2007 Renault Clio 1.5L Diesel · FH07 BKU

The 2007 Renault Clio passed its most recent MOT on 23 November 2024 at 178,320 miles, but the record reveals a maintenance pattern that is mixed at best. The tester flagged front brake pads wearing thin, both front brake discs lipped and worn, a nearside front tyre on the legal limit, and a deteriorated driver's door catch. These are not catastrophic failures, yet they point to a vehicle where basic consumable upkeep has been left until the point of advisory or near-adjacent failure. The trend across the full history is not clearly improving. Suspension and steering defects identified in late 2023, including play in the nearside steering rack inner joint, a worn offside anti-roll bar linkage ball joint, and a deteriorated CV boot, were not flagged as resolved in the 2024 pass, suggesting either repairs were made without retest or the faults were tolerated. The 2024 pass is now over seven months old as of June 2026, meaning the next test is due by 23 November 2026 and the vehicle is currently operating on a certificate that is approaching expiry. The mileage progression tells a fairly consistent story. Between the failed test on 31 October 2022 at 155,923 miles and the failed test on 7 November 2023 at 162,778 miles, the car covered 6,855 miles in roughly twelve months. From that November 2023 test to the November 2024 pass at 178,320 miles, the car added 15,536 miles in a single year, a notable jump that suggests heavier use in the most recent period. At roughly 9,385 miles per year over its nineteen-year life, the overall average is typical for the age, but the recent acceleration in annual mileage means drivetrain, brake, and suspension components have been worked harder in the past twelve months than in prior years. There are no alarming gaps in the record that would suggest long periods off the road, and the mileage progression does not indicate rollback or tampering. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on three areas where the MOT history shows persistent concern. First, the front suspension and steering: play in the nearside steering rack inner joint and a worn anti-roll bar linkage ball joint were flagged in November 2023, and while the 2024 test passed, these items were not explicitly cleared. Any clunking over uneven surfaces or vague steering response warrants a close check of the rack gaiters, inner track ends, and lower arm ball joints. Second, corrosion: the front sub-frame was noted as corroded in November 2023, engine mounts were corroded across multiple tests, and rear exhaust mountings were defective or perished in three consecutive years. A thorough underside inspection with a torch is essential, paying particular attention to the sub-frame mounting points, engine mount brackets, and any welded seams around the rear exhaust hanger areas. Third, the braking system: front pads and discs were flagged as worn in 2024, and rear brake hose corrosion appeared in 2023. Given the 15,500 miles covered since the last test, a buyer should expect that front pads and discs may now be at or beyond replacement thickness, and the rear hose condition should be verified visually. The nearside front tyre worn to the legal limit in November 2024 also suggests alignment or suspension geometry issues that have been causing uneven wear rather than simple neglect.