2018 Fiat 500 1.2L Petrol · NX68 HJC

The 2018 FIAT 500 presents a mixed maintenance picture. The most recent test on 24 October 2025 at 32,541 miles passed, but only after a failure twelve days earlier on 12 October 2025 at 32,537 miles. That failure flagged an excessively worn offside front suspension arm ball joint and a worn nearside front suspension arm pin or bush, both serious wear items on a front-wheel-drive city car. The tester also noted a slightly worn bush on the nearside front shock absorber and both rear shock absorbers, a defect that carried over from the earlier failure into the pass. The trend is not cleanly improving. Suspension wear was addressed enough to pass, yet the rear shock absorber advisories remain unresolved, suggesting a piecemeal approach to repairs rather than a thorough front-to-rear suspension refresh. The mileage profile is notably low. From first registration in 2018 through the October 2025 test at 32,541 miles, the annual average sits around 4,068 miles. The jump from 26,667 miles in October 2024 to 32,537 miles in October 2025 represents a sudden spike of roughly 5,870 miles in a single year, after years of very gentle use between 2023 and 2024 when the car covered just 3,669 miles. That acceleration in use may explain the sudden appearance of suspension and brake wear that had not surfaced in earlier clean tests. The October 2023 failure at 22,998 miles is telling. Both front inner brake discs were significantly worn, and the front brake pads were wearing thin. On a car with under 23,000 miles, that level of front brake degradation points to either prolonged neglect of a sticking caliper or a driving style that loads the front axle disproportionately. A buyer should inspect the front brake calipers for binding, check the disc thickness and condition across the full face, and examine the slide pins and rubber boots for seizure or deterioration. The recurring shock absorber bush wear across both axles, combined with the front suspension arm defects, warrants a close physical inspection. Raise the vehicle and check for play in all front suspension ball joints and bushes, examine the coil springs for sag or fracture, and inspect the rear shock absorber mounts and top mounts for deterioration. On a low-mileage Fiat 500 of this age, corrosion around the suspension mounting points and subframe should also be assessed, as prolonged standing or short trips can accelerate surface rust that undermines structural integrity over time.