2002 Renault Clio 1.1L Petrol · DA51 FBE

The Renault Clio presents a stable roadworthiness trend with no active defects. The most recent test on 22 December 2023 at 137,841 miles returned a pass with no advisories recorded, and the three preceding annual tests from November 2021 to November 2022 also passed cleanly. The only blemish is a failed test on 1 November 2021 at 130,103 miles where the DVSA system shows no defects logged, followed four days later by a pass at the same mileage; this suggests an administrative or measurement anomaly rather than a mechanical fault. At roughly 24 years old the car shows 137,841 recorded miles, an average of about 5,743 miles per year, which is low for its age. The records confirm light use: only 1,659 miles accrued between the November 2022 test at 131,762 miles and the December 2023 test, and just 1,079 miles in the year prior. The sparse history with four tests across 2021 to 2023 and no advisories on any pass means we have limited visibility of wear items, but the low annual mileage implies the car spent periods stationary, which on a 2002 hatchback raises the risk of perished rubber components and corrosion from disuse rather than high-mileage fatigue. A buyer should physically inspect the suspension bushes, coil springs, and subframe for structural rust given the vehicle's age and likely intermittent use. Standing periods accelerate brake caliper binding and disc corrosion, so the front and rear braking system warrant a road test to confirm no seizure. The clean MOT record provides no warning of exhaust or emissions issues, yet the original Renault exhaust and mounting rubbers at this age deserve close visual checks for rot. Given the unexplained fail on 1 November 2021 with no defects cited, obtain the original test station paperwork if possible to confirm no suppressed advisory existed. Otherwise, the Clio's history implies a lightly used, basic-maintenance vehicle with no recorded mechanical neglect across the visible record.