2011 Ford Fiesta 1.2L Petrol · FP61 TTY

A 2011 Ford Fiesta carrying only 36,178 recorded miles across fifteen years presents a roadworthiness picture defined less by mechanical deterioration and more by a pattern of very light, intermittent use. The most recent test on 6 November 2025 returned a clean pass with no advisories, mirroring the same outcome at the 2024 retest and the passes recorded in 2022 and 2021. The only failure in the visible history occurred at the 28 October 2024 test for a nearside front position lamp not working, a straightforward electrical item that was rectified and confirmed on the same day's retest. Notably absent from the record are any advisories relating to corrosion, suspension components, brake pipes, exhaust integrity, or structural issues, which is a positive indicator for a vehicle of this age where subframe and underfloor corrosion can become a concern on Fiesta models operating in winter road-salt conditions. The recorded usage rate works out at approximately 2,412 miles per year, which is substantially below the typical annual mileage for a supermini of this era and points towards either short-trip urban use or extended periods of lay-up between tests. The MOT history supports the latter interpretation, with gaps of nearly twelve months between the February 2020 test and the November 2021 test, and a further gap between the October 2022 test and the November 2023 test. Such low accumulation can mask component degradation associated with age rather than distance, particularly in areas such as brake discs and callipers where corrosion pitting and seizure can develop through disuse rather than wear. The single instance of brake-related advisories in February 2020, when fluctuating performance was noted across both front brakes and all three road wheels showed distortion, is consistent with a vehicle that has spent considerable time stationary allowing surface corrosion to take hold on the braking and wheel surfaces. For a prospective buyer, the chief mechanical priorities should centre on confirming that the braking components have remained free-functioning after the long periods of low use flagged by the sparse testing pattern. On a test drive, pay particular attention to the initial bite of the brake pedal from cold, listening for any grinding or scraping that would indicate corrosion lipping on the front discs, and feeling for judder or pulsing that would confirm the distorted wheels noted in 2020 have not progressed into disc runout. With offside front tyre wear close to the legal limit having been recorded in November 2023, inspect the current set of tyres closely for inner-edge wear that could point to suspension geometry drift, particularly worn wishbone bushes or a tired anti-roll bar link, and listen for clonking noises from the front suspension over speed humps and potholes. A steady-state road test at motorway speeds will also help identify any steering vagueness or tracking pull that low-mileage cars can develop through age-related compliance in the front strut assemblies. Beyond the braking and suspension checks, the buyer should also verify the integrity of the position lamp circuit that caused the only recorded failure, confirming that all four side, headlamp, and number plate lamps illuminate reliably and that the nearside front unit is not showing signs of water ingress or connector oxidation. Given the gaps in annual testing visible in the record, it is also worth establishing when the vehicle was last driven for a sustained distance, as prolonged standing can allow brake hoses to perish internally, fuel system seals to harden, and the clutch master cylinder to seize. A thorough inspection of the underbody for any emerging corrosion, particularly around the rear axle beam and front subframe mounting points, would be prudent for a fifteen-year-old Fiesta regardless of its modest recorded mileage, as road-salt exposure during any of the apparent lay-up periods could have initiated surface corrosion that has yet to manifest in an MOT advisory.