2016 Fiat 500 1.2L Petrol · RF66 HSV

A pattern of recurring front-end wear advisories dominates the mechanical history of this 2016 Fiat 500, with brake discs and front tyres flagged across multiple consecutive tests. The most recent examination on 19 December 2025 passed, but recorded an advisory for a worn but not yet excessive front brake disc, alongside a worn offside front suspension arm pin or bush. Critically, all three front tyres were noted as worn close to the legal limit on their edges at 2-3mm tread remaining, and a nearside rear tyre was similarly marginal. Earlier tests show this is not an isolated episode: front brake disc pitting was first advised in December 2019 and has reappeared in the record since, while front-edge tyre wear was also flagged in the 2019 test. A single Major failure occurred on 3 December 2020 for an ineffective offside windscreen wiper, a relatively minor component defect that was presumably rectified on the same date given a simultaneous Pass was issued the same day. Beyond this, the recorded failures are absent, but the consistency of front brake and front suspension advisories suggests these are wear items that have been progressing slowly rather than fully resolved. The recorded mileage of 53,724 miles across ten years equates to roughly 5,370 miles annually, which is low for a city-oriented supermini of this type and age. The MOT history does not show any obvious long gaps in testing that would indicate extended periods off the road, with annual or near-annual tests recorded from 2019 through 2025. This pattern suggests the vehicle has been in regular use despite the modest annual accumulation, possibly as a second car or for short urban journeys. Mechanically, lower annual mileage on a Fiat 500 typically means the timing chain, clutch, and dual-mass flywheel components have been exercised less frequently, but also that items susceptible to ageing rather than wear, such as rubber bushes, coolant hoses, and interior trim, are doing their natural degradation cycle regardless of distance covered. The annual test gaps are consistent with continuous light use rather than long-term storage. For a prospective buyer, the priority areas on a physical inspection should mirror what the MOT history has consistently identified. The front brake discs should be checked for lipping, hot judder under braking, and visible scoring, and the calipers should be examined to confirm the sliders are not binding, since the advisory wording has shifted from pitted or scored to generally worn across the years. With the front tyres already close to the legal limit on their edges at the most recent test, immediate replacement is likely required, and the edge-wear pattern should prompt a check of wheel alignment and front suspension geometry, particularly given the offside front arm bush advisory. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking from the front suspension over speed humps and uneven surfaces, pay attention to any steering pull or vibration through the wheel, and feel for brake pedal pulsation under firm application. The rear upper shock absorber bushes noted as slightly worn in the 2021 test should also be re-examined, as these advisories often progress over the intervening years and can manifest as a looser feeling over bumps or minor knocking from the rear axle on rougher roads. Given the age, a thorough underside inspection for corrosion on suspension components, brake pipes, and the subframe mounting points would be prudent, as these areas are not always fully captured by standard MOT visual checks. The wiper linkage failure in 2020 is worth a quick functional check to ensure the mechanism has not deteriorated again, particularly the offside arm. Finally, with low annual mileage but continuous use, the buyer should anticipate that age-related items such as the cambelt, coolant, and brake fluid may be due for renewal based on calendar age rather than distance, and any service evidence covering these intervals would be worth requesting separately, as the MOT record itself cannot verify internal maintenance.