2015 Volkswagen Polo 1.0L Petrol · RK65 KND

The 2015 Volkswagen Polo presents a mixed but ultimately stable maintenance picture as of its most recent MOT on 27 August 2025 at 69,005 miles. That test resulted in a pass, but only after a failure on the same day revealed worn front brake discs and a nearside front brake pad below 1.5 mm. The tester also flagged a deteriorating front registration plate, a minor cosmetic item. The underlying trend is neither sharply worsening nor clearly improving. Front brake discs have appeared as advisories or failures consistently since at least August 2023, indicating a recurring wear issue that has been addressed reactively rather than proactively. The nearside front suspension arm bush advisory first noted in August 2023 has not reappeared in the most recent pass, suggesting it may have been replaced, though this cannot be confirmed from the record alone. The mileage progression tells a coherent story. From 45,702 miles in August 2023 to 57,754 miles in August 2024, the car covered roughly 12,000 miles in a single year. That jumped to 69,005 miles by August 2025, a further 11,251 miles in twelve months. For an eleven-year-old supermini, this equates to approximately 6,273 miles per year over its life, which is broadly typical. The recent acceleration in annual mileage suggests the car is now being driven more intensively than in earlier years. No significant gaps appear in the MOT record, meaning the vehicle has been tested annually without obvious periods of dormancy. A buyer should pay close attention to the front braking system. The repeated advisories for worn, pitted, or scored front brake discs across the 2023, 2024, and 2025 tests point to either aggressive driving, low-quality replacement components, or a caliper issue causing uneven pad deposition. The nearside front brake pad was below minimum thickness at the 2025 failure, so any test drive should assess pedal feel, pulling under braking, and disc condition visually where possible. Tyre condition has also been a recurring theme: the 2024 failure exposed ply or cords on the offside front and rear tyres, and multiple advisories for cracking and perishing suggest the car may have spent periods stationary or been fitted with budget rubber. Inspect all four sidewalls carefully for age-related deterioration, particularly if the tyres show date codes older than expected. Finally, the persistent nearside front suspension arm bush wear noted in 2023 and 2024 warrants a physical check for play, knocking over rough surfaces, and uneven tyre wear on that corner. The front registration plate deterioration is trivial but worth noting for a pre-handover refresh.