2009 Fiat Grande Punto 1.4L Petrol · LB09 OOY

This 2009 Fiat Grande Punto presents a remarkably clean DVSA roadworthiness profile across its recorded test entries, with the most recent assessment on 17 December 2025 returning a pass and no advisories or defects logged. The pattern across the visible history consistently shows tests passing cleanly, with no advisories recorded for component wear, corrosion, or fluid leaks. The presence of a failure entry on the same date as the latest pass is a routine administrative artefact rather than an unresolved mechanical issue, and the earlier 2023 failure followed the same pattern of a same-day pass, suggesting minor rectification items were addressed immediately during the test visit rather than chronic defects. Overall, the absence of any recorded advisories across five documented test events indicates that the brake, suspension, exhaust, and structural integrity items typically flagged on older superminis have not yet triggered official concerns under MOT inspection criteria. With 100,416 miles accumulated over seventeen years, this Grande Punto has covered approximately 5,900 miles annually, a notably low usage rate that places it below the typical mileage expectation for a vehicle of its vintage. This low accumulation could reflect genuine light use, such as short urban trips, or alternatively extended periods of inactivity with occasional short drives to maintain roadworthiness. Mechanically, a low annual mileage figure on a car of this age raises considerations regarding rubber and polymer components that deteriorate with age irrespective of distance covered, particularly suspension bushes, drive belt integrity, and brake hydraulic seals, none of which have yet been flagged on test but warrant closer physical inspection. The annual test cadence has remained consistent without significant gaps, indicating the vehicle has been kept in active road use throughout the documented period. For a prospective buyer, the absence of recorded advisories means there are no specific component histories to investigate against MOT findings, which removes the typical areas of concern one would scrutinise on a high-mileage supermini of this era. The Grande Punto platform is, however, known for certain age-related wear points that may not yet have surfaced under test conditions, including rear axle bush deterioration, front lower wishbone wear, and corrosion around the rear wheel arches and underbody seams. On a physical inspection, particular attention should be given to the condition of the coil springs and shock absorbers, as these commonly deteriorate on low-mileage vehicles that have experienced prolonged standing periods, and any knocking or clonking over uneven surfaces during a road test would warrant further investigation. Corrosion around the sills, wheel arches, and suspension mounting points should be examined closely even though no advisories have been logged, as MOT criteria permit a degree of surface corrosion that does not yet compromise structural integrity. During a test drive, the buyer should focus on symptoms consistent with the known wear characteristics of this model. Steering response should be evaluated for any vagueness, pulling to one side, or knocking from the front suspension over speed bumps, as these are indicative of worn tie bar or anti-roll bar bushings common to the Grande Punto. Brake pedal feel should be checked for sponginess or excessive travel suggesting caliper seizure or hydraulic seal deterioration, particularly given the age of the vehicle. The clutch operation should be assessed for slipping under load or any juddering on take-off, and the engine should be observed for excessive exhaust smoke on start-up or under acceleration, as head gasket failures have been a documented concern on certain Fiat petrol engines of this era. Finally, a thorough underbody inspection on a ramp is strongly advised to confirm the absence of corrosion in areas that MOT visual inspection may not fully expose, ensuring the clean advisory history genuinely reflects the mechanical condition rather than simply a lack of recent test scrutiny.