2009 Fiat Bravo 1.9L Diesel · AO58 VBP

The most recent MOT, conducted on 21 September 2021 at 162,138 miles, resulted in a failure. Over five years have now elapsed since that test, meaning the vehicle currently holds no valid MOT certificate. The maintenance trend is clearly worsening. On that final test date, the tester flagged two fractured or broken coil springs, a leaking offside rear hydraulic brake caliper, and severely grabbing nearside rear service brakes. These are not minor advisories. They point to a vehicle that was in poor mechanical condition when last assessed and has likely deteriorated further while standing unused. The mileage pattern reinforces that concern. Between the March 2019 pass at 139,705 miles and the September 2021 failure at 162,138 miles, the car covered roughly 22,400 miles in two and a half years, a sharp increase compared to the prior period. Yet from September 2021 to today, June 2026, the recorded mileage has not moved at all. The vehicle has been stationary for nearly five years. Prolonged storage introduces its own risks: seized brake calipers, perished rubber bushes, degraded brake fluid, and fuel system contamination are all common in vehicles left standing for extended periods. A buyer should treat this car as a non-runner requiring a thorough mechanical inspection before any road use. The 2021 failure identified both offside and nearside rear coil springs as fractured or broken, along with a worn lower suspension arm bush on the nearside front. Suspension components should be checked for further corrosion and cracking, particularly given the sub-frame corrosion advisory noted back in March 2019. The braking system demands close attention. The offside rear caliper was leaking hydraulic fluid, and both rear service brakes were grabbing, the nearside severely. Brake discs, pads, hoses, and fluid should be assessed for corrosion and seizure after years of inactivity. Tyre condition across all four corners also warrants inspection, as the 2021 test flagged cracking, perishing, and damage, and rubber degrades with age regardless of use. Beyond the suspension and brakes, the persistent oil leak advisories across multiple tests suggest an ongoing engine or transmission seal issue that may have worsened during storage. Exhaust integrity should be verified given the defective rear mounting flagged in 2021 and the rusty rear exhaust box noted in 2018. The headlamp aim was also incorrect on the offside in the last test. This vehicle presents a cluster of structural, braking, and suspension faults that indicate deferred maintenance and significant recommissioning work before it can be considered roadworthy.