2006 Mitsubishi Colt 1.3L Petrol · KT06 MAT

A clear mechanical story emerges from this Colt's MOT record, dominated by a chronic rear suspension and braking issue rather than any headline failures. The most recent test on 6 May 2026 returned a clean pass with no advisories, following two further clean passes in 2024 and 2025, which suggests the rear coil spring corrosion and brake disc pitting previously flagged have either been resolved or have not progressed to a defect level. However, the 2022 and 2023 tests both recorded advisories for nearside and offside rear coil spring corrosion under section 5.3.1 (b) (i), alongside rear brake disc pitting and scoring in 2023, and thin rear brake pads in 2022. A single Major failure was recorded on 3 May 2022 for both front wiper blades failing to clear the windscreen effectively, a relatively trivial rectification. The pattern points to a chassis that has shown localised rear-corner corrosion on its springs over consecutive years, warranting close physical inspection rather than reliance on the clean recent paperwork. Mileage data for this twenty-year-old Colt stands at 49,479 miles, equating to roughly 2,474 miles per year since first registration, which is substantially below the typical annual accumulation for a car of this age. The MOT history shows annual testing with no significant gaps or SORN periods implied by irregular test dates, and the mileage progression between tests appears broadly consistent with light, regular use rather than long stationary lay-ups or high-mileage motorway running. Such low usage can be advantageous for the engine, clutch and transmission internals through reduced wear, but it also means the suspension, brakes, tyres and underbody have been exposed to prolonged standing periods, moisture, and reactive corrosion rather than the self-cleaning effect of regular wet-road driving. The recorded rear spring corrosion aligns precisely with this usage profile, where surface rust has had time to establish itself on exposed steel components. A prospective buyer should focus their physical inspection on the rear suspension corners in particular. The recurring advisories on both rear coil springs indicate active surface corrosion that, on a twenty-year-old vehicle, may now be approaching the stage where flaking, pitting or structural thinning of the spring coils is visible. Inspect both rear springs with a torch for heavy scale, cracking or deformation, and pay attention to any knocking or clonking transmitted through the rear of the vehicle over uneven roads, speed humps, or when reversing over a kerb, which would suggest the springs or their upper and lower seats have deteriorated. Bounce the rear corners by hand to confirm the dampers still resist and rebound cleanly, as prolonged standing can also degrade damper valving. The rear braking system deserves equal scrutiny given the 2023 advisories on both rear discs being pitted and scored, and the 2022 advisory on thin rear pads. On a test drive, listen for any grinding, scraping or metallic resonance from the rear wheels under light braking, and feel for vibration or judder through the brake pedal, which would indicate the disc corrosion has now progressed beyond a cosmetic stage. Check that the handbrake holds firmly on an incline, as seized rear caliper slides are common on lightly used cars and can manifest as the car creeping or requiring excessive lever travel. Finally, verify the condition of the front wiper linkage and blades, confirm both front headlamp lenses are not excessively crazed or fogged following the 2020 advisory, and check the rear indicator lenses for any further discolouration, as minor advisories on these items have historically preceded test failures.