2012 Nissan Note N-Tec+ Auto 1.6L Petrol · AP12 FCE

A dual test failure in mid-2024 and again in August 2026 sits at the centre of this Nissan Note's mechanical story, with no defects recorded against either test, which means the cause of the failures was repaired off-record and cannot be fully traced through DVSA data. The intervening tests in May 2024 and June 2025 passed cleanly, and prior to that the vehicle held passes at 2020 and 2019, so the recent failures interrupt what had otherwise been a stable roadworthiness record. The earlier 2021 episode is worth noting because the car failed at the same date as its pass for a nearside front position lamp not working, while the anti-roll bar linkage play recorded then was carried forward as an advisory rather than a failure item. Because the 2024 and 2026 failures show no defects on file, a buyer cannot determine from MOT data alone whether the issues were minor electrical items, brake components, or more substantive structural concerns, and this uncertainty is the defining feature of the vehicle's test history. At 48,754 miles across roughly fourteen years, annual accumulation is around 3,482 miles, which is considerably below typical usage for a car of this age and points to either light regular use or extended periods off the road. The testing pattern supports the latter reading, with a clear gap between the August 2021 tests and the April 2024 retest, a near three-year stretch during which the vehicle was not presented for MOT, suggesting possible SORN periods or non-driven storage. Such standing time is mechanically significant on a Nissan Note of this vintage because perishable rubber components, brake hydraulic seals, CV joint gaiters, and suspension bushes deteriorate when not regularly exercised, and the relatively low odometer reading should not be taken as evidence of preserved mechanical condition where the car has stood idle. Conversely, the annual rate is not so low as to imply museum-level preservation, so consumable wear on brake pads, discs, tyres, and fluids should still be assumed. Against this background, specific attention on a pre-purchase inspection should fall on the front anti-roll bar linkage ball joints that were flagged with slight play in 2021, as these wear items tend to progress rather than self-correct and would now be some five years older. During a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking noises from the front end over speed humps and uneven surfaces, and feel for any vagueness or rattle through the steering wheel during quick direction changes. Because the dual failures in 2024 and 2026 returned no defect details, a buyer should commission an independent pre-purchase inspection covering brakes, suspension, exhaust, and electrical systems to satisfy themselves on what was repaired, and pay particular attention to the front suspension arms, bushes, and any sign of fluid loss or warning lights on the dashboard. Test drive behaviour worth confirming includes even braking without pulling to either side, a firm brake pedal without excessive travel, and smooth clutch action without judder or slipping, all of which would indicate that the underlying mechanical condition remains consistent with the mostly clean advisory record seen elsewhere in the file.