2016 Mazda 6 2.0L Petrol · PF16 SHZ

A pattern of tyre sidewall deterioration emerges as the defining mechanical theme of this Mazda 6, with perishing advisories recorded on the nearside front tyre across three consecutive tests in 2024, 2025, and 2026, and further deterioration now noted on both offside tyres at the most recent examination. The car passed its 2026-08-04 test cleanly aside from these tyre observations, but the recurrence of identical advisories year on year points to ageing rubber that is unlikely to be resolved by replacement of the same brand and compound. A more serious episode sits beneath this surface pattern: on 2023-08-17 the vehicle failed on a fractured nearside rear coil spring, a structural component defect that presents an immediate safety risk and was rectified ahead of the retest the following day. Since that failure and its associated brake pad and disc advisories, the brake components have not reappeared in the record, but the tyre condition continues to be flagged annually, suggesting that consumable wear on the rolling stock is outpacing the rest of the recorded mechanicals. The mileage profile is unusually restrained for a ten year old vehicle, with 30,723 recorded miles equating to approximately 3,072 miles annually. This is substantially below typical usage for a car of this age and indicates either light private use or extended periods of stationary storage between trips. Mechanically, low annual mileage tends to preserve major drivetrain components but can accelerate degradation of items that suffer from disuse, including corrosion on brake discs, dried rubber seals, and ageing tyre sidewalls as already evidenced in the record. There are no significant testing gaps within the documented history, with annual examinations recorded from 2020 onwards, so the vehicle has not been off the road for extended unlicensed periods that might raise separate concerns about seized components or stale fluids. The combination of consistent annual testing and a gradual, modest mileage accumulation points to a car that has been kept on the road but used sparingly rather than a high-mileage workhorse. For a prospective buyer, the fractured rear coil spring recorded in 2023 warrants direct physical inspection rather than reliance on the post-repair retest result. Although the failed component was replaced, the opposite side rear spring on a 2016 Mazda 6 of this age is now ten years old and subject to the same fatigue cycles, so both rear springs should be examined for any sign of cracking, sagging, or uneven ride height. A test drive over uneven surfaces and speed humps is essential to listen for clonking or knocking from the rear suspension, which would indicate worn bushes, top mounts, or anti-roll bar linkages that have not yet reached advisory threshold. The brake disc advisories from 2020, 2021, and 2023 on the offside rear and offside front respectively suggest the offside braking system has been working harder than the nearside, and a test drive should include progressive pedal application to feel for any judder, pull to one side under braking, or binding caliper symptoms that would confirm ongoing uneven wear. The recurring tyre perishing advisories are the most actionable inspection point and should prompt close scrutiny of all four sidewalls for circumferential cracking, ozone damage, or bulges, with particular attention to the inner shoulders which are difficult to see without removing the wheels. Replacement with fresh rubber of an appropriate speed and load rating should be factored into any purchase negotiation. Given the low recorded mileage, the brake fluid and engine coolant are likely to be well beyond their standard two year replacement intervals, and the brake fluid condition can be assessed indirectly by checking for any sponginess or excessive travel in the pedal during the test drive. Underbonn inspection should focus on the condition of coolant hoses, drive belts, and any signs of oil weeping from the engine and transmission seams, as rubber components age regardless of mileage when a vehicle is used intermittently rather than consistently.