2018 Audi A4 1.4L Petrol · AM51 VAS

A pattern of tyre deterioration sits at the centre of this Audi A4's MOT record, with the most recent pass on 9 February 2026 carrying an advisory for perishing on the offside rear tyre and a prior test on 29 December 2020 producing a fail outright on three tyres with cuts exposing cord and two advisories for edge wear reaching the legal limit. The intervening tests in 2023, 2024 and early 2025 returned clean passes with no advisories recorded, suggesting the tyre issues are episodic rather than systemic, but the repetition of sidewall perishing and cuts to cords within the documented history indicates that rubber components on this vehicle are a particular point of attention for any prospective buyer. The 2021 advisory noting engine and underbody covers restricting inspection is a separate matter, as it prevents full verification of component condition beneath those panels but does not itself constitute a defect. Mileage of 67,815 across eight years equates to roughly 8,477 miles annually, sitting close to the typical accumulation rate for a car of this age. The testing sequence is continuous from 2020 onwards with annual intervals, and no extended gaps suggest prolonged off-road status that could introduce corrosion from inactivity or dried brake fluid, fuel system seals, or flat-spotted tyres. At this annual rate, wear items such as brake pads, discs and tyres will have been replaced on a usage-driven rather than calendar-driven cycle, and the recorded mileage gives no cause for concern regarding under-use or excessive accumulation. Any test drive should pay particular attention to the braking system, as the recorded failures and advisories relate to tyre condition rather than brake hardware, yet the cumulative mileage over eight years means consumables such as front discs and pads will be approaching a second or third replacement cycle. Listen for binding calipers manifesting as hot wheels after a drive, pedal judder under firm braking which indicates warped front discs, and any pulling to one side which could suggest a sticking slider or uneven pad wear. Inspect all four tyres for uneven shoulder wear, cracking in the sidewall grooves, and check the inner edges specifically as this is where the 2020 advisories flagged wear reaching the legal limit, an area often missed when alignment is checked only visually from the outside. For the suspension and steering, which carry no recorded advisories but are critical at this mileage, listen for knocking from the front suspension over speed humps and uneven roads which can indicate worn top mounts, control arm bushes, or anti-roll bar links typical of the B9 platform. Check for uneven tyre wear across the axle which would point to worn suspension geometry components, and feel for vague or inconsistent assistance through the steering which may indicate wear in the electric power steering rack. Finally, given the 2021 advisory noting concealed underbody components, request that any engine and gearbox under-trays be unbolted for a pre-purchase inspection so the subframe, engine sump, and surrounding structural areas can be visually checked for corrosion or oil seepage that the MOT tester was unable to assess.