2012 Ford Fiesta 1.4L Diesel · FT12 TXS

The 2012 Ford Fiesta holds a valid MOT pass dated 27 November 2025 at 119,835 miles, yet the maintenance trend is not reassuring. The most recent test still flagged a deteriorated front registration plate, a non-functioning non-obligatory stop lamp, and slight play in the nearside front anti-roll bar linkage ball joint. That anti-roll bar advisory has appeared in every single test since November 2023, spanning 105,420 miles through to the present, indicating a worn component that has persisted across multiple inspections without replacement. The vehicle failed its 2025-11-25 test on excessive fluctuation of the offside front service brake, excessive play in the offside track rod end, and four tyres worn to or near the legal limit. While the retest two days later passed, the underlying pattern suggests reactive rather than preventive maintenance. The mileage progression tells a coherent story. Between the November 2023 pass at 105,420 miles and the November 2024 failure at 113,597 miles, the car covered roughly 8,177 miles in twelve months. From November 2024 to November 2025, the increase was only 6,223 miles, suggesting reduced use or a period of limited driving in the most recent year. The current recorded mileage of 119,835 is consistent with approximately 8,560 miles per year over the vehicle's fourteen-year life, which is typical for a small urban or suburban car. There are no glaring gaps in the MOT record that would suggest long-term storage or clocking concerns. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on three areas. First, the front suspension and steering demand close attention. The recurring nearside front anti-roll bar linkage play, the intermittent offside track rod end play flagged in 2023 and 2025, and the slightly noisy front wheel bearings noted in 2024 all point to a front end that has not been systematically refreshed. Second, the braking system warrants a thorough check. The 2024 failure cited a leaking nearside rear hydraulic brake cylinder affecting braking performance, and the 2025 failure recorded excessive fluctuation on the offside front service brake. These are not minor consumable issues. Third, the boot floor corrosion flagged in 2024, described as not yet significantly reducing structural integrity, should be re-examined for progression. The broken rear exhaust mounting also appeared in 2024 and may have been repaired, but the exhaust system should be inspected for makeshift fixes. Tyre wear has been a recurring theme, with multiple advisories for tread worn to the legal limit and edge wear, suggesting possible alignment issues or simply deferred replacement by the previous keeper.