Clio 2015 Service Manual
Having read all the horror stories regarding Mercedes Vito gearbox problems I was intent of getting to the bottom of this problem as all I had read on the internet about ‘suggestion A’ and ‘suggestion B’ etc. All seemed contradictory and to be honest there was little to substantiate any of the writing.
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So here we go. Mercedes Vito 111, W639 2008 Model, 6 speed gearbox, 90k miles. The problem I had, as do many it seems – is that from a standing start, engine running, first gear is hard to select, and on some occasions requires some extreme force to shift the lever into position 1. The get-a-round was to lift the clutch in neutral and re-depress to try and align the box somehow to allow this selection but this only sometimes worked. To be honest it makes driving in town a real chore. Add to that a poor second gear selection, almost like a worn synchro issues from my old banger days – I was beginning to worry! ‘Check the gear selector cable adjustments’ seems everyone’s first comment, however my view was that if you could easily select all gears when stationary with the engine off this is not a plausible reason for the issue.
Secondly it is often reported on the internet that ‘ Vito gearboxes suffer from synchro wear on second and third gear. I found this, although possible hard to swallow as the same manual gearbox is used in similar guises in other MB makes that do not report a problem – how could this be? Maybe Mercedes vans are abused by their drivers who always crash change through the box for the speediest getaway. One owner driver / vans with dealer history show the same problems on the forums so an appallingly weak gearbox? I don’t think so The gear selector arm that is mounted to the gearbox does wear on high mile/use vehicles, but the resultant is second gear and reverse cannot be selected – even when the engine is off!
If you wish to check this fault out – look for play in the pivot bushing as indicated on the photo below and rectify this first. So what is it.? What causes this problem? ‘The clutch dragging’ is a popular comment, ‘gearbox input splines sticking on the friction plate’ – again discounted by me as the clutch functions fine with no drag, judder or other malaise people seem too quick to associate to problems with the dual-mass flywheel set up.
Honda Cr-v 2015 Service Manual
Concluding that a small cross section of people have had isolated problems of differing types and reported them via forums etc, everyone reads into them as being the definitive cure and then becomes somewhat of a ‘shade tree’ expert to coin an Americanism – Re-reporting exactly what they have read and not really understanding the true nature of the OP’s problem from all perspectives. I focussed on the oil in the transmission as my saviour and as it turns out – it was a great call! Selecting the alternative gearbox oil has totally eradicated the issues mentioned at the beginning of this post and the van has been transformed into a vehicle that is a pleasure to drive once more. This may not work for you depending on the exact nature of your gearbox issue, but if you are living with the same set of problems I had then its well worth the small investment before following other pathways (all of which are mostly inordinately expensive!). Mercedes Benz specifies a very expensive synthetic single grade manual gearbox oil of SAE 75w. It took my main dealer a few tries to even establish this fact so it’s not common knowledge.
It is supplied as MB part number /11 or you can get a single grade 75w Synthetic alternative from Titan as Titan Sintofluid. (For information purposes it may be useful to know the Vito differential hypoid oil is a SAE 75w-85w synthetic – Alternate supply for this would be Titan Sintopoid.) What I wanted was to use a slightly thinner performance oil, one that would allow more adequate slowing of the gear train on an up-shift, allowing the synchros to do their job with more ease. Thicker oil would tend to drag the gears round and make the synchros work harder to mesh a faster spinning gear set.
When you are choosing a weight of oil it is interesting to know that gear oils have a different ‘W’ rating from those used in engine only applications. For example a gear oil of 75w -90 is almost the same viscosity as a 10w-40 engine oil! Armed with this information I began my research I required a performance synthetic gear oil of less than 75w – ATF was the way forward. Synthetic ATF has a w rating around the w50 / w60 mark on the gearbox scale so fitted the requirement perfectly.
The only downside (if there is one!) is that its grade performance peeled off ever so slightly lower in sustained operating temperatures than a fully fledged hypoid synthetic oil. Due to the fact this is not a racing car, its operating in the UK where average ambient rarely squeaks above 10 degrees C and the Vito is rarely fully loaded pulling a max weight trailer at 80 mph down an Autobahn!
I choose to ignore this paper spec detail. Just as I chose to accept that the vehicle was now out of warranty and that from a MB dealer warranty point of view it didn’t really matter anymore – apart from the important fact it was time the driving experience was improved and that I technically understood what I needed to regarding the protection offered by the oil I was about to use vs. My driving style and vehicle use. On this footing I proceeded to choose my oil. It was to be a Synthetic ATF sold by GSF Car parts. They sell it as. You will need the best part of two x 1L bottles.
Installation was straight forward taking no longer than half an hour to complete the process. Jack up the Vito on the front driver side jacking point enough to crawl underneath easily. Remove both the fill and drain plugs using the correct Hex tools (GSF or any good motor factor / tool shop sell these cheaply in a similar to this – before you buy make sure it contains the required 17mm tool as some kits do not) Note the drain plug is a larger hex tool than the fill plug and a pair of the correct tools will be needed.
Remove the fill plug completely, then place a bucket beneath the drain and remove that plug. Let the oil drain for a few minutes to empty the contents as best you can. While draining take the opportunity to clean the magnetic drain plug of metallic bits, it will have a quantity of iron filings on it – don’t worry they all look like this and that’s what it is designed to do! Once cleaned refit – don’t over tighten either plugs as they are a tapered thread and overzealous tightening could crack the gear casing. Fill with the chosen oil until it dribbles from the fill plug. At this point the level is correct and refit the fill plug.
Clean up any mess and lower the vehicle and road test. I had a look at the deposits in the old gear oil at the bottom of the bucket and found there was only the slightest traces of brass/bronze flecks, a very good sign – as past experience tells that if it looks like a ‘gold panners bowl’ there’s trouble ahead! Heavy deposits of bronze particles is a good indication you most probably have some heavy synchro wear and maybe an oil swap will not cure your problem. On the road test I noticed immediately the poor selection to first issue had completely gone and the first to second up-shift was near perfect. What a difference this has made in continued driving and in my opinion is a very worthwhile result considering the research I had put in.
Perhaps I now changed the oil as part of my service regime instead of the almost ‘leave-in for life’ recommendation for the standard lubricant. I hope this modification helps you out as much as it helped me. Whats to lose? It may even work for you. Hi PJ, May be worth back bleeding the clutch with a pressure bleeder from the slave cylinder underneath into the master cylinder (shared with the brake) to see if there is any improvement. As the slave cylinder compensates for wear of the plate assembly, it could be that it is extended to its furthest extent and still not applying enough travel to clear the friction lining fully from the pressure plate, possibly signifying a clutch that is almost end of life. If you pull the rubber plug on the gearbox bell housing and look inside with a torch, you may get an idea of what is going on inside, often the fingers on the pressure plate show some wear, also taking up some linear travel.
From your peek inside, although you cannot see the lining thickness directly, you will get an idea of how much friction material is ‘floating’ about inside the bell housing, if it has begun to break-up the friction material will look like grey/silver chicken feathers! All the best Steve. The Q & A session on the Mercedes Vito gear selection issues is very interesting. I run a 2006 Merc Vito W639 Traveliner. Bought it new so only me behind the wheel. After 18 months I noticed the same irritating gear selection re 1st into 2nd, when I got it into 1st!, & 3rd down to 2nd & it’s just got worse & worse.
Mercedes just greased up the mechanism which of course didn’t help. Also have been marooned several times in some services when reverse was nigh on impossible to select10 mins one day! So it looks, to me, like the action of trying to select reverse or 1st or second is the gear lever been asked to go all the way over to the left of its travel ie towards the passenger side. 1st gear not being quite as bad to select as reverse or second.
Sometimes I have to shift from 1st to third as second just doesn’t want to know & trying to reverse can be a hope & pray situation, really that bad sometimes. All other gear selections are fine & ok. Have got an ‘as new’ gear-lever assy inc attached cables to put on as have been told that the plastic knuckle joints under the gear level wear. The thinner oil in the gearbox sounds interesting. Might try that as well.
I appreciate there can be a lot of wear on the gear selector mechanism on top of the gearbox but at around £560 + fitting for a new one I think I’ll try other remedies first. Before I go I need to say I’m on the original engine, original clutch, original turbo etc & she runs like a sewing machine having four engine oil changes a year & regular servicing. Just approaching 700,000 miles, mainly motorway miles, so can’t complain!
Still looks great inside & out, just the bleeding gears! Any more comments re gear selection issues would be very welcome as I’m at my wits end with continually getting embarrasingly stuck in the middle of the road shouting at the gearbox Many thanks, Tony. Hi Tony, A quick read of the symptoms would indicate maybe adjustment is needed in the two bowden cables to give the correct throw to the selector mechanism. It may be that there is wear in the horseshoe arrangement that straddles the gearbox, this is not uncommon with high milage boxes. This part comes as a complete assembly sadly as you point out, is quite expensive. However if you can determine that is is definitely worn it could save you the pain of a gearbox swap only to find the fault still exists!
The acid test really is if the box allows selection when the engine is off! If all is well, alignment/cable adjustment should be OK – I would then begin to suspect the clutch itself. It may be self adjusting, but when the end of life approaches there is not enough travel in the slave cylinder to apply the correct clearance to the spinning friction plate causing some drag and a definite inability to select gears from stationary.
Often if you start the van in first gear with the clutch depressed and the handbrake off, it would want to drive the vehicle forward to some degree as it starts to a running condition – this would confirm that all is not as it should be in the clutch department. You could try a back bleed (slave to master cylinder) to clear any air, but I think if you have a clutch drag condition as outlined above with those miles, then I think this is maybe a futile excersise. I hope that helps a little in pin-pointing your issue – Yes the shifter ball & socket does give issues but often its more due to actual breakage of the bottom cup section than overall wear. They just get sloppy sticks as they age!- same with sprinters. I do have a couple of used serviceable selector mechanisms put by (External Horseshoe part) should you require at any point. All the best Steve.
Hi Pj & Steve. Many thanks for your quick & very helpful replies, much appreciated. I’m going to have the ‘as new’ gear lever & cable assy fitted, might as well as its there to be fitted, & see how we go with that. There’s no clutch creep at all & pedal feels as good as the day I picked it up but.with a clutch that’s done nearly 700,000 miles it’s maybe time for a fresh one!
Can you tell I’m from Yorkshire 🙂 How much!!!!! The gear lever feels real sloppy & it feels like something is ‘blocking me’ when I go for 1st into 2nd & reverse, feels like a brick wall! Maybe the mechanism & ball joints sat astride the gearbox are badly worn as suggested. I will definitely come back to you both with either good or bad news & the route taken to achieve a result. Thanks again.
Tony Fingers crossed. Hi Stuart, Yes it is – but it also falls a little lower in viscosity than the MB recommended synthetic gear oil, this affords slightly less drag and the action of the oil not ‘driving’ the syncro hubs to the same effect as the heavier weight oil.
Most of the reasoning behind the original choice of oil is outlined in the posting. I am still running on it, and many others have used it with good results. Just for information: ATF was the Ford factory recommended oil for use in the older conventional 5 speed manual transmissions throughout most of their model range through the 80s and 90s.
All the best Steve. Hi Ber, I would check out the selector mechanism for breakage in the plastic ball under the gear lever gaiter. It may also require adjustment of the selector cables. Before going for the gearbox swap get under the vehicle and have an assistant try to select the 5/6 gears, try and assist the mechanism by hand, if it selects look to see why.
Maybe even unhook the ball and sockets from the selector cable on the side of the gearbox and manipulate the mechanism by hand and see if you can find all forward gears and reverse. This could be simple gear cable adjustment or replacement or even a damaged / worn selector mechanism on the outside of the gearbox. Be absolutely sure that the fault does actually lie inside the gearbox before deciding to replace the gearbox – only then begin to spend money! All the best Steve. Hi there, Sounds like you are not getting enough release clearance when you press the clutch pedal down between the cover plate/friction material/flywheel, causing dragging of the gearbox and making it difficult to obtain lower gears.
There is a chance that air has got trapped in the slave cylinder inside the gearbox when you took the hydraulic connection apart. Trapped air bubbles in the clutch hydraulic system can only be successfully bled by ‘back-bleeding’ the clutch system under pressure (Using Gunson’s Ez-Bleed) from the nipple on the slave cylinder back into the master cylinder (Shared with brake system) Normal ‘pumping the pedal’ type bleeding will not usually be enough to clear the system of any air.
If once air has been removed from the clutch system and you are sure the master/slave cylinders are working correctly then there is the possibility that the clutch may have been fitted without the self adjusting retainer springs loaded in the correct position. This provides the the correct setting of the release plate on first application of the clutch. It adjusts automatically to a position then is self adjusting through out the life of the clutch. Although most replacement clutch plates and cover assemblies come pre-loaded in a ready-to-fit condition the three tension springs may have been in the wrong position (released) if the cover plate had perhaps been dropped in transit.
It is always wise to check this before fitting or correct adjustment of the clutch mechanism will be impossible. LuK describe this better than I – I hope this helps.
Renault Clio 2015 Owners Manual
All the best Steve. Hi there Medow, You could be right, there is a possibility just the cables needs adjustment, though if you can find the gear easily without with the engine off, it is could be a dragging clutch. Is there any issue with 1st? Usually there is a combined problem with first and reverse due to wear on the horse shoe casting that makes up part of the selector mechanism externally to the gearbox. It may be that it is worn or seized at the vertical double hinge points. Its worth getting underneath and having a look at what is going on. Other things to consider are: Air in the clutch hydraulics (this will need to be back bled from the slave cylinder nipple to the reserve, this is shared with the brake fluid reserve.) Or worn clutch assembly not allowing correct separation and full clearance on pressing the clutch.
Hope this helps, All the best Steve. Hi Steve I need some advise and help. I have a 2008 115 vito with 106 000km on the clock. I have some gearbox problems. I have winning noise from the gearbox. Gear selection is easy and sure that’s not the problem The noise is in 1, 2, 3, 4,6 gear.
It is only winning when power is applied to the gearbox. When the car is in gear and not gassed its quite. Can this be the bearings inside the gearbox? I will check the center propshaft bearings this weekend.
Gonna put the vito on tramps and remove the wheels and try so hear where its coming from. I am not sure whether the type of oil will make a difference as the noise is from first gear. Really hope you can help me.
Hi Janneman, It seems your problem could be with the bearings on the Layshaft within the gearbox, this secondary shaft is loaded in every gear but 5th, where the power is transmitted straight through the main shaft. See picture below of 5th gear selection.
As the layshaft (lower shaft in the picture) should have always had a good oil supply, it is not usual to see wear in this part of the gearbox. It may be that the forces on the gearbox mainshaft (the top one in the picture) delivered when in powered mesh with the layshaft, is accentuating noise present in the main shaft bearings, as it ‘pushes’ the races out of a free running central position. In your case it is most definitely connected to issues within the gearbox and it is safe to say it is highly probable bearing wear as described above. I would be tempted to double check the gearbox oil level before condemning the gearbox, but hearing your description I would pretty much say that there is bearing wear inside the gear box – just as you suspected. All the best Steve. Thanks for the heads up, Steve. This is the exact problem I am having with a Merc C200 Kompressor.
She’s only done 39900 miles and changing the gears can be a swine, though perfectly ok when the engine is off. Once it’s found first gear (after some effort) all the rest are ok. One thing that could be happening is that when serviced, certain garages may be using a cheaper oil than recommended which over time causes this. I have read (elsewhere) that quite a few people are recommending the Mobile1 0W/40 Full Synthetic but what you suggest seems worth a go. Sorry, I know it’s not a van but it seems the same issue across the board with their gearboxes.
Hi Gio, Good information, though I think the use of oil circa 0-40 w on an engine oil SAE scale, (that is very thin when cold) long term, is probably going to detrimental to the gearbox, I would not like to drop below SAE of the ATF, as at least it is designed for gear-train usage. A common work round for gear/sychro drag on the C200 series is to have the upper level of oil about one inch below the filler. If you google this you can assure yourself that it does have an effect that will help your situation, should you choose to run with this. I have also known road flint pieces flick up onto the gear selector mechanism (on SLK 6 Speed) and actually partially jam the mechanism affecting only first and reverse selection, may be worth a look on top of the box with a mirror!
All the best Steve. Thanks for that Steve, I will get the car gear mechanism checked out because 1,2 and reverse (all gears on the left) do stick 6 out of 10 times of using them. Strangely when the engine isn’t running they all slot in fine but once running it can sometimes give me hassle. Could be a red herring but it leads me to think that it could almost be clutch plate related as the only difference between on and off is the moving parts (clutch plate etc) I’ll update and let you know what it is (if they can find the fault) as as getting it checked out. Hi Steve,I have a 2005 Vito with 6 speed manual,problem going from 1st to 2nd only sometimes,but cannot go back from 3rd to 2nd anytime.A gearbox place drove it and said 2nd gear synchro,he changed it and when i picked up Van last Saturday,still the same issue,no crunching,just doesnt want to shift.However I can drive normally ie 1st to 2nd and 3rd down to second only if I lift gearshift a little as i change gear.what do you think? PS.When taking surrounding panelling off to get to gearshift,a broken black rubber O ring (15mm diameter approx.),fell from right side of gear shift mechanism,not sure if this is significent.
Model strengths: One of the lowest-priced new cars available; spacious cabin and trunk; fuel economy; good highway manners; sedan and 5-door hatchback availability Model changes: The 2015 Nissan Versa receives several updates, including a redesigned exterior and several new standard features sprinkled across various trim levels. Despite this, Nissan has decided to leave the base price untouched for 2015, meaning that the Versa continues to have the least expensive base MSRP of any car sold in America. The exterior of the 2015 Nissan Versa is both new and somewhat familiar, as it echoes the look of other cars in Nissan's stable, with swept back headlights and chrome plating in the grill. The rear of the car has also been redesigned to look sportier, more dynamic and once again, more like it's siblings at Nissan. Inside, there is a new design for the center stack along with a new steering wheel. In addition, all Nissan Versas will now feature Bluetooth-hands free connectivity as standard across all trim levels.
Model value: As the least expensive car in America, the 2015 Nissan Versa offers exceptional value per dollar. Few other cars in the compact segment can match it for base price.
Even the top-trim SL starts at $16,890. And that price buys a lot of car, both in features and in spaciousness. Fuel economy is strong too; the CVT-equipped Versa achieves up to 35 mpg combined, according to the EPA. With the Versa Note, hatchback lovers get a car loaded with intelligent interior features and functionality for people on the go, all while carrying a price tag below offerings like the Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit. Model overview: The 2015 Nissan Versa is offered in both sedan and hatchback body styles.
Four trim levels are offered on the Versa sedan: S, S Plus, SV and SL. All are powered by a 109-hp 1.6L 4-cylinder with continuously variable valve timing. In the S, a 5-speed manual transmission puts power to the front wheels, while a 4-speed automatic is optional.
The other three trims are equipped with Nissan's Xtronic continuously variable transmission. When so equipped, the Versa sedan delivers an EPA estimate of 40 mpg on the highway. Even the base S trim offers enough features to keep drivers and passengers comfortable. These include air conditioning, an AM/FM/CD stereo with two auxiliary audio inputs, a tachometer, power steering, trip computer, tilt steering wheel and a 6-way adjustable driver's seat. In addition to the CVT, the S Plus adds a 4-speaker audio system, cruise control, tilt steering and a rear roof spoiler. In the SV, buyers will find power mirrors, locks and windows, with driver's side one-touch auto up/down, upgraded trip computer, remote keyless entry, steering wheel-mounted cruise control, premium cloth seating and various interior accents. A key fob trunk release and a 60/40 split-fold rear seat are also standard on the SV.
The top-of-the-line SL includes 16-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, variable-speed windshield wipers, passenger visor vanity mirror, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, silver and chrome interior accents, a premium 4-speaker stereo with MP3/WMA CD playback and iPod interface, a new 4.3-inch audio display, speed-sensitive volume control and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls. Packaged options for the Versa sedan include an SV Convenience Package with Bluetooth and premium stereo and an SL Tech Package with navigation, RearView Monitor and SiriusXM satellite radio. For 2015 Nissan have also added NissanConnect with app connectivity to the Tech package.
Individual options are available across the model range and offer a rear spoiler, carpeted floor and trunk mats and special body and interior accents. The Versa Note 5-door hatchback features a unique exterior design beyond its configuration, including a distinctive grille and headlight treatment, as well as creased and sculpted sheet metal along the sides. Based upon Nissan's international-selling Note, the Versa Note is optioned much like its sedan counterpart and powered by the same 109-hp 1.6L four. A 5-speed manual is standard on the S, while the Xtronic CVT is standard on the rest of the range. Like the sedan the Versa Note comes in S, SL and SV trim. It features 115.5 cubic feet of interior volume, with best-in-class cargo space of 21.4 cubic feet. An available Divide-N-Hide Adjustable Floor provides enhanced interior utility, and the standard 60/40 split-fold rear seat makes carrying larger objects a snap.
Available technology on the Versa Note includes NissanConnect Navigation with points of interest powered by Google and Nissan's Around View, which assembles a birds-eye view of the car's exterior from multiple camera angles to ease parking. Manufacturer's report date 07/20/15 Component LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES Summary Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2015 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured June 9, 2015, to June 10, 2015, and 2015 Nissan Sentra and Versa Note vehicles manufactured June 5, 2015, to June 13, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the driver side front and rear doors may not fully latch. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, 'Door Locks and Door Retention Components.' Remedy Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the date, lot number, and cavity code on the left front and rear door latches, and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 31, 2015.
Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Manufacturer's report date 08/11/15 Component SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES Summary Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Nissan Versa sedan vehicles manufactured June 9, 2011, to March 11, 2015, and 2014-2015 Nissan Versa Note vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to March 11, 2015. The affected vehicles have a center console trim panel that may catch the driver's shoe and delay the transition from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal. Remedy Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will modify the console trim panel, free of charge.
The recall began on September 14, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. News & Accolades Residual Value Awards ALG ALG is an industry benchmark for residual values and depreciation data. ALG Residual Value Awards honor vehicles in over 20 segments that are predicted to retain the highest percentage of their original price after a three-year period.
These awards are derived after careful study of segment competition, historical vehicle performance, and industry trends. Award segments include Mainstream Brand, Luxury Brand, Entry Compact car, Full-size Pickup, and Sporty Car, among many others. I find it incredibly annoying when people bash a car like the Versa Note because it doesn't perform like bigger, more expensive models. With that in mind, there are a couple of things you absolutely must understand about this car (I own the SV model). 1) Brand new, out the door (before tax) I paid less than $14K.
That's several thousand dollars cheaper than the Honda Fit or Kia Soul. 2) This is a very small, subcompact car. It's not an SUV. 3) This car is basic transportation with a small engine and CVT (continuously variable transmission) or stick. If you want luxury, performance, or any of that other stuff, buy a different car and prepare to spend a lot more money for it. Now that I have that off my chest, here's my review.
PROS - A lot of interior leg and head room-the most when compared to Fit and Soul. Plenty of 'trunk' room for a car this size. A gas-sipping engine and CVT. This does almost as well on mileage as a hybrid. My calculated mileage on the highway is 49mpg.
Combined is right at 40mpg. Not many gadgets, etc., to drive up the cost and break down. Very highly rated for quality and maintainability by Consumer Reports. I love the shape and curves. My car is all white and it wears that color well.
Driver's seat is three-way adjustable, which is great for a car at this price point. Instrument cluster is bright and easy to read. Radio cluster (includes CD/CRD/CRDW player and USB drive player) is more than adequate for this price point. Also connects to your phone. Controls are available on the steering wheel, though this is pointless since you can easily reach all the controls from the driver's seat. Two glove boxes with plenty of storage. 18 people found this helpful.
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5 stars for safety, interior leg room and cargo space, gas mileage, looks, handling and price! 3 stars for power 2 stars for cabin noise from back seat Biggest selling point - We had to buy this car twice due to the first one being totaled on the freeway after less than 2 weeks old. He was sure that he was dead when he saw an out-of-control car coming at him at close to 90mph. All bags deployed (including side curtain bag over driver side window), the back of the vehicle was torn apart, but he survived with barely a scratch. The replacement car was newer but had a little more miles on it, but since it had passed our very own crash test, we saw fit to re-purchase the same make/model.
Both cars were purchased from Hertz sales and both cars were under $10k out the door. Excellent value for a 2014 with 22k miles and a 2015 with 44k miles. Once you add the value of the lower gas costs, we are in a winning position. Biggest pet peeve - When driving in the back seat, you can't hear any conversation going on in the front seat. Noise from front seat is not noticeable. 6 people found this helpful.
Was this review helpful to you? Sending feedback. I bought the car two years ago. I have less than 5,000 miles on the car now.
There have been two major mechanical problems with the car in the first five thousand miles. The first was a ball bearing in a fan that rendered the A/C unusable (Florida).
The other required a tow. The car would not start and sounded like a dead battery. It ended up being an electronic part and required the car to be kept at the dealer for almost a week until they could decide if I needed a new transmission or if it was electrical.
I contribute a lot of the trouble with the car to the dealer prepping the car poorly and me accepting the car without inspecting it very well in the middle of a Florida rainstorm. When I got the car home I found that housing for the mirror was missing, yellow marker on most of the door jams and strips of plastic covering knobs and switches.
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It was obvious after driving the 41 miles home that they did not do everything they should have and I was foolish to accept the car without completely inspecting it. On three occasions that I needed to take the car for repair the parts needed to be ordered and I had to drive back.
If it were on the dealer and the quality of service I received I would have rated this car only two stars. If I were to rate the car on quality of the vehicle itself I would have given it a four star.
The car is easy to get in and out of. A big plus for me. When my daughter uses the car she is able to put three car seats in the rear seat and has room to get in and check that the kids are secure. The interior cabin has much more room than would be expected for a car of this size. The storage area is not nearly as large as an SUV but is at least as large as a the trunk space in a standard car. 4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?
Sending feedback. I spent months researching the replacement for my despised commuter, in no small part because I kept finding cars a little cheaper that would do the job. In time I drove most if not all of the cars in this class for 2015. Rio, Accent, Sonic, Fiesta, Fit, it seems like there were a few more. Despite the Tupperware interior (a dash cover classes things up dramatically) it is very quiet for class.
I'm averaging 42 MPG keeping it at 65 when I'm doing serious highway miles. Most comfortable seats in class. I have fit 18 (eighteen) standard office paper boxes in the back. Frankly, it's a handsome little beast with hints of it's predecessor Renault 4 and it's more stylish cousin Renault Clio.
Over the road it is an ideal compromise of comfort and fuel economy. The Versas and Versa Notes at almost every travel center communicate that I am not alone in this assessment. I like the '14-16 grille better then the '17 and up one. On the downside, the Bluetooth phone is unusable when the vehicle is so much as running.
Too much vibration transmitted to the dash and a very poor microphone. On my S trim, exactly one electrical outlet, a single 12V 'cigarette lighter' socket which isn't really enough. Over 60 it is prone to shifting in very high wind conditions. Too many people have turned left in front of me at alarmingly close distance since I've been driving my Note. I don't know what that's about. It's not a car your friends will admire until they've ridden in it a while and ask the price.
If I'm out on the road I have a little trouble keeping my Note under 80 MPH. That seems to be a speed it likes, and it feels uncommonly stable. I actually liked the Honda Fit more. The fit and finish was more than a bit better, and it felt more substantial.