2011 Citroen C1 1.0L Petrol · FH11 AEB

A remarkably clean DVSA record defines this 2011 Citroen C1's roadworthiness history, with seven pass tests since the early 2020s and only one recorded failure back in June 2020, which was limited to a non-functional rear fog lamp — a trivial electrical rectification that does not speak to the structural or mechanical integrity of the vehicle. The most recent test on 10 January 2026 returned a pass with no advisories, following three further clean passes in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The only cluster of advisory notes appeared at the February 2022 test, where front brake discs were noted as pitted or scored and both rear suspension arm pins or bushes were flagged with wear. Because these advisories did not reappear in the four subsequent tests, the recorded evidence does not establish whether the wear has progressed or whether remedial work was carried out, and this should be verified directly during inspection. With 88,206 miles recorded over roughly fifteen years, the C1 averages around 5,880 miles per year, which is low for the vehicle's age and consistent with light general use rather than sustained high-mileage motoring. The annual accumulation has remained broadly stable across the testing period, with no abrupt mileage jumps or extended gaps that might indicate long periods off the road or odometer irregularity. Lower annual mileage of this kind tends to reduce wear on major drivetrain and clutch components but can place greater stress on items that suffer from underuse, such as brake components corroding on the friction surface, ageing rubber bushes stiffening or cracking, and deterioration of flexible exhaust hangers and rubber boots that lose elasticity when not regularly worked. The advisory items recorded in 2022 are the most relevant components to scrutinise on a physical inspection. The front brake discs were noted as pitted and scored, and although they passed at that time, scoring can deepen into lipping over the intervening four years and produce brake judder or vibration through the steering wheel under firm pedal application; the discs and pads should be measured for remaining thickness and the friction surfaces examined for a pronounced outer lip. The rear suspension arm pin or bush advisories are worth a close physical check by hand or on a ramp, as worn bushes can progress into audible clonking or knocking from the rear over speed humps and uneven surfaces, along with vague or wandering rear stability during cornering. A test drive should include a series of low-speed turns over broken tarmac to listen for any renewed suspension knocking or clonking, and firm braking from around 30 mph to confirm that the pedal feels firm and that the steering remains steady without vibration. For the front end, the C1 uses a MacPherson strut arrangement and any renewal of strut top mounts or springs should be confirmed, as these are wear items on a vehicle of this age regardless of mileage. The tyres should be inspected for age-related sidewall cracking given the low annual usage, even if tread depth remains adequate, and the underbody examined for any surface corrosion around suspension linkages, brake pipe runs and the rear subframe mounting points, as the MOT history does not include any structural advisory but corrosion can develop unseen between annual tests. The rear fog lamp failure from 2020 should be confirmed as a currently functional unit, and the exhaust system checked for blowing at the joints and for the integrity of rubber mountings, which can perish on low-mileage vehicles. The overall record is favourable, but the specific 2022 advisories on brake discs and rear suspension bushes warrant direct physical verification before purchase.