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What to check: Renault Modus / Grand Modus

EBy miles

Ranked across all years of the Renault Modus / Grand Modus, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Coil springsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 15.7% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 3.2%

Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this modelWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 11.2% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 3.5%

Steering playRuns high on this modelWith the engine running and the car parked, waggle the wheel lightly about the straight-ahead. The wheels should respond almost at once. A dead zone before anything happens means wear in the rack or the track rod ends.Recorded on 8.1% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 1.3%

LeaksRuns high on this modelLook at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 7.6% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 4.8%

Bushes and ball jointsRuns high on this modelDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 5.7% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 1.8%

Brake pipes underneathFollow the metal brake lines with a torch where they run along the sills and over the rear axle. White crust or flaking metal means they are corroding, and the online MOT history usually shows the same advisory creeping up for years before the fail.Recorded on 8.0% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 6.2%

WheelsRuns high on this modelLook at each rim for kerb damage and check no wheel nuts are missing. A steering wheel that shimmies between 50 and 60 on the test drive often turns out to be a buckled or badly balanced wheel.Recorded on 4.6% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 0.9%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 28.6% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 20.9%

Pads and discsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 19.0% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 11.4%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

On a 1.5 dCi, start it cold and pull away gently before it's warmed up.Hesitation, rough running, or oily smoke on start-up points to a sticking EGR valve, and if it's been stuck shut the turbo may already be damaged.

On a 1.6 petrol, listen hard for a rattle in the first second or two after cold start.A worn camshaft dephaser is a roughly £900 fix and easy to miss if the engine's already running by the time you're paying attention.

If it's a Quickshift automated manual, drive it through a full range of gear changes, including pulling away from a stop repeatedly.Hesitation, clunking, or failure to upshift cleanly suggests the hydraulic actuator is wearing, and repairs mean stripping the unit down.

Work the central locking and every window several times, including after the car has sat for a while.Clicking, self-unlocking, or a window that's slow to respond points to moisture-related wiring faults some owners have reported.

Get someone to check all the lights work, brake lights included, with the engine running.A small number of owners report brake lights failing for reasons other than a blown bulb.

Ask if the battery has been disconnected, jump-started, or replaced recently.If so, check the steering doesn't feel heavy or uncalibrated, since the power steering codes need a dealer to reset them afterwards.

Check the service history for cambelt replacement on dCi diesel models.No record of it being done as the engine approaches the manufacturer interval is a red flag, since a snapped belt on this engine causes serious damage.

Full Renault Modus / Grand Modus reliability report