We are considering changing our Renault Clio 1.5dci 68hp 2007 for either of the above cars, mainly because the Renault engine is very demanding and expensive on maintenance, partly due to Renault's policy of making access to the ecu exclusive to Renault dealerships with dedicated equipment.

By choosing either of the above, either petrol or diesel, am I going from frying pan to fire or are these makes more accessible to readily available OBD software?

Have owners of these vehicles found them to be reliable and straightforward to maintain and which, if any, would be the best choice for the home mechanic?