1977 Pontiac Firebird 5.0L Petrol · NFR 98X

This 1981 Pontiac Firebird presents a remarkably clean MOT record. The most recent test, conducted on 9 June 2025 at 52,804 miles, passed with zero defects. The maintenance trend is stable and, by the evidence of the file, genuinely improving, as the vehicle has passed its last five consecutive MOTs without a single advisory or failure. For a 45-year-old American sports car, this is an exceptionally strong record. The mileage pattern tells a clear story of very light, consistent use. In the 12 months leading to the June 2025 test, the car covered just 53 miles, following 80 miles in the prior year and 241 miles in the year before that. The 2021 test at 52,475 miles shows a gap of nearly 12 months from the previous recorded entry in June 2020, during which the car added 241 miles. Annual mileage has remained well under 250 miles in recent years, which is extraordinarily low. This minimal use is a double-edged sword: it limits mechanical wear but raises questions about the condition of perishable components like rubber bushes, seals, and tyres that degrade with age and lack of use rather than mileage alone. Despite the clean MOT history, a prospective buyer should conduct a thorough physical inspection focused on areas the MOT may not fully stress-test on such a low-mileage vehicle. Suspension bushes, coil springs, and shock absorbers should be checked for perishing and corrosion from long stationary periods. Brake calipers, discs, and flexible hoses must be examined for binding and internal corrosion, as sitting idle is the enemy of hydraulic braking systems. The exhaust system, fuel lines, and all rubber coolant hoses deserve close scrutiny for age-related deterioration. Structurally, the sills, subframes, and floor pans need careful inspection for corrosion, particularly if the vehicle has been stored in damp conditions. The near-zero annual mileage also means tyres may look legal but could be well past their safe service life due to cracking and sidewall degradation, making a date-code check essential.