which did not only have very comfortable seats and lots of space but also electric windows, on all four doors, a miracle at that time (power windows is the English term I believe) and on top of that central locking, it was probably the first time that I saw that (only an incredible expensive Mercedes or something like that had those things and they were completely unaffordable for young people if not just almost all people).
Great channel !! With talisman, laguna coupe and velsatis its easy to love Renault.
@@josemanueldacostajanuario4296 thank you very much appreciate your kind words✌️🙏
Great review, thanks for sharing. I've never seen this car before but I just fell in love with the design and uniqueness of solutions it shows. If I live in Europe I'd like to own one of these myself. Unfortunately, there are no such Renaults in South America.
@@martins767 hey there thank you for your kind words✌️ Yes Renault has a bad policy when it comes to bring cars to the American continent (i think they sell you dacias as renaults in South america) even in europe it was a very rare car because people somehow hated the design it is simply a car for individualists😅
I prefer the Avantime. That's a whacky one. It's like a larger, family version. It's also a two-doors.
@@0bzen22 well taste differs my friend. The avantime looks extremely futurisitic and now it somehow became a Classic. Even though many people prefer the Avantime which is a lovely car, the Vel Satis actually is the better car objectively speaking. Cheers
Enjoyable video to watch. The 'hidden' cup holders are amazing. Did this model have the little drawers hidden under the rear seats? I love them. A design that has mellowed with time and now look simply superb.
@@philpaxton2078 thanks for the kind words! And yes i even showed the drawers in the video, they are nice if you want to hide some..stuff haha (just kidding ofc)
Nice to see a video like this, made by someone from Germany no less. I've also often thought about buying one, basically because it's both luxurious and practical (and never gave much thought about the looks). Practically all other big luxury cars are sedans (yeah ok there are cars like Mercedes-E or BMW 5 as stationwagon, but they are so much more expensive and if they are still very reliable as in the 80's and 90's? .... from what I see online, they often have huge problems).
The main reason I didn't buy one yet is that I always found either cheap ones with a lot of km's or cars with low mileage (kilometrage?) and in very good condition but at Renault dealers and they are/were still quite expensive. For people like me (in the busy part of Holland) driving at high speeds is not very important because.... when do you ever get the chance to do it (even on holidays driving through Germany it's often to busy to drive over 150 km/h. I think I would go for a V6 though, but I'm also curious how that 2.0 Turbo drives because I heard it's like you say almost like a diesel with a lot of torque at low rev's. I think Renault is BTW the only car that has always had a hatchback/notchback as their top model (R16, 20, 30, 25, Safrane, Vel Satis (and arguably the Avantime)) They made some sedans, like the R12 and the R18 but those were not their top-models I think, correct me if I'm wrong. The only oter brands that did so (for some time) were the Saab 9000 and the Fiat Croma (based on the similar Euro-4 platform with the Lancia Thema and later the Alfa 164). I've had two Croma's (both 2.0 Turbo's) and these were also very nice cars, hugely underrated but that's why you could buy them rather cheap, just like the Vel Satis now. BTW The Saab 9000 also had a "saloon"(sedan) variant.
@@martsteegh4122 lovely cars that you used to own, i always liked big cars. But i hate the mainstream idea of: „ you want an executive car, then a german one is a must“ no for me not. I don‘t hate german cars but they are so boring..i always loved to go for the alternatives and i prefer to be an individualist. A category of one. Well nowadays you can find some nice Vel Satis in many countries. I recommend the 2.0 Diesel one it is the best engine for this cat imo. The 2.0T is also great but do yourself a favor and go for an automatic transmission. Imo you are right, Renault always tries to do something else with the shape of their flagship models. Even today the rafale is their flagship model and it is a Suv Coupe. Nice choices made unfortunately not acknowledged by the buyer😅. Cheers to the Netherlands, the kindest people in Europe imo🇳🇱🌷
I have the same car build in 2004, but with an automatic gearing. I have it now for nine month and didn't have any trouble with it. They have a bad reputation, especially the electronic parts but I guess my car was build on a sunday:) I agree completely with the essence of your video!
@@wimhuismans4810 hey there thanks for sharing your opinion🤙 well you know electronics are always a problem in french cars i guess but if you go for a renault and chose a car after the facelift most of the probs are gone. Nice to hear that you vel satis is healthy. Take care and enjoy your beautiful car💪🏻
Swietne auto,tez kiedys takie mielismy...Filmik jak zawsze super!
@@aleksandralos8421 serdecznie dziekuje ❤️
My memories has been unlocked
Hope you enjoyed it, what‘s your favorite part about the Vel Satis?
@@ViveLaCoupe the interior
@@legoeul2676 agree it‘s also my favorite part✌️
thanks for the commentary French cars have brilliant chassis and suspension, I used to buy French cars because my parents only drove French and other European cars I used to own a Peugeot 605 2.0 litre multipoint injection with the XU10J2 engine which was another lovely French car I miss European cars, I am now back in Africa driving boring Toyotas.
@@andrewmusisi7147 sorry to hear that im sure it depends where in Africa you are located. In north africa there are many many Renaults driving around. The 605 was a beauty and so so rare, sadly not acknowledged by many
@@ViveLaCoupe Thanks Mr Vive La Coupe French Cars were available in both East and Southern Africa aswell post colonial times right up until the mid 2000. . The fact I think is as African economies declined the Africans could not Afford to run and maintain European and French Cars. Thats when we saw a trend and increase in purchase of Japanese and Indian Vehicles over the decades. About 30: percent of the cars are European in most African countries. Mostly it's down to the GDP of the Country which determines the purchasing power
@@andrewmusisi7147 sad to hear that! I hope things will change for the better in the future and you guys can enjoy some nice European cars again💪🏻
I just bought one(1 week ago), its the 2.2 dci auto initiale from 2004(so ph1), i drove it 1 time for 10 min and fell in love... and the seats man is the best seats i sit on.
Many ppl say the car is ugly, well is a case of individual taste... i like it... :)
@@LuisG-SC congrats my friend you made the right choice! The seats are the best thing ever righh. How do you like the engine, never had the pleasure to drive a 2.2dci in the Vel Satis. Powerful enough?
@@ViveLaCoupe Its nice engine, i know it as its issues if not well care for, but it as already 244.000k so it as to be good lol i think(we will see with more time) :D
I say its powerfull since i normally see me getting to 100km/h and dont even notice it :)
Anyway good video, keep it up :)
@@LuisG-SC wishing you the best bro, I only know that the engine with 139hp is better than the 150hp reliabilit wise but as you said already 244k and still running im sure it will do a lot more! Enjoy🙏
I used to work at Renault and I have made many kilometers in the several version. Such a comfortable car, the F4T engine which you drove unfortunately was a very unreliable one. The 2.2Dci was on the other hand a very nice and reliable engine. Keep up the good work!
@@PW-um4ch that‘s really crazy i heard rhe exact opposite from many many Vel Satos drivers especially because the F4RT has a good reputation in general. The „worst“ engine was the 3.0 dci. Thank you for sharing your opinion. Thankfully (This is my third Vel Satis) i never had any problems with the engines. Take care and thank you for the nice words. Do you k ow what exactly was broken in the 2.0T? I know that before the facelift the turbo charger was prone to breaking but i think after Facelift they worked on most issues. Would appreciate if you could let me know
@@ViveLaCoupe Hi, I used to work at warranty and aftersales division at Renault Netherlands between 2001 and 2005 at that time the F4T especially in the Espace was a disaster, the 3.0 Dci which is a Isuzu engine had a problem with overheating. The most unreliable car at that time by far was the Espace type 4 with the F4T and also in combination with the 3.0 Dci. Unfortunately Renault lost a lot of credibility in those years. I wish you save and many plezant journeys in this lovely but very underestimated car.
@@PW-um4ch thank you for sharing my friend, great so you worked on the pre facelift cars as i assumed because after 2005 they improved a lot! Very interesting and very kind from your side to share your story. Was a nice job for sure. Wishing you all the best aswell and drive safely my friend! Have a great week🙏
I thought the F4RT/F4R engines were very reliable??
I had a Renault 25 Baccara, and a 2.5 Volvo powered Safrane. I wanted Vel Satis, but backed down exactly for the thins you mentioned: wind noise and floating suspension at some bump frequencies. And yes, for bad visibility in city driving. Huge A pillars. I went for Peugot 607. But Renault seats are in the league of their own - not even the big German boys can come close: absolute ergonomy.
@@goranstevanovic4724 i think nothing will ever beat a R25 baccara! Renaults best car ever imo, back in the days when Renault was actually premium
@@ViveLaCoupe Exactly so, in my experience.
Its still a french car. And older french cars have a ton of electric problems. I can relate I owned Peugeot's and I currently own a Megane but even with the minor problems, i still enjoy it everyday.
@@RazvanCoroama that‘s true but speaking for Renault, if you go for models after their facelift they are much much better reliability wise
@@ViveLaCoupe i got the mk2 megane facelift. Loads of cruisecontrol problems and window comfort modules are a big issue. Also wiring in the trunk is junk 😂
@@RazvanCoroama sure but i‘s prefer this over a leaking engine😅
I love the Vel Satis, some people hate it, but I actually love it. Really a gem of a car. Did this car also came with a V6? Btw Nice review
@@DNH-Acceleration Hey there my friend! Thank you for the kind words 😊 and Yes the Vel Satis came with a very unreliable 3.0 v6 diesel engine from Isuzu and a mighty 3.5 v6 petrol from Nissan!
@@ViveLaCoupe Ah nice, but I prefer the 2.0 Turbo with 6 speed manual, which you have. You really got my dream garage man, the cars I love, and also dream specs on the cars :D
@@DNH-Acceleration thank you my friend i am also really happy, if you love Renault like i do i think, without being arrogant, it‘s the best you can get from the brand apart from the RS models✌️
@@ViveLaCoupe Yeah fr
the most controversial renault is the avantime and it's just as good as this one
@@Ted_Kenzoku well it is a great car ofc but nowadays the Avantime is already an appreciated classic so i don‘t really know if you can still call it controversial you know
I tried to find and buy this car as my first car last year, but there were absolutely none unfortunately :/ (i'm from Czech Republic). I would have to bring it from Germany, but since i and none of my family members have license for towing, it was not possible. So i ended up with 2003 mondeo with 2.5 V6 duratec instead haha
@@Akimek666 still a nice car your Mondeo a V6 is always great and yes that‘s true you can find the best Vel Satis in Germany even better than in France somehow, there were some passionates of this car. Maybe one day you will get yourself a nice Vel Satis
compare with the talisman and the laguna coupe ,,,, no change for that design,, but i must admit it's a great car
@@josemanueldacostajanuario4296 hey bro i would love to but might be a Little bit complicated as my Laguna is at another location than the Vel Satis and the Talisman. Maybe one das i will try would indeed be a great Video
So here are my thoughts as a American who will never see this or probably any French car in his life.
I think the biggest problem with the car is the front. Let me state I really dont find cars ugly with a burning passion like some. Most cars are just there for me. But objectively this car is dorky and unserious. I dont see the premium vibes at all. It looks like a econmy car. I feel like a lot of people would say they wouldn't be caught dead in it.
So with the front the split grill just isnt working for it. I feel like brands that embrace it as a corporate look like Pontiac and BMW did it much better. And the front over hang. I never really notice them. But that thing sticks out really far.
The back is fine. But for such a small car the cut off for the glass seems dumb. Style over substance. It wastes a lot of space for what is a "executive" car.
I dont see anything special about the interior. Rear ash trays is crazy for a 2000s car and sooooo French. Nasty too.
The seats do look comfortable. But even if everything is soft touch the materials arent blowing me away compared to cars from the era. You say its spacious but I think it looks cramped. Especially the back seat.
170 hp is fine for a car this size. But again if its trying to be upmarket thats completely unacceptable. I guess being from the 2000s it makes sense. It would be bad on a modern car this size in that category.
Fix the front end and it probably would have gone places.
@@baronvonjo1929 i respect your opinion and thanks for sharing it, i agree on some points but please don‘t forget that this is the lowest trim level. Looks are subjective, trim isn‘t. I owned the same car but it was fully equipped makes a hige difference, unfortunately someone crashed into it. And yes this is the weakest petrol Engine availlable in the Vel Satis. A BMW or Audi is much more boring and soulless compared to French cars
I like the rear but the front has a commercial car appeal.
Funny he keeps using the word "futuristic" because for me personally it reminds me of some old Citroens of the 1960s and 70s - The clunky proportions, raked back appearence and overall odd look are very reminiscent of old Citroens more than anything Renault did previously (or has done since). When they first came out I thought they were very ugly but compared to many modern cars, it now looks ok. Not great, but ok.
The interior is pretty neat though, In top spec trim with the V6 engine I can imagine how luxurious it must feel.... A quirky, French kind of luxury.
@@soundseeker63 Well you are right about the interior, there is no doubt it is a lovely designed and comfy interior. Maybe with age the car started to look more classic but when it was released in 2002 it simply was a shocker and looked like a car from the future. Age helped a lot imo
Radio, stick, console, buttons, steering wheel same as my Megane2 1,5dci, except for the wood?
I'm 192cm, and I fit in Audi a4 B5 sedan self by me siting in the front confortable :)
@@jonatansteven4905 does it have a panoramic sunroof?
Great job 😮😮😮
@@polska_princessa thank you💪🏻
I❤ Renault
@@Mirlitonleglouton i love your comment⛹️♂️
Ist das beim Unterbacher See? Sieht irgendwie so aus, und auf den schildern stand ja auch "Benrath"? xD
@@dersigmaallersigmas ist in düsseldorf aber nicht am
Unterbacher see ist die schnellstraße richtung garath und dann war ich auf der a59 richtung leverkusen
I personally don’t like it but nice video 🎉
@@polska_princessa thanks for you opinion and honesty
even more controversial Renault Avantime!
@@trs4714 Yes but nowadays it is considered a classic
I would drive a french car only if i had a spare one for parts
@@YOCOSMINMAX16 sad but true, spare parts aren‘t available anymore for many older french cars
what are you talking about? the most controversial renault is the avantime
@@Jan-grnjak well the avantime is now considered a classic, the vel satis doesn‘t have a good reputation
@@ViveLaCoupethat is true
By shape it looks like a competitor to 2004 Opel Astra, not an executive car.
@@TotalRookie_LV rather like a seat toledo from 2005
@@ViveLaCoupe Oh, indeed!
@@TotalRookie_LV but the Vel Satis was the original ;)
And for some people it just looks plain ugly.
@@arminprnjavorac2084 true taste differs. What do you dislike about the car?
Im sorry, but that is one ugly car, no wonder it failed.
@@92Markmcghee taste differs my frien
It's non-conformist and worlds apart from the generic designs of Audi & BMW. As a Citroën fan for 40 years I appreciate the wackiness and individuality of the Renault Vel Satis. Going back to the 60's and 70's some of the commentators in here would be shocked witless at how human imagination was allowed free fall in car design. Different shapes, colourful interiors, colourful two-tone exteriors ( Vauxhall Cresta, Ford Zodiac, Citroën DS21 etc.). It's sad to see so many grey or black interiors these days, particularly in the UK where colour is shunned. Why? Are they all puritans?