RENAULT AVANTIME 3.0 V6 24V Privilege 3dr (2002)

Fab family car, lots of nice surprises, needs to cut down on its drinking habit!

I marked my Renault Avantime 3.0 V6 down for running costs because it's really not as economical as I'd like. I know it's a big engine but really, there's no need to be bleeding me dry like this! I haven't sold it on yet because it's mostly just a school and tesco runner, so it doesn't do too many miles, and apart from that it's just so reliable that I don't want to exchange it for something that might not be. Still, if I started doing longer distances for any reason then I'd have to consider it.

The Renault Avantime looks classy inside too. It's all sort of sleak and swooshy, the dash isn't at all busy and all the displays are a bit tucked away. I like it, I think it looks cool, and as a mum of two I need all the cool I can get! It certainly turns heads as it really does look the business. What's also very cool indeed is the doors. It seems odd to have only two doors on a big long car like this, but they have special hinges in the middle so they only open out half as wide as they look. Very handy for tight parking spaces.

The parking sensors came along with it as standard which I was chuffed with, although it is pretty good anyway in terms of visibility. The only real down side is that it's got an opaque panel just at the back of the sides, which makes for a big blind spot. You get used to it and learn to use you mirrors to compensate, but there's really no need for that blind spot in the first place.

The other thing about the car is the sheer amount of space inside. It's really a cavern on wheels. I've never folded the back seats down because the boot is huge as it is, I mean I've got two adults, two kiddies, two buggies, and all our stuff for a two week holiday in there, with loads of space left for all the gifts and things we picked up while we were away. My ex and I are separated now but I still make a lot of use of all the space, especially now that my babies are a no longer babies!

In terms of longer term costs, the Avantime 3.0 V6 actually quite pricey to insure. I'm not sure why as it's such a family car. Tyres are also pricey but on the advice of a friend I used an independent local garage and saved a lot on these. The Avantime is a good car but I have been a little disappointed by the high costs of running and maintaining it.