Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2004 Renault Scenic?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2004 Renault Scenic?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2004 Renault Scenic?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

How many 2004 Renault Scenic vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

29% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 2004 Renault Scenic reliable?

Based on MOT data from 33,654 vehicles, the 2004 Renault Scenic has a first-time MOT pass rate of 69.5%, indicating average reliability for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2004 Renault Scenic?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2004 Renault Scenic are: Play in steering rack inner joint(s) (92.5% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (85.7% of vehicles), Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (82% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2004 Renault Scenic?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Renault Scenic (2004)

33,654 real MOT outcomes analysed • 69.5% first-time pass rate

2004 Renault Scenic

CarHunch analysed 33,654 real MOT records for the 2004 Renault Scenic. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Petrol vs Diesel Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2004 Renault Scenic is notably less reliable than the UK average, with a first-time pass rate of just 69.5% against the 80% benchmark—a concerning gap that suggests persistent structural issues. Worse, nearly three in ten of these vehicles (29.3%) have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, making this a serious buyer concern regardless of fuel type, as petrol and diesel variants perform almost identically.

At nearly 45,000 miles on average, these Scenics show typical mileage for their age, but they're accumulating an average of 4.55 failures per MOT cycle, indicating that ageing components are becoming expensive problems. Before purchasing one, have a pre-purchase inspection focus on the cooling system, suspension, and brake integrity, as the high advisory count (17.3 per vehicle) suggests wear is widespread and not always caught as outright failures.

The 2004 Renault Scenic has a below-average first-time pass rate (69.5% vs ~80% UK average) — check the specific vehicle's full MOT history carefully before buying.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

69.5%

UK average ~80%

Below average

Dangerous (ever)

29.4%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

4.55

Over 14.2 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

37k

Middle half: 29k–50k

For context

⚠️ Below average. More vehicles in this cohort fail their first MOT than typical. Scrutinise this vehicle's history — look for recurring issues, not just the latest result.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 17.3 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 33,654 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Buyer beware — pass it on

What tends to go wrong

Across 33,654 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Suspension & steering 92.5%

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Tyre wear 85.7%

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 62%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 57%

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt · Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components · Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Lighting 24%

Nearside Stop lamp not working · Offside Stop lamp not working

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2004.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 33,654 Renault Scenic cars.

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 1.5 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

70.1%

Petrol

20,400 vehicles

68.6%

Diesel

13,240 vehicles

Before you buy a 2004 Renault Scenic

Based on MOT data from 33,654 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 29.4% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (61%)	20,400	70.1%	4.65
Diesel (39%)	13,240	68.6%	4.4

Colour Breakdown

Based on 171,324 Renault Scenic vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Silver 23.4%

40,034

Blue 23.3%

39,954

Red 13.2%

22,658

Grey 10.7%

18,300

Black 9.5%

16,279

Green 6.1%

10,524

Beige 6%

10,339

Gold 4%

6,907

Bronze 1.6%

2,685

White 1.1%

1,852

Yellow 0.7%

1,283

Maroon 0.3%

509

Mileage Distribution

Most 2004 Renault Scenic vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

37,122

typical

28,868

low mileage

49,634

high mileage

Half of all 2004 Renault Scenic vehicles fall between 28,868 and 49,634 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 28,868 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 28,868–49,634 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2004 Renault Scenics sit.

⚠ Over 67,005 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2004 Renault Scenic — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 8% of 2004 Renault Scenics are still active.

Numbers are declining — 2,005 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2021 (8% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2021.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

14.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

4.55

Avg failures per vehicle

17.3

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Renault Scenic: All Scenic years → Which year to buy? →

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Or browse all models: Renault →

Compare with another model

See how the 2004 Renault Scenic stacks up against a rival.

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