Renault Clio Dynamique MediaNav DCI 90

I've always regarded certain mileage readings to be personal milestones; the first 1,000 is one for many, I'm sure, as is the momentous 99,999, but on my Clio, it was when the digital odometer recorded 12,000 miles. Years ago, this signified the second service interval and the first major one, but our Renault is good for another 6,000 miles before it requires its inaugural pit stop. Being an old fashioned sort of driver, who regularly checks fluid levels, albeit more out of habit, I decided to give our Clio an impromptu visual check over. Oil consumption has been virtually nothing, although I suppose I could squeeze half a litre in, if I really wanted to.

There is no such thing as a universal engine oil anymore, and diesel Clios demand a special long life lube produced by French oil maker Elf. Not only should you use the stated brew for peace of mind, but also not to risk invalidating your warranty. Apart from regular topping up of the washer reservoir, the only other maintenance was carried out by my local dealer who (when rectifying a faulty R-Link infotainment system reported on last month) noticed a lowly coolant level.

Tyre life looks amazingly good, considering how many miles the car has covered over a relatively short period of time. They rarely need any extra air put in them, and a careful check with a depth gauge revealed that all four have worn down to the six millimetre mark, suggesting a lifespan of perhaps up to 30,000 miles. Incredibly, the front pair have not worn faster than the rear, which is surprising given that, as the Clio is front-wheel drive, they do nearly all the work. Incidentally, I am calculating their service life on a minimum tread depth of two millimetres and not the illogical 1.6 limit that the law demands, as wet grip and braking efficiency can become seriously reduced by the time a tyre has worn to this level. As my late Dad used to instil in me when I started motoring in the mid 1970s, if you need to measure a tyre that carefully to see if is still legal, then it probably needs replacing and he's right!

So, as far as I am concerned, my Clio is in rude health and alright to carry on until 18,000 miles when it will receive its first service. And given how it is running, I don't expect any major expenditure in that department. In fact, HK14 DFO is going better than ever, and to illustrate this, fuel consumption has recently improved from 58mpg to 65.3mpg and during winter too without me having to alter a thing I'm doing behind the wheel.