My Brand New Second Hand Koleos.

[IWS]

Just as a matter of interest - are there a few late model Koleos owners on the Forum? I know there are quite a few of the older models (owners and cars ) but don't recall too many of the new/late models in discussions.

Yes, me for one! I bought a demonstrator model last year - with 5,000 Km on the clock - at a good discount from the new price. Was adding to Laguna III wagon and a Megane that we have in the extended family. I've done one longish trip (to Canberra) and lots of smaller trips to Gippsland, as well as around-town driving. I like it - both around town and on the highway.

I'm still learning some of the audio and phone sync functions! Taking my time.

One thing I disliked at the outset was the tendency of the CVT to over-rev on small inclines or declines in the road. Fixed that by keeping the Eco setting on at all times. That largely deals with the surging revs, while still allowing for very impressive pick up in speed when needed for overtaking.

Ian.

 

[schlitzaugen]

I think the problem with understanding how all the gizmos and the multiplexed controls for that matter work on these new cars is that we live through a period not very different to the early motoring days when every manufacturer put the pedals, levers and other controls we take for granted today wherever it fit them. The digital camera world went through this a few years back and now they have pretty much settled to a standard of sorts. Fortunately they also worked out that people don't want frequently used controls like say aperture control buried deep in some obscure submenu of the myriad of other menus. Some things are needed on hand so to speak. One button within easy reach. Car manufacturers (or at least Renault) figured out for instance the radio mute button very well in my opinion. Hopefully they'll all figure out the others.

Moving to driverless cars, who cares? You won't be doing anything anyway. As far as I care a passenger operated seat eject button would be good. And fun. Especially in tunnels.

 

[shibuichi]

I want driverless cars ASAP for all the dorks who are too busy fiddling with their mobile phones...

 

[schlitzaugen]

Nagonnahappen.

And I am not sure you really want it to happen.

I mean you do realise it's the dorks fiddling with their phones who are going to write the software driving the car, right?

But I don't think it's gonna happen (or at least not for a long time).

Because.

The main drivers of such things are Japan, the US and the EU.

The US is too litigious and by the time they work out all the arse covering fine prints it's gonna happen elsewhere.

The EU is too cautious with such things, they will test the whole shebang until it's obsolete and it's gonna happen elsewhere.

Which leaves Japan.

Where I am sure it is going to happen, but not the way we think. I think it is going to happen by inventing/creating a new type of infrastructure nobody has. So nobody else will be able to implement it.

And by the time the rest of the world will be ready, we'll probably move directly to flying cars (drone type things like you already see as toys), which are much easier to control by onboard computers and keep out of each other's way and have the infrastructure to do it today. But the main advantage is you don't have to deal with people crossing the road, traffic lights and so on.

 

[Haakon]

And the engine oil specs - top secret.

https://www.penriteoil.com.au/product-selector?by=Drill Down#/recommendations

 

[Fordman]

https://www.penriteoil.com.au/product-selector?by=Drill Down#/recommendations

Yes, I've done that, but don't you think I should be able to see in the Owner's manual, or the Maintenance handbook, what Renault recommend and their spec. Those books actually say to look at renault.com.au for the specs - I've looked without success.
Just saying, it's the first time I haven't been able to find this info in the owners manuals.

 

[schlitzaugen]

I think these manuals are drawn from some sort of generic template they can use for any model with specific references and pictures added when a new car gets out. Not sure fluids and consumables are included and I guess it may have something to do with variations between markets where the cars are sold. Plus you want to leave something for the local dealers to make money on. Just try to walk in a dealership and ask what oil you need in your car. You'll have to make an appointment, bring the car down and pay 100 bucks just to find out (I mean even if you don't ask them to actually change any fluids or something).

 

[Haakon]

I think these manuals are drawn from some sort of generic template they can use for any model with specific references and pictures added when a new car gets out. Not sure fluids and consumables are included and I guess it may have something to do with variations between markets where the cars are sold. Plus you want to leave something for the local dealers to make money on. Just try to walk in a dealership and ask what oil you need in your car. You'll have to make an appointment, bring the car down and pay 100 bucks just to find out (I mean even if you don't ask them to actually change any fluids or something).

It’s jsut a Nissan engine, I wouldn’t worry about oil spec

 

[Sunroof]

I want driverless cars ASAP for all the dorks who are too busy fiddling with their mobile phones...

You mean you really trust computers to drive on the road without doing something weird. Or some one hacking into the whole system. And the GPS to work well in tunnels, underground car parks, etc. My home computer is not that perfect. Nor is my supposed smart TV. Then there is the computer already in my Landrover that went wacky do and dropped the air suspension on to its stops and shut off the ABS. Driverless cars no thank you.

 

[shibuichi]

You mean you really trust computers to drive on the road without doing something weird. Or some one hacking into the whole system. And the GPS to work well in tunnels, underground car parks, etc. My home computer is not that perfect. Nor is my supposed smart TV. Then there is the computer already in my Landrover that went wacky do and dropped the air suspension on to its stops and shut off the ABS. Driverless cars no thank you.

Oh! Misunderstood. I don’t want a driverless car. I don’t want a computer in my car at all. I was just wondering if we’d be better off with all the mobile phone fixated twits in driverless cars that turn HAL.

 

[Fordman]

I found this very informative website : http://www.rkoleos.com/

Appears to be a genuine Renault site, but I can't tell, it is copyright to rkoleos.com.

Includes Owners Manual and Service Repair Manual.
Was able to search and find detailed instructions to replace cabin air filter and engine oil filter for example. (note headings of LHD/RHD and Engine types). Good information.

Looks like only 2018 onwards maybe.

Cheers.

 

[Armidillo]

I think these manuals are drawn from some sort of generic template they can use for any model with specific references and pictures added when a new car gets out. Not sure fluids and consumables are included and I guess it may have something to do with variations between markets where the cars are sold. Plus you want to leave something for the local dealers to make money on. Just try to walk in a dealership and ask what oil you need in your car. You'll have to make an appointment, bring the car down and pay 100 bucks just to find out (I mean even if you don't ask them to actually change any fluids or something).

This sounds like a pretty good description of the owners manual in the new T6 307 HDi Touring we ordered late 2005 (delivered early 2006). It was one of the first 307s in Australia with a particle filter.

Neither the owners manual nor the service booklet explained that our new 307 needed low_SAPS (low ash) oil, which in 2006 was much less widely available. On our first trip (still running in) it actually used a bit of oil, and a low oil warning appeared (this was not the red STOP light - it wasn't that low). I rang the dealer that we bought it from (Tamworth) - they advised me to top it up with Valvoline Super Diesel (not even synthetic ). Hopefully when it went in for service they were a bit more careful...

Since it all happened in 2006 I can't now check, but am certain I started a thread asking pretty much the same question Fordman is asking. Someone on this forum pointed out that the sticker under the bonnet identified the correct oil - must say I'd always assumed the sticker was little more than advertising for Total.

 

[bbg]

The subscription is probably Tomtom traffic... same great (non)informative message in Meganes.

 

[schlitzaugen]

I found this very informative website : http://www.rkoleos.com/

Appears to be a genuine Renault site, but I can't tell, it is copyright to rkoleos.com.

Includes Owners Manual and Service Repair Manual.
Was able to search and find detailed instructions to replace cabin air filter and engine oil filter for example. (note headings of LHD/RHD and Engine types). Good information.

Looks like only 2018 onwards maybe.

Cheers.

That is the same repair manual you can buy in .PDF form and seems like the only information publicly available from Renault.

It is helpful but very frustrating to use and still doesn't give any elementary information such as the type of oil needed, coolant and so on. The customer is left in total darkness and I guess it is on purpose so we go to the dealer to have these things done, which I guess most people do during warranty for fear of losing it. Which they do not lose automatically by law, but they do lose it if the car is not serviced with the correct fluids. Which is a potential litigation mess. Not sure how are independents supposed to find out what is the correct type of oil or whatnot.

Nobody cares what happens after warranty (I suspect they hope you ruin your engine and buy another one). I am curious about the information available in markets where it is compulsory (by law) for the manufacturer to make service information publicly available for free. It may be the same manual and Renault might be prepared to argue that they comply with the law and present this manual as proof, but I am not sure this would stand in court since elementary info such as the type of oil needed is not mentioned anywhere.

Other manufacturers like Toyota resort to another approach. They make the service manual so voluminous (thousands of pages, and no, it is not a metaphor, the early 2000s Corolla manual, which I still have has over 2000 pages) it is totally unusable. This is because it contains so much information (of no use) about every possible variation of a model in every market and every spade in the wiring loom and every washer on every bolt so you have to wade through hundreds of useless pages to find something simple like where to find and unclip a connector for the radio speaker. Little wonder people say fuck it, and just grab a screwdriver and start poking things around.

I am not sure what is the consequence of this type of approach/attitude for Toyota but for Renault I am sure the result is a loss of customers in marginal markets like ours. Good on them. Little wonder they then lose interest in our market and pack up.

 

[Breitie]

Motivated by this discussion about recommended fluids/oils etc., I conducted a thorough search for the correct
specifications and found precisely....nothing! Except vague generalities such as "use the correct blah blah."
It is clear that all car manufacturers want you to go to their dealers, and do their utmost to defeat and frustrate any attempts
by the owner to do any maintenance work themselves. I suppose for 99% of owners that is the preferred option anyway.

 

[bob]

They make the service manual so voluminous (thousands of pages, and no, it is not a metaphor, the early 2000s Corolla manual, which I still have has over 2000 pages) it is totally unusable

yep, the BA ford manual has over 2000 pages and it's difficult to find stuff - at least it is searchable in PDF format, but try "oil"....
Bob

 

[schlitzaugen]

Motivated by this discussion about recommended fluids/oils etc., I conducted a thorough search for the correct
specifications and found precisely....nothing! Except vague generalities such as "use the correct blah blah."
It is clear that all car manufacturers want you to go to their dealers, and do their utmost to defeat and frustrate any attempts
by the owner to do any maintenance work themselves. I suppose for 99% of owners that is the preferred option anyway.

You are doing what I have done only one month back and for the same reason. The manual doesn't even list basic specifications like the manuals of yesteryear, engine size, valve timing, chain or belt drive, what is supposed to be serviced at every milestone and so on. Welcome to the new world.

All this is to my mind an omen of things to come. More and more of the job is for you to do. Or pay someone else to do it. Simple jobs, but time consuming. But we have had the writing on the wall for some time. Remember when we thought computers were going to make our lives easier? Well, how did that work for you? I find I have to spend more time to make a presentation pretty than to deliver the message to the point and I know this is the case for pretty much everybody I know. All the time we saved by using computers to do the job is now spent to put the message in a presentation so it can be delivered up the ranks and save somebody else do it. What is wrong with having a secretary?

 

[shibuichi]

This thread is making me want to upgrade to a R16 or a 504 pug.... proper cars....

 

[schlitzaugen]

A well sorted R16 would be a great car today for pretty much everything one would realistically need. There may be others but I don't really know much about them. If looking outside the french world, there are many other cars of the 70s that would satisfy perfectly. As far as I see much of what came after that was minor mechanical improvement though safety was significantly improved.

 

[Stuey]

Yes, I've done that, but don't you think I should be able to see in the Owner's manual, or the Maintenance handbook, what Renault recommend and their spec. Those books actually say to look at renault.com.au for the specs - I've looked without success.
Just saying, it's the first time I haven't been able to find this info in the owners manuals.

Same as my son's previous car, a 2006 Clio. The owner's manual and service record had no indication of the oil used in the car. Bizarre.