Buying a Vel Satis? Here are the key things to consider:

Complete Buyers Guide including; what to look for, common faults and my views from ownership of different examples. Please note this is a guide ONLY based on my experience.

1) Engine & Gearbox Choices

There are 4 engine choices with the Vel Satis and each "makes its own music" according to the brochure. Having experienced all four first hand, I believe this puts me in a good place as anyone to give a fair assessment of the models that were available. There is also a lot of documented information about the four engine choices as they are not unique to the Vel Satis. I will list them in order which I believe to be the most reliable

1st: 3.5 V6 (V4Y Renault Code, VQ35DE Engine, known as detuned Nissan 350Z engine). Auto Only. ULEZ ✔

I can sum this engine up with two words. Naturally aspirated. You simply cannot beat the simplicity of a 60 degree V6. No turbocharging or ancillaries that can let you down, just a simple chain driven motor; change the oil and filter regularly enough and this engine will do many miles. It is the one to have if you can get hold of one still! (Opinion)

The only thing that you may need to look out for with this engine is the chain tensioners failing at higher mileage i.e. over 125k. A good way to check is to, from a cold start, see if it rattles initially. From experience this is not common over here due to the cooler British climate, but it can still happen nonetheless. There are a few documented examples of this on the internet so if you actually need more information about the specific failure, it can be found online. This information tends to be more available due to the fact that the 350Z was a popular car. Many of those can and have been easily tuned to well over 550 bhp (with twin turbocharging) so that is a good testament to the strength of the engine.

As for the driving and ownership still owning two of these examples, the performance is very strong with 247 bhp and 330Nm of torque and they feel much quicker to drive than the numbers suggest. Throttle response is really good. As for fuel consumption this is one area where it is not so strong but it is a big car with a thirsty V6 so what did you expect! 19-22mpg around town is pretty normal to expect and you can touch the right side of 30 mpg on a run. Don't expect any more than that though.

2nd: 2.0T (F4R Renault Code, F4RT, detuned Megane RS225 engine). Manual or Auto.

Note: I have now experienced this engine first hand! ULEZ ✔

Being a four cylinder turbo petrol engine, this car comes not only second in the most reliable to own, but also, when mated to the manual gearbox, the second quickest option if performance matters to you. This engine is extremely well documented namely down to the fact its in a whole host of other cars. Performance Renaults at the time had this engine but tuned with more power and it has proven to be very reliable.

As much as HubNut on YouTube slam the Vel Satis on test, there's no getting away from the fact that the example being driven was a 2.0T with over 260,000 miles on! It can't be that bad surely...

Performance and running costs wise, the 165bhp variant has surprisingly good poke combined with 250Nm of torque but does need revving to get the most out of it. The 2.0T unit is also reasonably frugal for the time and mated to the manual gearbox you will be able to see upwards of 35 mpg on a run.

3rd: 2.2 dCi (G9T Renault code, common rail diesel engine found in many Renaults). Manual or Auto. ULEZ ❌

This engine can be problematic but not usually catastrophic. Various different elements of the engine can fail but most are replaceable.

The most serious problems can stem from the EGR valve sticking. The way to tell if this is happening is by the display in the car showing "Fuel Injection Fault" warnings with loss of power. Starting and stopping can cure the fault only for it to return. According to Renaults Tech notes 4130A and 4198A this is an EGR valve or Turbo fault. Normally, it is the EGR valve. The EGR valve can develop a fault because the Inlet manifold/gasket has failed, which in turn can suck up all the oil from the sump or blow all the oil out of the engine hence the causing the engine to fail. This is the very worst case scenario but examples that are well looked after don't tend to give trouble.

A further tell tale can be significant black smoke coming from the exhaust - with the 2.2, you are probably better off walking away unless you fancy stripping the engine down and working on it.

Again, other detailed descriptions of the issues faced with this engine are well documented on other forums, such as crankshafts wearing when oil isn't changed frequently at higher miles, and oil pumps that can fail and need replacing. Its a cambelt engine so make sure that has been done too.

To drive, the 150 bhp is what you would call adequate enough, but you wouldn't want any less. For just cruising around in a Vel Satis, its all the engine you would need but it will never set your hair on fire. Economy wise expect mid to high 30's; maybe even the right side of 40 mpg if you have a manual* and a steady right foot. This does make it the most affordable variant to own running cost wise. Regular oil changes with the correct grade can prolong the life and many examples of this engine do big miles.

*Automatic versions are rare to come by in the UK in 2.2 dCi form.

4th: 3.0 dCi (P9X Renault code, Isuzu V6 DMax Engine, also found in Espace, Saab 9-5 and Vectra). Auto only. ULEZ ❌

Now this is not an engine for the faint hearted! It is commonly known that these engine suffer from serious head gasket failures due to poor cooling. The engine can over heat unexpectedly and then when taken above 90 kph or 56 mph, will continuously struggle to stay at optimum temperature. It is not recommended to keep driving once this happens and you should take the car to a garage as soon as the car does not maintain temperature. Repair specialists are rare to come by for this engine as it is not really common practice. Renault state themselves that it is not permitted to skim the head. Instead the engines were replaced under warranty, so some higher mileage cars may be ok as they may have received the slightly revised later unit if it failed under warranty, which by all accounts had additional cooling channels and a few other slight improvements. It is not known if these later units made it to some of the later registered Vel Satis'. In the community it was long believed that the badging was a way to tell, changing from 'dv6' to 'dCi V6' on the side of the car and under the bonnet. This is most likely a red herring since cars with the later badging have subsequently suffered from the failure. In terms of engine coding the P9X715 is one to look for if you do want this specific engine but it only seems to be found in Espaces from 2005 onwards.

During my ownership of a Vel Satis 3.0 dCi, I was very lucky in the short period I had it. I bought the car with 152k miles on and commuted to work 120 miles for 5 months racking up around 10,000 miles. It did not miss a beat and I managed 34 mpg cruising there and back, which gave a range of about 530 miles to a tank. The one thing that did always concern me was that the trip computer would indicate I was achieving 48 mpg average but I knew this could not be correct as for such a large fuel tank (80 litres/17 UK Gallons) it was not doing the distance.

I can praise the engine for its level of refinement and had it been better designed probably would've been the pick of the bunch. It offers effortless pull in every gear thanks to a substantial 350Nm of torque combined with 181 bhp*. Driving to and from work it felt like it could sit there at 2000rpm all day with just a slight hum in the background and this was no surprise when I stripped an engine down with a friend (to attempt a gasket repair) to discover the traditional design of the engine. The size of the pistons and the layout would suggest it was originally intended for industrial use.

So now that you know all this, you still want one? Ok, well here are some tips:

-Check the coolant bottle for cracks and the surrounding area for any water residue. This could be a sign that it already overheated and the seller/owner is not letting on.

-Check inside the coolant bottle, if you can see black specks of carbon, this is a good sign that a failure is imminent as the exhaust gases mix with the coolant when the gasket fails.

-Smoke. Blue smoke on these engines is not uncommon. If it does blue smoke constantly this is probably a sign of piston rings and valve seals that have worn. It could also be a failing turbo but this is quite rare as the Garrett unit tends to be quite reliable.

Black smoke is not really something to overly concern yourself with on these engines, bearing in mind they are pre-DPF. Only if it is heavy and constant. No DPF means that it has a system on it to self clear so if you accelerate hard or kick down a gear, a puff of smoke is usually seen. This is normal for these engines given their age. Usually these cars have not been driven hard all that much and so the EGR can clog up. Getting the EGR cleaned can make a world of difference to the level of smoke as I bought mine and it black smoked like a train.

-Oil leaks at higher mileage. The crankshaft seal behind the crank pulley is prone to passing oil but this can sometimes be hard to spot due to the under trays, so it can be worth a look underneath with a torch or getting a proper pre-purchase inspection carried out. However, all this is fixable.

Overall, the best way to sum this engine up is that when its going well, it really is going well and totally suits the Vel Satis experience down to the ground, but when its not going well it can be the biggest headache you've had. That's not mentioning the damage to your wallet too.

*Early cars state 177bhp. Later cars state 181 bhp. Not confirmed if this difference was applicable in Vel Satis RHD form.

Automatic gearbox - Aisin Warner SU1

This 5 speed gearbox has a somewhat mixed reputation. On the one hand it wont ever let you down, but on the other it can give a few issues that are not wanted.

Shunt problems. When going from park to drive, there can be a delay and a not so nice shunt as it goes into gear. This stems from the unit being a so called 'sealed for life' gearbox. It couldn't be further from the truth. There is a very hard to reach dipstick, fill point and 'sump' that can be taken off to change the fluid. The gearbox oil should be replaced at the least, every 50k miles but most have not received this kind of servicing, although I have seen a few examples with this being done.

The shunt is a sign of sticking control valves in the valve body due to poor lubrication as the oil is old and wearing thin. It struggles to build pressure also and hence has difficulty selecting drive. Once you are on the move however, all is well, only a slight slip in 3rd gear will be noticed but apart from this, the driving experience is not affected.

It is recommended to start with a full gearbox flush first to cure the problem, or following that, to replace the valve body. These can be sourced no problem on eBay between £400-700.

If the car goes into drive seamlessly then I would recommend you keep on top of it by replacing the oil with fully synthetic transmission fluid regularly and it should last a long time.

2) Interior & Trim Levels

There were 3 trim levels available to UK buyers

Expression, Privilege and Initiale.

Most cars are Initiale based on the car being a flagship model at the time and people wanting the larger 3.0 and 3.5 engines which only came in mid-spec and top-spec forms.

The leather seats tend to hold up very well when cared for. Abused examples and particularly those few with the burgundy leather option can see scuffs form on the drivers seat bolster but nothing more.

Tthe fabric seats hold up well too but some examples that I've seen haven't faired too well. Stains and scuffs and them seeming threadbare are not unusual - these type seats are only found in the Expression and Privilege models. Some Privilege examples have leather but all Initiales have leather.

A supremely rare option is the alcantara interior and in my personal view is the best interior they offered. It holds up well and is super comfortable and the material makes the interior feel so much more exclusive to any other Vel Satis. See if you can find one with aluminium trim to compliment it...

The dashboards are common to splitting on the passenger side where the airbag sits so this is something to look for. Ones that have sat in constant sunlight and unprotected from the UV light suffer. RHD dashboards are pretty much impossible to come by, unless you get yourself a donor car. They are discontinued new from Renault now.

The interior trims hold up quite well and the button symbols don't wear off after 5 minutes like in some other French cars... yes I'm talking about you Citroen/Peugeot! The only thing is again when exposed to constant sunlight, the rubberized coating can melt to some extent creating that sticky feeling. The trim components are just coloured plastic underneath and this can be taken off with some fine grinding paste if you are skilled not to go too far with it. However, the originally intended glossy look will be lost.

Headlining is the next thing to check. It can sag down in the rear above the two outer rear seats, again found in cars that have sat in constant sunlight. Not all that common but something to look out for. It can be replaced which there will be a write up for at some stage on the website. DIY repairs such as a needle with glue in that you can poke through to reattach it to the roof, are valid short term fixes.

3) Underneath and Mechanicals

Rust is not really an issue with the Vel Satis. It mainly constructed from aluminum so they are standing the test of time. They are of course a galvanized chassis and the rubberized coating from factory that was sprayed on underneath pretty much stops any rust forming. Be warned though, as with any car, one that has sat on damp ground for prolonged periods may need a checking over.

Mechanically, there are a lot of things to check when you test drive one. Rattles are pretty common but can always be rectified. If its coming from the back, you need to be prepared to carry out maintenance. I've been as lucky as to cure a rattle by replacing anti roll bar drop links and inner bushes, but as unlucky as replacing 90% of the components on the rear and the rattle still being present.

The rear independent suspension is a patented design, and the parts are not shared with any other Renault model (on the back only). As a result, the Vel Satis has passive 4 wheel steering and should always receive 4-wheel alignment. This usually costs around £60+ depending where you live.

The rear control arms are usually one of the causes of knocking sounds, as they are fitted with a very stiff ball joint. This joint allows the wheels to move ever so slightly at higher speed cornering to give better handling, not to mention the smoother ride on the motorway.

They don't come cheap however, I had to source mine on eBay Germany at a cost of £125 each! All in all, they tend to be pretty worn past the 100k mark so definitely worth checking but if you cant hear anything when driving, then they are probably ok. Alternatively, it can be explored to buy the trailing bush and sleeve seprately and overhaul the arms on your car.

See photo of the new arms:

The electric handbrakes can be troublesome and if you want more detail on this, you can read the blog about how to repair one, it is from a while ago so the companies he used may not still be going, but it talks in more depth about the type of issues. A warning display is present in between the dials if there's a fault, and it will read "parking brake faulty" so make sure it comes on and off easy before you buy. It will normally be coloured red when engaged and white when disengaged. Orange is the fault colour.

Air conditioning is the next aspect that needs maintenance. The culprit 9 times out of 10 is the condenser falling to bits. Easy and cheap to replace, just order from Autodoc, replace by removing the wheel arch liners at the front and then the front bumper and re-gas and you're away. Worth noting that some can be a pain to remove pipes wise as they seize in, in which case you may need some new pipes, but any custom AC shop can sort that if you give them the old one.

4) Summary & Pricing

Overall, given the age of these cars now, all examples tend to require some form of work. My experience is that low mileage ones have spent too much time sitting around so bushes perish, and high mileage ones are over used and under-maintained. Try and look for something in between if you want a usable modern classic.

If you are buying as a long term investment, then buy the best possible condition one you can find interior wise, as interior parts are hard to come by. Its better to also go for low mileage in this case, as then you know it will fetch more in the future, which leads nicely to pricing.

Now its the mid 2020's and the Vel Satis is coming into its 20-25 year age period, where all the depreciation has been suffered by some other poor soul. They have bottomed out on the graph and are now at a very tempting price and now is still the time to buy.

I've seen spares or repairs examples with a short MOT sell for as little as £400 and this can still be done but be prepared to pay £1-2k doing it up. Any under the grand mark generally need a fair amount of work to bring them back to a good standard.

Medium condition examples with average miles and maintained well with any engine or trim, expect to pay £1000 - 2000 in today's market.

Low mileage Initiale's (i.e. under 60k) with either of the big engines expect to pay £2k plus, sometimes even £3k if it is a really well kept one.

At this moment it seems £3k is reserved for special examples that maybe have a sunroof or DVD player or just insanely low miles. When you think these were £30k in 2002, it makes for a bit of bargain even today - as they are a lot of car for the money.

They haven't reached the heights of the Avantime yet, but surely it is only a matter of time as the Vel Satis was equally rare in RHD form.

For the time being until that moment comes, they are actually a very practical, and usable modern classic so my advice is get one and enjoy it, along with the remarks about its looks that follow; good, bad or ugly!!!

Written by Kieran Rowles