2010 Renault Twingo 1.6L Petrol · SM10 OTY

The 2010 Renault Twingo passed its most recent MOT on 17 November 2022 at 76,805 miles, but the record reveals a maintenance pattern that is best described as borderline rather than consistently improving. That final pass was secured with multiple active advisories: the nearside front outer brake pipe was corroded and contaminated with grease, both rear tyres sat at 3mm with edge wear, the offside front inner steering linkage ball joint had slight play, and the service brake performance was described as only just met with the offside front and nearside rear brakes noted as slightly tight to turn. These are not fresh defects. They mirror faults first identified in the September 2021 failure and carried through into the November 2022 test, suggesting the previous owner addressed just enough to pass rather than undertaking thorough repair. The current MOT certificate is now over three and a half years old as of June 2026, meaning the vehicle has no verified roadworthiness status today, which is a significant concern. The mileage profile tells its own story. Between the September 2020 pass at 68,205 miles and the September 2021 failure at 73,219 miles, the car covered roughly 5,000 miles in twelve months. From that point to the November 2022 test at 76,805 miles, it added just 3,586 miles over thirteen months. The annualised average sits around 4,800 miles across its sixteen-year life, which is low. That figure alone does not guarantee condition. A car used sparingly but left standing for long periods can suffer from deteriorated rubber components, corroded brake lines, and stale fuel issues that high-mileage vehicles driven daily often escape. The gap between the last MOT and today also raises the possibility of further deterioration without any recorded oversight. A buyer should approach this Twingo with focused suspicion on three areas. First, the braking system demands immediate attention. A corroded nearside front brake pipe flagged across multiple tests, combined with binding brakes and marginal performance, suggests the hydraulic circuit may be compromised and overdue for a full inspection including hose condition and fluid quality. Second, the steering linkage play and the fractured nearside rear coil spring identified in 2021 point to suspension components that may have worsened considerably since the last test. A broken coil spring on a vehicle of this age is not unusual, but if it was not replaced, the remaining springs and dampers will have been subjected to uneven loading. Third, the recurring sub-frame corrosion advisory from 2021 and the insecure exhaust heat shield near the fuel tank are structural concerns that warrant an inspection on a ramp, not just a visual check from ground level. The persistent oil leak, while described as not excessive on every occasion, should also be traced to its source, as even minor leaks can contaminate brake components or damage rubber hoses over time.