2018 BMW I3 0.6L Hybrid electric (clean) · ML68 NBA

A pattern of chronic advisories centred on the rear suspension and tyres emerges from this i3's MOT history, with the 2025 test flagging a worn nearside rear suspension arm pin or bush alongside two rear tyres worn close to the legal limit and slight perishing on the offside front. The most recent activity on 14 July 2026 produced a pass with no defects recorded, but a simultaneous PRS failure was issued for a malfunctioning tyre pressure monitoring system, a relatively common electronic fault on this model that can often be resolved by re-sensorising or replacing a wheel sensor. Aside from the suspension and tyre advisories, the intervening tests from 2021 through 2024 returned clean passes, suggesting that the wear items noted in 2025 represent accumulating deterioration rather than a sudden mechanical decline. Prospective buyers should weigh this as a vehicle with broadly consistent roadworthiness but with a known weakness developing in the rear suspension geometry that warrants close physical inspection. At 31,032 miles across eight years, this i3 has covered approximately 3,879 miles annually, a notably low accumulation that places it well below the typical usage profile for a 2018 vehicle. The MOT record shows consistent annual testing from 2021 onwards with no extended gaps off the road, indicating the car has remained in active use rather than laid up for long periods. Low annual mileage reduces wear on major drivetrain components but can be less forgiving on rubber elements, brake discs, and suspension bushes, which are susceptible to drying, corrosion, and surface oxidation when used infrequently. The relatively young condition of the tyres flagged in 2025 supports this picture, as tyres fitted to lightly driven vehicles often deteriorate through age-related perishing rather than tread wear alone. Given the specific advisory history, the rear suspension should be the primary focus of any physical inspection. The nearside rear arm pin or bush noted as worn should be checked for free play by hand with the wheel removed or by rocking the wheel laterally at the bottom, and any knocking or clonking transmitted through the rear axle when traversing uneven surfaces would confirm progression of the wear. It is also worth inspecting the offside rear arm for similar deterioration, as the advisory specified only the nearside but the components are typically subject to comparable load cycles. Pay particular attention to the i3's distinctive rear torsion-beam axle, as bush failure on this platform can produce vague rear-end instability under load and uneven rear tyre wear. The tyre condition flagged in 2025 warrants verification on any example considered for purchase. Check the age of all four tyres through the DOT date stamp, confirm even wear across the tread face rather than shoulder wear that might indicate misalignment or worn rear suspension bushes, and inspect sidewalls for cracking or perishing consistent with the advisory description. During a test drive, listen for any vibration through the steering wheel that might suggest a wheel imbalance or damaged sidewall, and verify that the TPMS warning light extinguishes promptly after the system has been reinitialised, as the 2026 PRS failure suggests the system may still have an underlying sensor or receiver fault. Finally, given the low overall mileage, confirm that the brake discs have not developed significant corrosion ridges on their friction surfaces, a common finding on lightly used vehicles that can produce pedal judder under the first application of the brakes.