2010 Suzuki Alto 1.0L Petrol · CK60 FMD

The 2010 Suzuki Alto presents a stable and improving maintenance trend, culminating in a fully clean pass on 19 August 2025 at 69,622 miles with zero defects recorded. That is a significant turnaround from the preceding years. The April 2024 test at 62,653 miles initially failed on five items, including corroded rear coil springs and corroded trailing arms on both sides, yet the retest on the same day passed, indicating the previous owner addressed the corrosion and the deteriorated offside front CV boot promptly. The March 2023 cycle tells a similar story: a first-attempt failure for cut tyres and a split nearside front CV boot, followed by an immediate pass. This pattern of failing and quickly rectifying faults suggests reactive but responsible maintenance rather than neglect. The mileage profile is notably low. Across roughly sixteen years, the car has covered 69,622 miles, averaging approximately 4,351 miles per year. The gap between the March 2023 test at 53,201 miles and the April 2024 test at 62,653 miles accounts for 9,452 miles in just over twelve months, a relatively concentrated burst of use after what appears to have been a period of very light running or standing. The subsequent jump to 69,622 miles by August 2025 adds another 6,969 miles in roughly sixteen months, confirming the car is now being used more regularly. Low annual mileage is not inherently problematic, but prolonged standing can cause brake seizure, tyre flat-spotting, and moisture ingress into grease joints, which aligns with the recurring CV boot deterioration seen in 2023 and 2024. A buyer should focus the in-person inspection on the rear suspension and underbody corrosion. Both rear trailing arms were flagged as corroded in April 2024, and the nearside rear coil spring showed corrosion at the same test. Although the car passed the retest and subsequently passed cleanly in 2025, underbody rust on a sixteen-year-old city car is rarely fully resolved once it has begun. Inspect the trailing arm mounting points, spring seats, and the area around the rear subframe for any signs of scaling or fresh underseal covering old corrosion. The offside front inner CV boot was noted as severely deteriorated with grease residue in April 2024, and the nearside front CV boot had the same issue in March 2023. Both were rectified, but a thorough check of both CV joints for play or clicking under full lock is warranted. The braking system deserves attention given the low-mileage, stop-start usage pattern. No brake-specific defects appear in the record, but caliper binding and disc corrosion are common on cars that stand for extended periods. During a test drive, listen for dragging sensations and check for uneven pad wear. The tyre condition flagged in March 2023, cuts reaching the ply on both fronts, suggests the previous owner deferred basic consumable replacement at that time. Inspect all four tyres, including the sidewalls and inner edges, for age-related cracking, given the vehicle is now sixteen years old regardless of tread depth.