The third generation is an ideal family "country" or commercial vehicle. A spacious interior, a reliable diesel engine, inexpensive spare parts - this is how the creators of the minivan saw it, which rolled off the assembly line in 1996. The release of the model continued until 2002, when the fourth generation of the minivan appeared.
Body and interior
Throughout the history of its creation, Espace has been distinguished by a durable, corrosion-resistant body with plastic parts. And also - a huge supply of internal space, and even with the possibility of its transformation.
The body of the miven is unusual. The supporting frame is made of galvanized steel, and external plastic panels are attached to it. As a result, only the hood is made of metal, therefore, the anti-corrosion resistance is beyond doubt.
You don't have to worry about the strength of the body either. Renault Espace owners who have been in various accidents describe its resistance to mechanical stress, comparable to classic metal.
When such a body is damaged in an accident, it is quite difficult to restore it. But the owners of Espace often, after minor accidents, patch up cars on their own, using fiberglass. Actually, the signs of rust on the body of used specimens are just from such a “repair” when the reinforced mesh begins to bloom.
The minimalism of the interior emphasizes the interior space. Sitting inside the car is comfortable, ergonomics does not raise questions.
The weak point of the model is the build quality of the cabin and the reliability of electrical equipment. This is especially true of used copies, which sometimes survived more than one intervention of "experts".
The possibilities of interior transformations are amazing.
So, the rear row of seats can be moved, removed and folded in such a way (each separately) that the car easily becomes either almost a truck, or a commercial van, or a mobile office. You can transport some long structures and at the same time comfortably accommodate passengers, for example. You can remove the rear row of seats and get 3100 liters of clean space. Or deploy the driver's seat and front passenger inside the cabin.
On the backs of the seats there are "airplane" folding tables. The car has an infinite number of various niches, compartments, cup holders and other storage places for small things.
The owners note excellent visibility in the minivan: narrow A-pillars and huge panoramic windows do their job.
The driver sits high, the steering wheel and seat are height adjustable. There is enough support for the seats so that you do not get tired on long trips.
From previous generations, the third Ekspeys is distinguished by an elongated wheelbase (270 cm), a transversely arranged engine and, most importantly, an interior in a pronounced futuristic style with a digital display on the dashboard.
Engines and transmission
As for the range of motors, each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Initially, the line included a 2.0-liter F3R injector, 114 hp. and a 3.0-liter petrol V6 - Z7X 167 hp.
And also a 2.2-liter turbodiesel with 12 valves and a power of 113 hp.
The most popular was, of course, the F3R - for unpretentious operation and sufficient traction. A 3-hlitrovik rides more cheerfully, but his appetites are immodest. Turbo diesel is sensitive to the quality of engine oil, prone to overheating. Over time, owners complain about a variety of oil leaks, cracking of fuel lines.
In 1998, 2 years after the launch of the model, a petrol 16-valve 2.0-liter version with 140 hp was added to the engine range. In terms of economy and dynamic performance, this is the ideal choice. The weak points of this motor include the exhaust manifold - it cracks and is difficult to replace (hard to find a part).
In addition, the engineers boosted the 3.0-liter injector to 194 hp. and offered a diesel 1.9 TDI with 98 hp. under the hood, with the Common Rail system (even later, the old 2.2-liter turbodiesel was also equipped with the Common Rail).
Plastic body panels, a spacious interior, cheap spare parts, a diesel engine - why not an ideal Belarusian "dachmobile"? This is the whole question: why, having all the above bonuses, could not become "popular"?
The third generation Espace, which debuted in 1996, carried the same ideas to the masses as the first, created in cooperation with Matra and officially recognized as the first serial monocab. That is: a huge supply of internal space and the possibility of its transformation, as well as a steel body that is practically not subject to corrosion with plastic external panels. And if other models that appeared later can still argue about the spaciousness of the cabin with Espace, then in terms of corrosion resistance it is really almost ideal. Or not?
The interior looks very "airy" - the designers successfully emphasized the huge supply of space inside. Landing and ergonomics in general do not cause any complaints, as well as visibility (with the exception of front overhang control). But the build quality of the cabin, especially the performance of all electrical equipment, on the contrary, is the weak point of the model: it is better to look for a good auto electrician even before buying, so that he can see if "specialists" climbed into the electrical equipment.
In the Espace cabin, it feels like everything moves and is regulated - without instructions, the imagination may not suggest all the possible options. Which, in general, seriously expands the scope of this car, starting from the banal "dachmobile" and ending with the possibility of organizing a mobile office.
For the reasons described above, the trunk volume of the Espace also varies over the widest limits, and it can be adapted to carry any cargo and in any variation, if you need, for example, to transport a long vehicle and passengers at the same time.
Aleksey Khvoshchinsky will tell you more about motors, or rather, their problems and features, since each modification, as it turned out, has its own strengths and weaknesses. And this must be taken into account when buying and diagnosing, so as not to spend a lot of time and money on repairs in the future.
There is not much to say about the driving performance of the Espace: in these machines, handling as such is rarely appreciated - smoothness and comfort in general are much more appreciated. Well, with this, Espace is in perfect order: as it should be for a “Frenchman”, its suspensions are quite soft, and everything is very good with sound insulation. So he fully justifies his image of a "spaceship" - a large ship for distant wanderings.
Pavel KOZLOVSKY
website
Who is against?
Surprisingly, but true: for many Belarusians, the anti-corrosion resistance of the body is a kind of fad, because of which they are ready to idolize, for example, Audi, but fiercely hate individual Mercedes models. Like, if the body is intact, everything else can be repaired. At Renault Espace, the body, with the exception of the metal hood, is completely plastic, which means that it is not subject to corrosion in principle. However, this did not bring this minivan out of France to the undisputed leaders of the class. So, attention is paid not only to the body ...
At the very end of 1996, the third generation Renault Espace was shown. In less than six years, 357,120 of these minivans have been sold, including (since 1997) the extended Grand Espace. Unlike its predecessors, where the engine was located longitudinally, here they switched to a transverse scheme, however, they remained true to the unusual design: a galvanized steel frame acts as a supporting element, and outer panels made of special plastic are already attached to it. Despite the fact that the technology for restoring a plastic body is complex, in the event of a minor accident, it is often repaired independently, patching the damaged area with the help of "epoxy" and fiberglass. And if you see that rust has nevertheless come out on the body, then it can almost certainly be assumed that a reinforced mesh was also placed on the damaged place, which bloomed without proper processing. With more serious blows, they usually change the whole part, since there is still enough for the "disassembly" of the "bodywork" for the Espace III.
Initially, the range of engines was fuel injected with a volume of 2.0 liters (F3R, 114 hp), 3.0 liter V6 (Z7X 167 hp), as well as a 2.2-liter 12-valve turbodiesel with 113 hp. The first one is time-tested and inexpensive to operate, which is why it is already difficult to find a good copy on the market, the second one, although reliable, is too “gluttonous” for a family car, and a 2.2 liter turbodiesel is far from a gift. The engine is prone to overheating and deformation of the cylinder head, is sensitive to the quality of the lubricant, the camshaft is subject to premature wear. Oil leaks often appear from under the oil cooler rings, fuel lines crack.
In 1998, the range of engines was upgraded. A 16-valve version of the 140 hp 2-liter engine has appeared, which looks the best in terms of operating costs. Although he also has weaknesses. One of them is the exhaust manifold: almost everyone cracks, so it's hard to find spare parts. The power of the flagship 3-liter engine was brought to 194 hp, and the diesel line was diluted with a 1.9 dTi engine with a capacity of 98 hp, a little later the 2.2-liter engine was also transferred to Common Rail rails. Of the typical problems of diesel engines, the following can be distinguished: the old 2.2 TD suffers from excessive oil consumption (especially on cars of the first years of production), there are frequent breakdowns of the water pump, oil leaks in the turbine area.
In general, French motors cause ambivalent feelings. On the one hand, their resource may well exceed 500 thousand km, however, almost all motors, like gearboxes, have a "genetic" tendency to leak oil from under gaskets and seals. In addition, French motors are characterized by various kinds of electrical problems, which is why owners often face unstable work, refusal to start. In most cases, you can solve the problem by restoring the lost contact or replacing the problem wire. In gasoline engines, ignition coils require periodic attention. In rare cases, there are violations in the central control unit of the engine.
Manual transmissions Renault type JC5 conditionally maintenance-free. Among their weak points are transmission oil leaks through the axle shaft seals and the gear shift rod. Automatic gearboxes on Espace - type AD4 (F3R and Z7X engines), DP0 (F4R engine) and LM0 (L7X). The first two boxes are French-made, the last one is German, also known as the ZF 4HP20. This is the best Espace with automatic transmission. "Automatic" AD4 and DP0 work well only up to 150-200 thousand km, and then repairs of varying degrees of complexity are required.
Front suspension Renault Espace - single lever McPherson. Original ball bearings serve 60-80 thousand km. The front silent block of the lever is the same as on the Renault Laguna. The Espace's front suspension struts, in particular the upper mounts, are not very durable. The rear suspension is a semi-independent beam on trailing arms with Panhard rod. Relatively early, the rear springs fail, and they do not sag, but burst. This is especially true for machines that were regularly operated under load - expect a breakdown by 100-120 thousand km. After 150-200 thousand km, you need to prepare for the replacement of silent blocks (pillows) of the rear subframe.
Opinion of the owner of Renault Grand Espace III 2000 onwards, 2.0 16V, manual transmission, declared mileage 330 thousand km:
"The car was bought for a large family 4 years ago. I took this Espace, knowing that the engine was "capitalized" almost before the sale. As a result, there are no problems with the hardware, only periodic "glitches" in the electrics "get out": it won't start, then the generator doesn't charge, then the taillights begin to live their lives. I think it's not necessary to say that the car is super-capacious. ": the children spoiled the presentation a little when they were very young. Without fanaticism, but I transported quite a lot of building materials on it to repair the apartment. Standard maintenance is inconvenient to do - access to the engine compartment is limited. With my mileage, I have to do a suspension revision no more than once a year. After a minor but "high-quality" accident, I could not find a rear bumper for sale for a long time. I would already be ready to exchange my Espace for something more modern, but I haven’t earned it yet."
The third generation Renault Espace, in addition to its utility, surprises with uncharacteristic design solutions, which, however, do not particularly complicate the life of the owners. However, this "spaceship" did not become a bestseller - not the best reputation affected.
Alexey Khvoshchinsky
website
Reliability
Capricious 2.2-liter turbodiesel. Damage to the exhaust manifold on a 2-liter gasoline engine. Minor electrical faults.
pros
Large spacious lounge. Relatively low maintenance cost.
Our opinion
Like any practical "beushka", it is not a stale product: despite some, let's say, French features, the model is very popular and in demand. And there is a logical explanation for this: if the car is not "ushatan", it does not create global problems. Unless the electrician can get a little "get it" ...
Publications about Renault Espace III
We express our gratitude to the commission store "Autopodium" for help in organizing the filming
Renault Espace III, 1998
The car is just great. Renault Espace III is very comfortable, another plus is its spaciousness. In short, a great option for a family - look for such a family car. Only the car requires appropriate care, and the cost of spare parts is too high. I am satisfied with the engine, especially its throttle response, as for a 2-liter engine that consumes 7.3 liters per hundred, it shows itself pretty well. As for malfunctions, at the end of the 2-year operational period in our conditions, breakdowns began to occur one after another at an alarming pace. And right after I bought it, I replaced the belt, after which the car began to work even more noisily - the engine rattled like a diesel one, then, however, all this was fixed. In general, the Renault Espace III is a good family car, but its maintenance will cost a pretty penny.
Advantages : roomy for a family, excellent engine - torquey and economical.
Flaws : after two years, breakdowns began to occur more often, and the cost of repairs is not encouraging.
Sergey, Moscow
Renault Espace III, 1999
The car is impressive, and no one can argue with that. Renault Espace III is futuristic inside and out. There is nothing superfluous, especially the salon shines with it. Everything is functional, clear and easily accessible. And the electronic instrument panel in the center, with a digital speedometer, I generally consider it a standard. As a minus, I can only note the absence of a tachometer. Well, it is not on the Renault Espace III and that's it. Due to the abundance of windows, the topic of visibility can not be raised at all, everything is visible. Plus, the landing is higher than others, and you already feel much more confident on the road. The mirrors are cool and the wipers work well and the headlights shine just fine. Five points. The only thing is that I didn’t get used to the dimensions instantly, but the machine is still not small. Seven seats, seven individual chairs. This is a travel car, which is why there are so many amenities in the cabin. Lots of drawers, pockets and cavities. All seats are easy to fold, unfold and remove. The transformation of the Renault Espace III interior is such that you can make a bedroom, a dining room, and a truck. The only problem is where to put the extra seats if you need not seven, but, say, five or two. Although for a Russian who is accustomed to difficulties, this is not a problem. Yes, and in winter the interior is heated well, there have been no complaints yet. There was no question of reliability at all. The body is entirely plastic (which means it does not rust), the frame is galvanized (which means it does not rust), and if it does not rust, then there is nothing to break. There were only electrical problems.
Advantages : the body does not rust. Comfort. Salon.
Flaws : maintenance and spare parts, electrics.
Vladimir, Ryazan
Renault Espace III, 2001
Needed a car for a large family. German cars are priced like gold-plated watches, and then suddenly caught the eye of Renault Espace III. As it turns out, he also travels. 7 people with a driver on board. And, what is most interesting, it will not rot even in 1000 years. Outer body: fiberglass. And the inner “skeleton” is so galvanized that for 5 years I have not done anything with either the bottom or any other object. The only problem node is the hood. It is steel and blistered a little. There are no problems with the body. Since the purchase, I have installed gas equipment of the 4th generation. I want to assure you that the tales about the 4th generation of gas in terms of fuel consumption, like gasoline, should be the same, then this is a pure lie. The city reaches 17 liters of gas, and on the highway somewhere around 9-12. And yet it is still more economical than 95th gasoline. There are problems with the rear springs: the native ones burst, and replaced with reinforced ones, which are installed on later models. They are holding on. There is plenty of space inside the Renault Espace III. On the second row, three sit almost freely. And the third row is also full for two. The only negative is the valves: if you drive on gas, then be sure to adjust the gap every 60-80 thousand km and time the timing change for this. There are almost no problems with the Renault Espace III, with the exception of the stabilizer rods. High-quality ones live for two years, and cheap ones for two months: this is serious. After the purchase, I replaced the thrust bearings and shock absorbers after about two years. Ball bearings live in different ways: depending on the quality of the roads, so do the steering ones. Enough for 2-3 years. In winter, it starts the first time and every time. Listen carefully to the motor - it's the "heart". He should "whisper" and not shake. In general, the car is normal, if you drive wisely.
Advantages : 1000 years will live and will not rot - plastic body.
Flaws : Difficult to reach some parts when replacing or repairing.
Dmitry, Minsk
The third-generation French minivan Renault Espace was produced from 1997 to 2003 in its homeland in two bodies. In addition to the short wheelbase, there is also an elongated Grand modification. Both versions are highly secure ( 4 stars according to Euro NCAP) and rich equipment.
The convertible interior pleases with comfort and excellent sound insulation, visibility from the driver's seat is beyond praise. Only the dashboard in the center of the dashboard looks unusual.
The corrosion resistance of the galvanized body, like most of the French, is rated excellent, and the large trunk will delight travel enthusiasts.
The main disadvantages of Renault Espace III
Separately, I would like to note the excellent driving performance of III, which, however, does not save from poor stability in corners. Banks at high speed are quite impressive. The prices for spare parts can also upset.
Operation and malfunction of Renault Space 3rd generation engines
All engines installed on Renault Space 3, are highly reliable and durable, before overhaul, they nurse 500 thousand km without any problems. Only incomprehensible electrical anomalies, accompanied by a sharp drop in speed, upset.
There are some more nuances of operating Espace engines
Firstly, the timing belt changes only complete with tension and bypass rollers, as well as a crankshaft pulley bolt.
Secondly, there is the following drawback: the lower timing cover is located too close to the auxiliary drive belt, which gradually delaminates and there is a real danger of the belt jumping into the stream and being pulled under the timing gear. The consequences are quite unpleasant, only the repair of the cylinder head without the cost of parts will cost ≈ $ 500-700.
Engine seals and gaskets are prone to depressurization, which is why oil starvation is really possible. Therefore, if oil leaks are detected, it will be necessary to constantly monitor its level.
Petrol engines
Of the gasoline engines, the most widely used are a two-liter sixteen-valve engine with a capacity of 140 hp, which is distinguished by good efficiency. Fuel consumption does not exceed 8 liters on the highway and 12 liters in the city per 100 kilometers.
There are also three-liter gasoline engines on the market, but they are very, very voracious. The twenty-four-valve V6 on the highway barely fits in 9 liters per 100 km, and in the city the consumption reaches 17 l / 100 km. Well, a three-liter PRV is generally ruinous for the family budget - 10l / 21l / 100km.
Diesel engines
Of the diesel modifications, the most common are the powerful and high-torque 2.0 dCi with 150 hp, consuming 6l / 9l / 100km on the highway and in the city, respectively (for some reason, many people think that this is a bit too much for such a volume), as well as an economical twelve-valve 2.2TD with a flow rate of 7l / 11l / 100km.
There is also a powerful and economical 2.2 DCi (7l / 9l / 100km), but it is very picky about fuel quality, and generally capricious in operation.
Espace transmission
The transmission, on the contrary, pleases with reliability, especially manual transmissions. Basically, you will have to constantly monitor the gearbox seals and gaskets, the leakage of which is the main cause of all mechanical transmission breakdowns. The clutch takes care of up to 100 thousand kilometers without problems, the critical wear of the driven disk is manifested by engine vibrations. It’s better not to mess with an automatic transmission, its reliability is far from ideal - this is the main drawback of Renault Espace with automatic transmission.
Suspension and running gear Espace III
The suspension is energy-intensive, comfort is guaranteed even on our roads.
Here the chassis let us down, its reliability was not up to par due to overload, which she is terribly afraid of. Almost every 50 thousand km, you will have to pinch and diagnose all the components of the Espace chassis in order to eliminate the occurrence of suspension malfunctions on a long journey.
The brakes are reliable, only the brake discs turned out to be short-lived.
Steering Renault Espace III
The steering is reliable and informative, the steering rack can only leak after 150 thousand km of operation. Around the same period, the resource of the power steering pump ends.
Oson sores of electrical equipment Renault Espace III
The electrical equipment of the Renault Espace III cannot be called a model of reliability - it is rather the main sore. Control lights and various buttons can fail at any time, and it is almost impossible to identify the causes of failures. The climate control unit placed on the door also looks unusual.
