2014 MINI Countryman 1.6L Petrol · MA64 DWJ

The vehicle is currently roadworthy, but the maintenance history reveals a persistent trend of neglect regarding safety restraint components. The most recent test on 23 July 2025 at 52,344 miles resulted in a failure due to a twisted offside seat belt buckle and frayed webbing. While the vehicle passed immediately after these repairs, this specific fault has appeared in every annual MOT test back to 2022, indicating a pattern of only addressing safety issues when a formal failure occurs. The mileage profile is notably low for a twelve-year-old vehicle, averaging approximately 4,362 miles per year. There is a significant gap of 8,007 miles between October 2024 (44,337 miles) and July 2025 (52,344 miles), which suggests periods of heavier use or extended storage. Such low annual mileage often leads to the degradation of rubber components, which is evidenced by the October 2024 advisory regarding a perished nearside rear tyre and worn front tyres. A buyer must conduct a thorough physical inspection of all seat belt assemblies to ensure the webbing is not further compromised and the mechanism operates freely. The 2024 advisories regarding edge wear on the front tyres suggest a potential alignment issue or worn suspension bushes that should be checked to prevent further tyre degradation. Given the low mileage and age of the car, also inspect for cracking in rubber brake hoses and signs of surface corrosion, as these components suffer more from time than from mechanical mileage.