2016 Nissan Pulsar 1.2L Petrol · HN66 AAF

This Nissan Pulsar presents a broadly clean roadworthiness profile across the recorded MOT history, with four consecutive passes from 2022 onwards and an entirely advisory-free test on 15 December 2025. The mechanical story is one of stability rather than chronic deterioration, though the 2024 and 2022 tests are not without minor notes. On 14 December 2024 an oil leak was flagged under reference 8.4.1 (a) (i), described as not excessive, and on 27 January 2022 three advisories were recorded covering a nearside front nail in the tyre, a front offside tyre approaching the legal limit at 3 mm of tread, and front brake discs showing slight wear to both sides. No further advisories or failures have been logged in the intervening tests, and no structural, corrosion, suspension, or emissions defects have appeared at any point, which is a relatively reassuring baseline for a ten-year-old vehicle. The recorded mileage of 84,855 miles against a 2016 registration equates to an annual accumulation of roughly 8,486 miles, which sits comfortably within the typical range for a car of this age. The MOT record shows consecutive annual tests from late 2021 through to late 2025 with no multi-year gaps, and the mileage progression across the documented tests is consistent with steady, regular use rather than prolonged standing or sudden high-mileage accumulation. Mechanically, this pattern tends to be kinder to components such as the timing chain, oil seals, and 12V battery, all of which suffer from inactivity, while still representing enough road use to keep wear on consumables like brake pads, discs, and tyres within normal expectations. The fact that the only brake-related advisory in the entire record is the 2022 disc note, with nothing reappearing since, is a positive indicator that the braking system has not deteriorated rapidly under this mileage. For a prospective buyer, the most concrete area to investigate is the oil leak recorded at the 2024 test. It is worth inspecting the engine bay and undertray for fresh oil residue, paying particular attention to the valve cover gasket, sump plug, and any turbo or cam chain cover oil seals, which are common sources on Pulsars of this generation. A test drive should include a cold start to listen for any timing chain rattle, as chain stretch can manifest as oil leaks and rough running. The car should also be left idling for several minutes before moving off so that any drips can be observed on clean ground beneath the engine. The MOT history does not identify the exact source of the leak, so a physical inspection and ideally a borescope check at a service centre would be prudent to confirm whether the seepage has progressed since late 2024. The braking system and tyres also warrant a close physical check despite the clean recent record. The 2022 advisory noted front disc wear, and although discs can last many tens of thousands of miles on a Pulsar, the inner and outer edges of the front rotors should be inspected for lipping, hot spots, or corrosion pitting, and the pads checked for remaining material. A test drive on a variety of road surfaces should be carried out with particular attention to brake pedal feel, watching for any judder under heavy application, pulling to one side, or a soft or spongy pedal that might indicate a caliper issue. Suspension-wise, with 84,000 miles covered, the front wishbones, anti-roll bar drop links, and strut top mounts are approaching the age where their rubber bushes may begin to fail. Listen for clonking or knocking over speed bumps and uneven surfaces, and check for uneven tyre wear across both axles, which often points to worn suspension geometry. Finally, confirm the tyre age and condition directly, as a 3 mm advisory from 2022 means the original or early-replacement tyres have long since been replaced, and the current set should be inspected for cracking, tread depth, and manufacture date.