2009 Nissan Note 1.6L Petrol · AM58 LWH

The Nissan Note's roadworthiness status is currently valid following a pass on 7 November 2025 at 138,881 miles, yet the maintenance trend is best described as borderline and recently deteriorating. That same day, a prior failure exposed multiple serious defects, including exposed tyre cords, a missing wheel fixing, a split CV boot, and an unsecured bonnet. The tester also flagged slight steering rack free play as an advisory in the passed test, a defect that persisted from the failure and remains unresolved. While the car has passed its last four MOTs outright, the November 2025 failure reveals a period of neglect immediately before the pass, suggesting faults were rectified only under test pressure rather than through consistent preventive care. The mileage progression tells a coherent story of steady, typical use. Between the November 2023 test at 113,991 miles and the November 2024 test at 118,107 miles, the car covered roughly 4,100 miles in twelve months. From November 2024 to November 2025, the jump was significantly steeper at approximately 20,774 miles, indicating heavier recent use or a catch-up in mileage after a quieter period. The current reading of 138,881 miles aligns with an annual average of around 8,169 miles over seventeen years, which is unremarkable for the age. No obvious gaps or anomalies suggest the mileage has been tampered with, but the sharp increase in the final year places greater stress on ageing components. Buyers should focus their physical inspection on the front suspension and steering assembly. The 2022 test flagged corrosion on both front coil springs and an inner suspension mounting point, and corrosion of this nature rarely improves with age. Have a technician check for progressive rust in subframe mounting points, wishbone bushes, and along the inner wings. The November 2025 advisory for steering rack free play at the wheel demands a close examination of track rod ends, rack gaiters, and column couplings to determine whether the play is worsening. A binding or knocking sensation during a road test would confirm deterioration. The tyre and wheel-related failures in the November 2025 refusal are equally telling. Exposed cords on the nearside front and a missing rear wheel fixing point to a lack of basic pre-test checks. Inspect all four wheels for loose or mismatched fixings, and examine the inner sidewalls for age-related cracking given the car's age. The split offside front CV boot, even if replaced for the test, should be verified as a genuine repair rather than a temporary fix, with the joint itself checked for clicking under full lock. Finally, confirm the bonnet secondary catch operates correctly, as a primary-latch-only setup is a straightforward but critical safety item.