2009 Ford Focus 1.6L Petrol · CE59 TSX

A recurring pattern of front suspension wear and gradual brake and tyre deterioration emerges as the defining mechanical theme across this Ford Focus's MOT history. The most recent test on 3 November 2025 was recorded as a pass, but both front suspension arm pins or bushes were flagged as worn on the nearside and offside, with movement not yet exceeding the failure threshold. This follows an entirely clean pass in 2023 and earlier unrecorded tests in 2021, 2022, and 2018, but it sits alongside a 2024 advisory for pitted front brake discs and perishing front tyres, as well as a 2020 advisory for perishing rear tyres. Taken together, the advisory trail points to a chassis that is beginning to show its age in the bushed pivot points of the front suspension and to consumable items that are reaching the end of their effective life. There has been one pass with no defects and one pass with no defects in the back-to-back years of 2022 and 2023, but the surrounding years carry advisories, so the overall trend is one of gradually accumulating wear rather than outright failures. Against the vehicle's seventeen-year age, the recorded 96,874 miles equates to roughly 5,698 miles per year, which is notably low. The mileage progression across the eight recorded tests is steady and unspectacular, with no sudden jumps or obvious odometer irregularities. Mechanical implications of this modest annual mileage are mixed: lighter running typically reduces wear on major drivetrain and exhaust components, but it can accelerate ageing of rubber items, underbody corrosion, brake disc surface corrosion from short trips, and dry-out of suspension bushes that benefit from regular movement. The advisories for perishing tyres across multiple years and for pitted front brake discs are consistent with a car used predominantly for short urban journeys rather than sustained high-mileage running. For a prospective buyer, the front suspension arm bushes should be the primary inspection focus. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking noises from the front end over speed bumps, rough tarmac, and during slow direction changes, and feel for imprecise steering response or vagueness through the wheel on a motorway stretch. With the vehicle unladen, a second person should rock each front wheel laterally while watching for any play at the lower arm pivot, and a ramp or jack-up examination should confirm whether the worn pins or bushes noted in November 2025 have progressed to excessive movement. The front brake discs previously flagged as pitted should be checked for a pronounced lip at the outer edge, any judder through the pedal when braking from higher speed, and binding or uneven pulling to one side, all of which would indicate the discs now require replacement. The tyre advisories spanning 2020 and 2024 suggest sidewall cracking and damage that a buyer must inspect on the actual fitted rubber rather than relying on the MOT record alone, as tyres may have been replaced since. Examine the sidewalls and tread shoulders closely for cracks, bulges, or scuff damage, particularly on the front pair. The 2024 advisory for a defective rear exhaust mounting should also be verified visually, as a loose or dropped tail box will often be apparent when the engine is started from cold. Finally, given the relatively low annual mileage, inspect the underside for any emerging corrosion on subframe, brake pipes, and suspension arms, and confirm that the handbrake holds firmly on an incline, as lightly used cars frequently suffer from seized rear calipers or stretched cables that only become evident under load.