2011 SEAT Ibiza 1.4L Petrol · OY11 OBT

This 2011 SEAT Ibiza presents an unusual MOT pattern: two recorded failures in the last two testing cycles, each followed within days by a pass, yet with no defects formally recorded against any of the five tests on file. The failures on 28 January 2026 and 30 January 2025 were each rectified and retested almost immediately, with the car passing on 3 February 2026 and again on the same day in January 2025. Because the DVSA record shows no advisory or failure items, the specific reasons for those two initial failures cannot be determined from the data alone, and a buyer should treat this as an open question rather than assume the record is clean. The most recent pass on 3 February 2026 means the car currently holds a valid certificate, but the absence of recorded defect detail makes it impossible to confirm whether the failures concerned minor administrative matters or more substantive mechanical work. Recorded mileage stands at 113,632 miles, which at roughly fifteen years of age equates to about 7,575 miles per year, a typical accumulation rate for a car of this era. The testing history shows consistent annual MOTs each January or February with no significant gaps, suggesting continuous road use rather than extended periods off the road. This steady, moderate usage pattern is generally consistent with normal wear on consumables such as brake discs, pads, suspension bushes, and exhaust components, none of which appear as flagged items in the available record. Given the two unexplained failures, the priority for any prospective buyer is to obtain the actual failure documentation. Ask the seller for the VT30 refusal certificates from January 2025 and January 2026, which will list the precise reasons for rejection, and cross-check these against invoices for any rectification work carried out before the retests. If the seller cannot produce this paperwork, treat the omissions with caution and consider an independent pre-purchase inspection. On a test drive, given the car's age and mileage, pay close attention to the areas most commonly implicated in retest scenarios on a vehicle of this type: listen for knocking or clonking from the front suspension over uneven surfaces, which can indicate worn drop links, track rod ends, or wishbone bushes; check for brake pedal judder or pulling under braking, pointing to warped discs or uneven pad wear; and inspect underneath for corrosion on brake pipes, suspension mounting points, and the rear subframe. Verify that all exterior lamps, the horn, and the emissions-related warning lights behave correctly, since lighting and signalling faults are frequent causes of quick fail-and-retest sequences. A compression or emissions check would also be prudent on a petrol engine of this mileage before committing to purchase.