Renault Avantime
Registered from 2002 to 2003.
About this model
The Renault Avantime is a car which was marketed by the French manufacturer Renault and designed and manufactured by Matra between 2001 and 2003. As a one-box design without B-pillars, styled by Patrick Le Quément, the Avantime combined the design elements of a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), estate car, or shooting brake with the style of a 2+2 coupé and elements of a convertible. It was self-described by Renault as a grand tourer.
From the Wikipedia article Renault Avantime, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2002 2.9 petrol. 23 of 98 tests failed, 23%.
Better than 78% of 2002 cars. The typical one fails 27%, across 558 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 57% | 13 |
| Lights and electrics | 57% | 13 |
| Suspension | 48% | 11 |
| Body and structure | 39% | 9 |
| Visibility | 35% | 8 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 22% | 5 |
The defects inspectors cite
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
- Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
- Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
Where it stands out against its peers
- Visibility: failed more often than 98% of 2002 cars — 35% of its 23 failed tests, where an ordinary 2002 car has 11%.
- Seat belts and airbags: failed more often than 96% of 2002 cars — 22% of its 23 failed tests, where an ordinary 2002 car has 3%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Brakes — 57% of its failures
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
- Suspension — 48% of its failures
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
- Lights and electrics — 57% of its failures
- Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
- Body and structure — 39% of its failures
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
- Visibility — 35% of its failures
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
- Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
- Seat belts and airbags — 22% of its failures