2018 Fiat 500 0.9L Petrol · RO18 ETX

The 2018 FIAT 500 presents a broadly stable and improving maintenance trend, culminating in a clean pass on 2 August 2025 at 42,613 miles with zero defects recorded. That is a strong result, especially given the advisories flagged in the October 2023 test at 33,459 miles, where the tester noted heavily worn inner edges on both front tyres, thin rear brake pads, a worn offside front Macpherson strut bush, and a nail in the nearside rear tyre. The fact that none of those items reappeared as defects in either the 2024 or 2025 tests suggests the previous owner addressed them promptly. The only other blemish in the record was a minor failure on 4 October 2022 at 23,038 miles for an illegible rear registration plate, which was rectified within 24 hours. The mileage profile is notably low for an eight-year-old city car. Between the October 2022 test at 23,050 miles and the August 2025 test at 42,613 miles, the car covered roughly 19,563 miles across nearly three years, averaging around 6,500 miles annually. The jump from October 2023 at 33,459 miles to July 2024 at 37,668 miles accounts for 4,209 miles in nine months, which is modest. There are no alarming gaps or sudden spikes in the record, and the overall trajectory is consistent with light, regular use rather than prolonged standing, which can itself cause issues like flat-spotted tyres and seized brakes. The October 2023 advisories warrant attention during any physical inspection despite their subsequent clearance. A worn Macpherson strut bush on the offside front can indicate uneven suspension loading, so a thorough check of both front struts, coil springs, and drop link condition remains advisable. The heavily worn inner edges on the front tyres at that test point to possible tracking or camber misalignment, and a fresh four-wheel alignment check would confirm whether the geometry is still within specification. The thin rear brake pads flagged in 2023 also mean the rear calipers, discs, and handbrake mechanism should be examined for binding or uneven wear, particularly given the Fiat 500's tendency toward sticky rear calipers on low-mileage examples. Corrosion inspection is essential on any Fiat 500 of this age, particularly around the sills, subframes, and inner wing arches, even though the MOT record contains no corrosion-related advisories. The exhaust system and its mounting points should be checked for condition and integrity, as should all tyre sidewalls for age-related cracking given the relatively low annual mileage. Overall, the paper trail is reassuring and the recent clean pass is a positive indicator, but a pre-purchase inspection focused on suspension bushings, brake components, and alignment geometry would provide the buyer with confidence in the car's underlying mechanical condition.