2014 Volkswagen Polo 1.0L Petrol · HX64 OLW

The most recent MOT was on 2025-09-01 — just over 9 months ago — and it passed, but with three defects: an inoperative offside rear number plate lamp, front brake discs worn and pitted (though not seriously weakened), and a slightly damaged or perishing nearside rear tyre. There’s a clear recurring pattern with tyres: the nearside rear has been flagged for cracking or perishing in both the 2025 and 2022 MOTs. The offside rear showed the same issue in 2022. Front tyres were noted as worn close to the legal limit in 2021 — suggesting uneven or accelerated wear, possibly from alignment issues, low inflation, or suspension wear. The defect trend is worsening. The car had no recorded defects in 2023 and 2024, but returned with three in 2025 — including the first brake disc concern and a repeat tyre issue. This suggests emerging wear rather than stable condition. At 65,747 miles over 12 years, average use is about 5,479 miles per year — well below typical UK usage (around 8,000–10,000 miles/year). This low annual mileage could mean lighter use, but also risks associated with under-use: rubber components like tyres, bushings, and seals drying out or cracking; brake discs corroding or pitting due to infrequent heating; and fluids degrading without regular circulation. The MOT history is otherwise clean — no suspension, steering, exhaust, or lighting failures beyond the single plate lamp — and no major safety-critical failures have recurred across years.