2008 Toyota Yaris 1.3L Petrol · FV08 NSF

The 2008 Toyota Yaris presents a mixed but broadly stable maintenance picture as of its most recent MOT on 6 March 2026 at 93,088 miles. That test passed, yet it carried seven advisories, indicating the car is being kept on the road but with a growing list of age-related wear items rather than a single critical failure. Comparing the 2026 test to the clean pass recorded on 9 March 2023 at 88,996 miles, the trend is not worsening in a dangerous sense, but it is clearly not improving. The vehicle has moved from a zero-advisory test to one flagging corrosion, worn suspension bushes, a deteriorated CV boot, and minor fluid seepage within three years. This suggests routine safety checks are being met, but cosmetic and preventative maintenance is being deferred. The mileage profile is notably low for an eighteen-year-old supermini. At roughly 5,172 miles per year, the car has covered just 4,092 miles between the March 2023 and March 2026 tests. Such light annual use can preserve mechanical components but introduces its own risks. Extended periods of standing can cause tyre perishing, brake seizure, and moisture ingress into fluid systems. The advisory for a slightly damaged nearside rear inner tyre in 2026, alongside the recurring note for perishing tyres in 2025, supports this pattern of low-mileage storage rather than regular daily driving. The mileage accumulation is consistent and shows no sudden spikes, so odometer fraud appears unlikely. Corrosion is the dominant theme across the last three MOTs. Advisories for corroded suspension components, corroded brake pipes, and corroded rear coil springs have appeared repeatedly since 2024. While none were deemed severe enough to fail the car, the persistence of these notes across multiple years suggests surface rust is progressing on underbody and structural areas. A buyer should inspect the front subframe mounting points, rear coil spring seats, and the condition of the offside front brake pipe, which was noted as corroded and covered in grease or material in 2026. That combination of corrosion and contamination can mask deeper pitting. The offside front CV boot was flagged as severely deteriorated in the 2026 test, meaning grease has likely been thrown and joint wear is accelerating. Combined with the worn lower suspension arm bush on the same corner, the front-end mechanical condition needs a physical check for play and clicking under load. The recurring oil leak advisory, present in both 2025 and 2026, warrants a close look at the offside front area for a failing camshaft seal or rocker cover gasket. None of these items are catastrophic, but together they point to a car that has been driven gently and stored often, with deferred underbody and suspension attention.