2015 Citroen C3 1.2L Petrol · LO65 XJM

This 2015 Citroen C3 carries a relatively clean pass record across all eight recorded tests, but the rear brake discs, offside rear caliper, and front suspension components are now showing a clear pattern of progressive wear that warrants close attention. The most recent test on 29 September 2025 passed, however it carried advisories for both rear brake discs being scored and pitted, the nearside front outer sidewall being heavily scrubbed, and illuminated service and TPMS warning lights. Moving back to October 2024, the same rear brake disc condition was flagged once again, alongside an advisory for the offside rear service brake binding slightly and, perhaps more significantly, the rear bush in the offside front lower suspension arm being noted as starting to de-bond. The 2023 test repeated the offside rear brake binding advisory and the general rear disc wear. While none of these items have yet crossed the threshold to failure, the recurrence of brake disc scoring, binding caliper behaviour, and a degrading suspension bush across consecutive tests suggests these components are not being replaced between tests, and a prospective buyer should plan for imminent attention to the rear braking system and front suspension linkages. The recorded mileage of 31,631 miles over approximately eleven years equates to a very low average of around 2,876 miles annually, which is well below typical usage for a city-oriented supermini of this age. There are no obvious gaps in the annual testing history covering 2020 through 2025, indicating the vehicle has not been declared off the road via SORN for any extended period. Low annual mileage of this nature generally results in less wear on internal drivetrain components such as the engine, clutch, and gearbox, but it does mean that consumable items like brake discs, pads, and tyres tend to suffer from corrosion and surface degradation through underuse rather than wear from friction, and standing periods can accelerate ageing of rubber components including bushes, boots, and tyres. The illuminated service light noted at the 2022 and 2025 tests, combined with the tyre sidewall perishing flagged back in 2021, is consistent with a vehicle that sees relatively light use and may sit for extended periods between drives. For a prospective buyer, the rear brake disc scoring that has now appeared across three consecutive tests is the priority inspection item, and on a road test any roughness through the brake pedal, vibration under light pedal pressure, or pulling to one side under braking would suggest the rear discs have now reached the end of their service life and require replacement rather than just refacing. The advisory for the offside rear caliper binding, which has recurred across two tests, means particular attention should be paid to whether the vehicle pulls noticeably to the right under gentle braking and whether the offside rear wheel runs appreciably warmer than the others after a drive, as this would indicate the caliper slide mechanism is seizing and likely needs refurbishment or replacement. The de-bonding rear bush in the offside front lower suspension arm should be evaluated on a test drive over uneven road surfaces, listening for clonking or knocking from the front end on acceleration over bumps and feeling for any vagueness or wander in the steering, as once a bush begins to de-bond the deterioration tends to accelerate and the arm will likely need replacement. Beyond the flagged items, a thorough physical inspection should include a close visual check of both front tyres for any sidewall cracking or bulging, particularly the nearside front which was noted as heavily scrubbed, and confirmation that the TPMS light has been investigated and resolved rather than simply dismissed. The fact that a wiper failure was recorded in September 2021 but the vehicle passed its subsequent tests with no repeat advisories on the wiper system suggests that item was rectified at the time. Given the low mileage and the repeated advisories clustering around the same components, a buyer would be well advised to budget for rear brake discs, possibly rear brake pads, a caliper refurbishment, and a front suspension arm replacement in the near term, and to commission a pre-purchase inspection that specifically measures rear disc thickness, checks for caliper slider seizure, and physically manipulates the front suspension arms to detect play in the de-bonding bush before committing to purchase.