1998 Honda Civic 1.5L Petrol · S440 GMW

The 1998 Honda Civic remains roadworthy following its most recent MOT on 5 December 2025 at 124,672 miles, yet the maintenance trend is neither clearly improving nor worsening. The tester flagged a minor rear exhaust leak, deteriorated offside front suspension arm ball joint dust cover, and a parking brake that only just met minimum efficiency. Headlamp lens contamination appeared on both sides. These advisories suggest the car has been kept running but not proactively refreshed. The brake efficiency result is particularly telling: a system operating at the legal threshold typically indicates stretched cables, maladjusted mechanisms, or uneven caliper operation rather than simple pad wear. The mileage pattern reinforces a picture of very light use. Between October 2021 at 116,554 miles and December 2025 at 124,672 miles, the car covered roughly 8,118 miles across more than four years, averaging under 2,000 miles annually. This is well below the 4,453 miles-per-year lifetime average implied by the 28-year age and 124,672 total. Low mileage helps preserve drivetrain and structural components, but extended periods of standing can accelerate rubber deterioration, cause brake corrosion, and lead to exhaust condensation damage, all of which appear in this record. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on the underside and suspension. Recurring advisories for corroded suspension arms, worn bushes, and corroded coil springs point to age-related degradation rather than mileage wear. The fitted sill covers have repeatedly obscured structural elements during testing, so a ramp inspection is essential to check sills, subframes, and mounting points for hidden corrosion. The parking brake and rear calipers deserve close attention; binding or uneven wear often accompanies low-use vehicles where the handbrake mechanism seizes from inactivity. The exhaust system has shown minor leaks in multiple consecutive tests, and surface corrosion has been noted since 2023. While not yet a failure, this suggests the system is deteriorating slowly and may require replacement soon. Overall, the car appears fundamentally sound with low mileage, but the accumulating age-related advisories indicate deferred rather than absent maintenance. A thorough underbody and brake inspection before purchase is strongly recommended.