2009 Audi A4 1.8L Petrol · LC09 NJC

Chronic tyre wear on the nearside front, recorded on the most recent pass dated 29 October 2025, caps a four-year MOT history that has otherwise been clean on structural and mechanical grounds but consistent in flagging uneven rear and front tyre condition. The 2025 cycle was particularly instructive: a fail the day before the pass was driven by dangerous tyre condition on both rear wheels (cords exposed nearside rear, sub-1.6 mm tread offside rear) and a major defect on the offside front drive shaft CV boot, which had split and lost its ability to exclude dirt. That single major failure on the drivetrain is the standout mechanical event of the record, while the supporting pattern of edge wear on the nearside front and both rear tyres points to either a persistent alignment issue, worn suspension geometry, or simply tyres being run to the legal limit on a car that is otherwise lightly used. The fact that the 2023 test passed with no advisories at all suggests the wear pattern has worsened rather than been stable, and any prospective buyer should treat the suspension and geometry as the next likely cost area. Against a seventeen-year service life, the recorded mileage of 97,402 miles equates to roughly 5,700 miles per year, which is low for the age and platform. This figure is reinforced by the MOT cadence: tests have been taken annually since 2022 with no apparent gaps in road use, and there is no mileage jump between consecutive tests that would imply an odometer discrepancy or a long period off the road. Low annual mileage on an Audi A4 of this vintage generally preserves the engine internals and clutch, but it tends to expose the undercarriage to standing-water corrosion on subframes, brake pipes and the fuel tank strap area, and to leave rubber components such as engine mounts, subframe bushes, and the multi-link rear suspension arms susceptible to perishing rather than wear. The 2022 advisory for perished rear tyres and the 2025 dangerous rear tyre defects are consistent with a car that may have stood for stretches and then been pressed back into service without the tyres being replaced promptly. For a test drive, the CV boot failure on the offside front is the priority item to verify has been rectified properly. On the road, listen for a rhythmic clicking or clicking that increases with steering lock in either direction, particularly under load, and feel for any vibration through the steering wheel or a shudder on full-lock manoeuvres. Greasy black deposits around the offside front inner joint or a torn boot visible from under the wheel arch would be immediate red flags. Because the advisories on both rear tyres were repeated in 2024 and 2025, the rear suspension geometry should be considered suspect. On the move, listen for clonking or knocking over uneven surfaces from the rear, particularly over speed humps and potholes, and watch for the car sitting lower on one corner at standstill, which would indicate a fatigued coil spring or a perished thrust arm bush. A loose, wandering feel from the rear end on a roundabout or lane-change can also betray worn trailing arm or wishbone bushes common on the B8 platform. Given the edge wear recorded on the nearside front tyre in 2025, a four-wheel alignment check should be treated as essential rather than optional, and any kerbing damage on the nearside wheels should be inspected for bent rims that would otherwise mask an alignment issue. Inspect the inner and outer shoulders of all four tyres for feathering or one-sided wear, as the pattern on the rear pair in particular can distinguish a tracking fault from simple under-inflation. Finally, because the car has covered relatively few miles per year for most of its life, have the brake discs and pads physically measured rather than relying on a visual MOT pass; low-use discs corrode unevenly and can produce judder under heavy braking even when the pad material remains adequate. A thorough inspection of the undertray and subframe for surface corrosion, paying particular attention to the rear axle and brake line runs, would be a sensible precaution before purchase.