2009 Mazda 3 1.6L Petrol · PJ58 ENP

The 2009 Mazda 3 holds a valid MOT pass issued on 7 November 2025 at 202,711 miles, yet the maintenance trend is best described as borderline rather than stable. The most recent test followed a failure on 6 November 2025 at the identical mileage, where the tester flagged a non-functioning offside rear stop lamp, a damaged front bumper cover presenting a potential injury risk, and rear brakes imbalanced across the axle. These were rectified within 24 hours, but the same pass still carried over multiple advisories. Perished and split front lower suspension arm rear mounting bushes, corrosion to both rear sub-frame and rear lower suspension arms, and a damaged front slam panel under the bonnet all remain unresolved. The headlamp lenses have been misted across consecutive tests dating back to October 2023, indicating a long-standing moisture ingress issue rather than a fresh defect. Mileage accumulation sits at roughly 11,900 miles per year, which is typical for a vehicle of this age. The record shows a jump from 193,662 miles on 11 November 2024 to 202,711 miles by 6 November 2025, representing approximately 9,000 miles in just under twelve months. No significant gaps appear in the annual test cycle, with continuous entries from October 2023 through to the present. The MOT database itself is clean beyond the noted advisories, with no recorded mileage reversals or missing years that would raise concern over odometer integrity. A buyer should approach this car with a clear focus on the rear suspension and sub-frame assembly. The tester repeatedly noted heavy corrosion to the rear sub-frame and rear lower suspension arms across the 2024 and 2025 tests, with the 2025 failure specifically citing an imbalance in the rear braking system. While the tester judged the corrosion not seriously weakened at the time of inspection, the progressive nature of the advisories warrants a physical under-vehicle inspection to assess structural integrity, particularly around the rear mounting points and sill areas where inner sill corrosion has been flagged since October 2023. The outer sills remain uninspectable due to plastic covers, so removing those covers to check for hidden corrosion is advisable. Front suspension components also demand attention. The perished and split rear mounting bushes on both front lower suspension arms have appeared consistently since the October 2024 test, and the nearside front shock absorber has shown oil misting since that same date. Tyre wear patterns, including edge wear noted on the offside front in November 2024, suggest possible tracking or alignment issues. The misted headlamp lenses and damaged front slam panel point to a history of minor impacts or poor storage conditions. Brake pads were reported as wearing thin in October 2023, and while no recent test has flagged them, a physical inspection of pad thickness and disc condition is prudent given the 2025 rear brake imbalance finding. Overall, the vehicle is roadworthy on paper, but the accumulation of unresolved advisories suggests a pattern of minimum-cost repairs rather than thorough preventative maintenance.