2017 Ford Fiesta 1.0L Petrol · FG17 KFC

The 2017 Ford Fiesta holds a current MOT pass dated 6 March 2026 at 39,954 miles, but the maintenance trend is not reassuring. That same day, the car failed a stop lamp defect before passing a retest, and the tester flagged both front tyres worn to the legal limit, a corroded offside rear coil spring, and a gearbox mount beginning to split. These are not minor consumable advisories. The coil spring corrosion and deteriorating mount point toward deferred underbody and drivetrain care, which can accelerate if left unchecked. The mileage profile is unusually low for a nine-year-old car, averaging roughly 4,439 miles per year, and the MOT record shows a fairly steady climb from 29,922 miles in March 2023 to 39,954 miles by March 2026. There are no glaring gaps in the annual test cycle, and the car has been presented consistently each spring. Low annual mileage, however, can mask long periods of standing, which often accelerates rubber deterioration and corrosion on components like suspension bushes, mounts, and brake components, exactly the pattern visible here. A buyer should treat the rear suspension as the primary concern. The rear axle swivel pins and bushes have been flagged as slightly worn or deteriorating in every test from March 2023 through March 2025, yet no remedial work appears to have been carried out. Combined with the corroded offside rear coil spring noted in the most recent test, the rear end clearly needs a thorough inspection for structural corrosion, bush play, and spring integrity. The gearbox mount splitting at the March 2026 test is another red flag, as a failing mount can cause drivetrain vibration, misalignment, and increased wear on cv joints and gear linkages. Beyond the suspension and mount work, check the front tyres closely. Both fronts have repeatedly appeared at or near the legal limit across multiple tests, suggesting the owner has been running them to the edge rather than replacing proactively. Have a technician inspect the inner sidewalls for uneven wear that could indicate tracking or steering geometry issues. Finally, verify the stop lamp circuit fully, since an intermittent lighting fault on the offside rear was recorded on the same day as the pass.