2010 Renault Clio 1.1L Petrol · SM10 WLD

The 2010 Renault Clio passed its most recent MOT on 2 October 2025 at 75,092 miles, but the maintenance trend is clearly worsening. The day before, on 1 October 2025, the same mileage produced a failure with multiple serious defects across the front suspension, drivetrain, and exhaust system. Both front track rod end ball joints had excessive play, the nearside front outer constant velocity boot was split and no longer sealed against dirt ingress, and both front anti-roll bar linkage bushes were worn. The rear exhaust mounting was defective and an exhaust leak at the back box was affecting emissions readings, with the Lambda reading outside specified limits after the second fast idle. These are not minor consumable items. They point to a car that was driven with known faults for at least a day before repairs were carried out to secure a pass. The advisories carried forward into the passing test, including a product on the offside headlamp lens and three tyres worn close to the legal limit, suggest cosmetic and basic upkeep has been neglected alongside the more critical mechanical issues. The mileage pattern tells a story of very light use with a notable gap. Between the October 2023 test at 60,369 miles and the October 2024 test at 67,728 miles, the car covered 7,359 miles in twelve months. Yet between October 2024 and October 2025, the recorded mileage did not increase at all, remaining at 75,092 miles across both the failed and passed tests. This is unusual. Either the car stood unused for most of the year, the mileage was not properly recorded, or the same figure was carried over in error. A vehicle standing for long periods can develop its own problems, including brake calipers seizing, tyre sidewall perishing, and moisture accumulating in the exhaust system, which may partly explain the rear exhaust mounting and back box defects flagged in 2024 and 2025. A buyer should treat the front suspension and steering as the primary concern. Excessive play in both track rod end ball joints and worn anti-roll bar linkage bushes indicate either deferred replacement or a failure to retighten components after the October 2025 repair. The split constant velocity boot on the nearside front outer joint is particularly telling. Once dirt enters a CV joint, wear accelerates rapidly, and the joint may already be compromised even if it passed the retest. Inspect the joint for clicking under full lock and check whether the boot has been replaced or merely re-greased. The rear exhaust mounting was flagged as defective in both 2024 and 2025, and the back box leak affected emissions. Examine the full exhaust for corrosion, especially around mounting points and seams, and verify the Lambda sensor readings are stable under load. The tyre wear pattern is also worth noting. In October 2025, the nearside front inner tyre was flagged as severely worn on the edge, along with the offside front and nearside rear. Edge wear on the inner front tyre suggests toe misalignment or worn suspension geometry components, which is consistent with the track rod and anti-roll bar defects. Check whether a wheel alignment was carried out after the suspension repairs. The offside headlamp lens product is minor but worth verifying does not indicate water ingress behind the lens. Overall, the record shows a car that has had significant front-end and exhaust faults addressed just enough to pass, with underlying wear patterns suggesting the repairs may not have been comprehensive. A thorough inspection of the front suspension, CV joints, exhaust system, and wheel alignment is essential before purchase.