2015 Smart Forfour 0.9L Petrol · AD10 DUD

Front braking hardware is the defining story here: in February 2025 this Forfour failed its MOT with both front brake discs recorded as significantly and obviously worn and warped, alongside a nearside front suspension arm ball joint with slight play, a perishing nearside front tyre, and an offside rear indicator showing the wrong colour. The car was retested two days later and passed clean, indicating the discs, ball joint, tyre and lamp were attended to promptly, and it has since passed in February 2026 with only a single advisory for slight cracking and perishing on the offside front tyre. That sequence suggests the braking defect was rectified rather than left to deteriorate, but the recurrence of perishing front tyres on opposite sides in consecutive years is worth noting, as is the fact that the warped discs point to the front brakes having been worked hard or allowed to wear well beyond sensible limits before the failure forced replacement. At 52,010 miles over roughly eleven years, the car has averaged only about 4,700 miles annually, which is low for its age. The test history shows no significant gaps, with annual tests from 2023 onwards and an earlier pass in May 2024, so there is no evidence of a prolonged lay-up in the recent record. Low annual mileage on a small city car typically means less wear on drivetrain and suspension components than the age would suggest, though it is consistent with the kind of short-journey use that can leave brake discs prone to surface corrosion and uneven wear, which may partly explain how the front discs reached a warped and significantly worn state at relatively modest mileage. The 2023 advisory noting under trays obscuring some components is minor but means the underside was not fully inspected that year. On a test drive, the priority is verifying the quality of the brake rectification work carried out in February 2025. From moderate speed, brake firmly and feel for any judder or pulsing through the pedal or steering wheel, which would indicate the replacement discs are already warped or were fitted onto corroded hubs. Check that the car tracks straight under braking with no pull to either side, and listen for any grinding or squeal suggesting binding calipers, which often accompany disc wear issues on lightly used cars. The nearside front ball joint that showed slight play in 2025 should also be checked: drive over uneven surfaces and listen for knocks or clonks from the front suspension, and feel for any vagueness or shimmy through the steering. Given two consecutive years of perishing front tyre advisories, inspect all four tyres closely for sidewall cracking and confirm tread depth is comfortably legal, budgeting for at least one replacement. Finally, confirm the offside rear indicator now flashes amber rather than white or red, and ask for invoices documenting the 2025 brake and suspension repairs to confirm quality parts were used.