2013 SEAT Ibiza 1.6L Diesel · FH13 LRX

A pattern of suspension and steering wear is emerging on this 2013 SEAT Ibiza, with both front wishbone rear bushes flagged as worn on the 2023 test and noticeable play noted in the offside steering rack inner joint. The October 2023 MOT was recorded as both a pass and a failure on the same date, indicating a straightforward refusal on the rear wiper blade defect which sits in the minor category but still constitutes a test failure. Before that episode, the vehicle carried an essentially clean record from 2019 through 2022, with only a single advisory for perished rear tyre rubber in early 2022. The shift from advisories being largely cosmetic and tyre-related to mechanical chassis components suggests the front suspension and steering are beginning to demand attention rather than simply being watched. Mileage accumulation across the recorded tests points to a vehicle that has been in regular service, averaging in the region of 8,000 miles per year over its thirteen-year life, broadly consistent with typical usage for a car of this age. There are extended gaps between tests, notably a nineteen-month interval between the 2019 and 2020 entries and a further twelve months before the late 2020 test, which suggests the car may have undergone periods off the road or at least missed annual testing windows. The 104,812 miles shown represents meaningful wear on consumable braking parts, suspension joints, and drivetrain mounts, and the components flagged in the 2023 advisories align with the sort of degradation expected at this mileage band rather than indicating premature failure. For a prospective buyer, the priority items to investigate are the front suspension wishbones and rear bushes, since advisories on both nearside and offside were recorded within the same test. On a road test, listen for clonking or knocking noises from the front suspension over speed bumps and uneven surfaces, and pay particular attention to any vagueness or wandering from the steering, especially over mid-corner bumps where worn inner steering rack joints tend to manifest as a delayed or slack response. With the vehicle now likely well past the 2023 test date, these bushes may have deteriorated further and should be physically rocked by hand on a ramp to assess movement before purchase. The braking system also warrants a targeted inspection. Although no brake-specific advisories appeared in the 2022 or 2023 records, the 2017 test noted front brake pads wearing thin, and at over 104,000 miles the discs and pads will almost certainly have been renewed since, but the calipers, guide pins, and flexible brake hoses should be checked for binding, corrosion, and perishing. On the test drive, feel for any pulling to one side under braking, a spongy pedal, or vibration through the pedal under firm application, all of which can indicate worn discs or a seized caliper slider. Finally, the perished rear tyre advisory from 2022 and the damaged nearside rear tyre advisory from 2023 suggest checking all four tyres for age-related cracking of the sidewalls, and the steering rack play recorded in 2023 should be re-evaluated by a garage to determine whether replacement is now required, as inner joint wear tends to progress steadily once it begins.