2018 Audi A5 2.0L Diesel · KS18 DJF

This 2018 Audi A5 passed its most recent MOT on 8 May 2026 at 100,869 miles, but the maintenance trend is clearly worsening. The latest test flagged worn upper suspension arm pins or bushes on both front corners and both rear tyres worn close to legal limits on their outer edges. These are not new issues. The same front suspension arm bush wear appeared in the May 2025 test at 91,766 miles and has persisted for over a year without rectification. The tester downgraded the severity wording slightly in 2026, noting the wear was not yet resulting in excessive movement, but the fact that both sides remain flagged suggests a slow deterioration rather than a sudden failure. Tyre wear advisories have appeared in three of the last five tests, rotating between axles, which points to ongoing alignment or suspension geometry issues rather than simple neglect. The mileage accumulation tells its own story. The car covered roughly 15,919 miles between May 2023 and May 2025, then just 9,103 miles in the following year leading to the 2026 test. That is a notable drop in annual use, yet the vehicle still sits at 100,869 miles after eight years, averaging around 12,609 miles per year. That is high for a premium coupé and implies sustained motorway or long-distance driving, which places steady load on suspension bushes, drivetrain mounts, and braking components. The MOT record itself is clean in terms of outright failures, but the pattern of recurring advisories suggests the car has been kept on the road rather than properly repaired between tests. A buyer should focus their physical inspection on the front suspension. Both upper rear arm inner bushes have been flagged across consecutive tests, and the 2022 test at 46,916 miles already noted split bushes with no movement detected. By 100,869 miles, those bushes will have deteriorated further. Check for play in the front wheel hubs and listen for clunking over speed bumps, which would confirm the wear has progressed beyond advisory level. The rear coil spring mounting was flagged as damaged but not seriously weakened in 2022, so inspect the top mounts and seat pans for corrosion or cracking, particularly if the car has been used on salted roads. The repeated tyre wear advisories, appearing on both front and rear axles across different years, strongly suggest a tracking or camber issue that has never been permanently corrected. Have the four-wheel alignment checked before purchase and inspect the inner sidewalls of all four tyres for uneven wear patterns. At this mileage, also examine the brake discs and pads for lipping and uneven deposits, and check the exhaust system for corrosion around the flexi-joint and rear silencer, as high-mileage Audi A5s of this generation are prone to exhaust deterioration. The car is roadworthy today, but the record shows a pattern of deferring suspension repairs that a diligent buyer should address immediately.