2012 Mitsubishi Colt 1.3L Petrol · AF62 WHS

A pattern of accumulating chassis and tyre advisories has emerged on this 2012 Mitsubishi Colt in its later MOT cycles, even though the car has continued to pass each annual test. The most recent examination on 5 September 2025 recorded advisories for an offside front tyre worn close to the legal limit and on its edge, an offside rear nail in the tyre, and worn anti-roll bar linkage pins or bushes at both front corners, while the previous pass in September 2024 had flagged a slightly damaged nearside rear seat belt buckle and perishing on the offside front and rear tyres. Earlier tests from 2019 through 2023 returned no recorded defects at all, which indicates that the wear now surfacing is a recent development rather than a long-standing issue. One earlier non-pass event did occur in September 2024, but it was a straightforward lighting and wiper failure on the offside, not a structural or braking concern, and the vehicle passed on the same day once those items were rectified. With 34,455 miles recorded against a 2012 registration, this Colt has covered an average of around 2,460 miles per year, which is low for a vehicle of its age. The annual MOT entries from 2019 through 2025 show consistent year-on-year testing without any gaps in road use, suggesting the car has not been laid up for extended periods. Low annual mileage of this nature generally means slower wear on major drivetrain components, but it also leaves consumables such as tyres, brake discs, suspension bushes, and rubber boots more vulnerable to age-related deterioration through dry rot and perishing rather than tread wear alone. The cracking and perishing advisories on tyres observed in 2024 are consistent with that pattern, as rubber compounds degrade with time regardless of mileage. For a prospective buyer, the most relevant items to inspect are the front anti-roll bar linkages and the tyres. On the test drive, listen for clonking or rattling noises from the front suspension over uneven surfaces and pay particular attention to any excess body roll or looseness through quick direction changes, as worn anti-roll bar link pins permit play between the bar and the dampers without necessarily producing a harsh impact. Inspect the offside front tyre closely for inner or outer shoulder wear, which would explain the worn-on-edge advisory, and check all four tyres for sidewall cracking, bulges, or perishing given the age of the vehicle and the recorded damage advisories. The nearside rear seat belt buckle flagged in 2024 should be physically checked by latching and unlatching it several times to confirm positive engagement and that the release mechanism operates cleanly, as a damaged buckle can fail to restrain the latch plate under load. A practical pre-purchase inspection should also confirm the resolution of the items that caused the September 2024 failure, namely the offside windscreen wiper sweep pattern, the offside rear position lamp, the offside stop lamp, and the offside rear direction indicator colour. Although the same-day re-test was a pass, these are all relatively simple components that should be verified in working order. Beyond those flagged items, the Colt is a light supermini and a thorough road test should include firm braking from around 30 mph to check for pulling, vibration through the pedal, or any grinding, given the low mileage and likely prolonged stationary periods which can encourage surface corrosion on the brake discs. The steering should be checked for any notchiness or uneven self-centring, and the underside should be examined for any fluid residue from ageing seals and gaiters that have not yet reached the threshold for MOT failure but are typical of a low-mileage car of this vintage.