2002 Ford Fiesta 1.3L Petrol · FE52 WNH

An emerging pattern of advisory items, rather than outright failures, defines the mechanical profile of this 24-year-old Ford Fiesta, with the most recent test on 9 October 2025 returning a Pass but flagging three separate concerns: both front inner tyres worn close to the legal limit on their edges, and an engine oil leak classified as not excessive. Prior to this, the record was notably clean, with the only previous advisory being an offside front service brake fluctuating but not excessively on 7 October 2024, while tests from 2018 through 2023 recorded no defects at all. The shift from a long run of clean passes to two consecutive tests carrying advisories suggests that wear-related items are now beginning to surface, and any prospective buyer should treat the 2025 advisories as an early warning of items likely to require attention in the near term rather than as isolated observations. The recorded mileage of 121,814 miles across approximately 24 years equates to an average annual accumulation of roughly 5,076 miles, which is substantially lower than typical for a vehicle of this vintage and likely reflects extended periods of light use or significant standing time between journeys. The DVSA record shows consistent annual testing from 2018 to 2025 with no multi-year gaps, indicating the vehicle has remained on the road throughout this period, but the low mileage figure still raises mechanical considerations specific to older components. Lower-than-average usage on a 24-year-old car often correlates with age-related deterioration of rubber and polymer items such as suspension bushes, drive shaft gaiters, engine seals, and brake hydraulic components, which can perish through lack of regular flexing and heat cycling even when overall mileage is modest. Focusing on the specific items flagged in the MOT record, the dual advisories for nearside and offside front inner tyres worn close to the legal limit on their edges suggest that the tracking geometry may be drifting out of specification, or that the inner shoulders of the tyres are experiencing uneven loading consistent with worn suspension components such as wishbone bushes, drop links, or top mounts. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking noises from the front suspension over speed bumps and uneven road surfaces, and feel for vagueness or wandering in the steering, particularly over undulating tarmac, as these are classic symptoms of perished front suspension bushes on a Fiesta of this generation. The fluctuating offside front service brake noted in 2024, combined with the inner-tyre edge wear, also warrants a careful road check for brake pedal judder under firm application, any pulling to one side under braking, and a gritty or scored appearance to the visible surface of the offside front brake disc when inspected through the wheel. The engine oil leak flagged in the 2025 test as not excessive should be monitored closely rather than dismissed, as oil leaks on the older Zetec and Zetec-SE engines fitted to this generation of Fiesta commonly originate from the cam cover gasket, the crankshaft seals, or the sump gasket, and can progress from minor seepage to more significant loss over time. Before purchase, inspect the ground beneath where the vehicle is normally parked for fresh oil staining, check the oil level on the dipstick against the maximum and minimum marks with the engine cold, and examine the cam cover and sump areas for active wetness or a build-up of oil residue mixed with road dust. Given the vehicle's age and the recent emergence of advisory items, a pre-purchase inspection by a competent mechanic with the car raised on a ramp would be advisable to confirm the condition of the exhaust mounting, rear brake components, and any corrosion to the subframe or suspension mounting points, none of which have yet generated advisories but are typical concerns for a Fiesta of this vintage and mileage profile.