2004 Vauxhall Agila 1.0L Petrol · FV54 SFE

This 2004 Vauxhall Agila passed its most recent MOT on 2025-03-19 at 156,996 miles, but only just—its prior test just nine days earlier failed on multiple safety-critical items, including two track rod ends with excessive play, a handbrake with insufficient reserve travel, and several brake and exhaust issues. The same defects persisted from the 2024 test, indicating a clear pattern of deterioration rather than improvement. The dominant risk is corrosion across the braking system: brake pipes (nearside front, offside front, central x2) have been flagged for corrosion and grease coverage across four consecutive MOTs since 2023. Rear brake pipes were also noted in 2025, and front brake discs are worn and scored. Brake imbalance and fluctuating service braking were recorded twice, with binding and insufficient handbrake travel adding to concerns. These suggest ongoing brake system neglect and possible fluid contamination or moisture ingress. Suspension arms (both rear) have shown corrosion for two years, but without serious weakening—still, combined with the track rod end failures, steering and handling integrity is questionable. The persistent minor exhaust leak and corrosion point to age-related degradation, not sudden failure, but should not be ignored. Mileage (156,996 over ~22 years) equates to ~7,100 miles/year—within typical range—but the recurrence of identical or worsening defects over just 12 months suggests the vehicle has not been well maintained, regardless of annual usage. There’s no evidence of long-term storage (e.g., no sudden mileage jumps), but the repeated brake and corrosion issues imply poor service history or exposure to harsh conditions.