2009 Toyota Yaris 1.3L Petrol · RF09 NHO

Based on the DVSA MOT records, the 2009 Toyota Yaris currently holds a valid, clean pass certificate dated 27 August 2025 at 61,208 miles, with zero defects recorded. The maintenance trend over the last three years is broadly stable and improving. The vehicle failed its initial 2025 test on two trivial items: an empty washer bottle and deteriorated registration plates. Both were rectified the same day, and the retest passed with no further issues. This pattern indicates a reactive but responsible approach to basic upkeep rather than neglect. The mileage profile tells a clear story of light use. In the twelve months between the August 2024 test at 60,198 miles and the August 2025 test at 61,208 miles, the car covered just 1,010 miles. Over the prior twelve months, from August 2023 at 58,868 miles to August 2024, it covered 1,330 miles. This is exceptionally low annual accumulation for a seventeen-year-old vehicle, averaging well under 2,000 miles per year across the recorded period. Such low mileage typically reduces wear on brakes, tyres, and drivetrain components, but it raises a separate concern: prolonged periods of standing can cause brake disc corrosion, tyre flat-spotting, and stale fuel issues. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on components that degrade through age and inactivity rather than mileage. The recurring advisory on the gearbox oil leak, noted in both August 2024 tests, warrants a close look beneath the vehicle. A slow seep can escalate, and the input shaft seal or gearbox gasket may need attention. The repeated registration plate deterioration suggests the car has been stored outdoors, so examine the bodywork for cosmetic corrosion, particularly around the sills, wheel arches, and subframe mounts. Check the date codes on all four tyres. Even with minimal tread wear, rubber older than six years can perish internally, and the 2024 failure for a cut reaching the ply on the nearside rear tyre indicates the current set may be ageing. Compress the suspension corners and listen for dry or split bushes, which deteriorate with age regardless of mileage. Finally, cycle the brakes firmly from low speed to confirm the discs are not binding or heavily corroded from standing.