1998 Ford Puma 1.4L Petrol · S495 AHC

A pattern of brake imbalance, exhaust and emissions concerns, steering rack wear, and recurring tyre and oil leak advisories defines the recorded roadworthiness history of this 1998 Ford Puma. Across five MOT entries spanning 2023 to 2025, the vehicle has passed twice and failed twice, with the latest test on 27 November 2025 producing a fail. The most recent failure centred on front headlamp aim on both sides, an exhaust leak likely to affect emissions at the front, and a lambda reading outside specified limits after the second fast idle, alongside an advisory noting a non-excessive front oil leak. The 2024 entry shows a particularly serious episode, including a Dangerous failure for offside front and offside rear tyre tears caused by structural separation, a Major for rear brake imbalance across axle 2, a Major for service brake efficiency below requirements, and a Major for an excessively deteriorated offside rear brake hose. Taken together, the record shows repeated MOT involvement of brake, steering, exhaust, and tyre components, rather than a consistently clean compliance pattern. Against an age of approximately 28 years, the recorded mileage of 64,105 equates to an average of roughly 2,289 miles per year, which is well below typical accumulation for a car of this vintage. There are no extended gaps between recorded tests, suggesting the vehicle has been in regular but light use rather than laid up for long periods. Low annual mileage of this nature tends to produce uneven wear rather than uniform degradation, with tyres, brake discs, and flexible components such as hoses and gaiters susceptible to hardening or flat-spotting from underuse, while the powertrain remains relatively lightly loaded. The relatively short intervals between advisories and failures within a three-year window reflect a vehicle that is encountering wear items more frequently than the low odometer reading alone might suggest. For a prospective buyer, the steering rack advisories from 2023 on both near side and off side inner joints warrant close attention. On a test drive, listen for clonks or knocking from the front end over uneven surfaces, particularly on full lock or when turning into a parking space, and feel for any slack or looseness through the steering wheel. The 2024 brake hose deterioration on the offside rear and the rear brake imbalance across axle 2 mean the hydraulic system and rear calipers or adjusters should be inspected for seized mechanisms, uneven pad wear, or corrosion on the brake lines themselves. Brake pedal feel should be firm and progressive; any excessive travel, sponginess, or pulling to one side under braking would indicate the imbalance has returned. The 2024 Dangerous tyre failures also make a thorough inspection of all four tyres essential, looking for sidewall bulges, cracks, or any sign of tread separation, and the inner edges specifically, as both front inner tyres were flagged as worn close to the legal limit. The exhaust and emissions faults from the latest test should be addressed directly. Listen for any ticking, hissing, or blowing noise from the front exhaust joint under cold start, and watch for a visible soot trail or blackening around the manifold area, which would confirm an active leak affecting lambda sensor readings. With the vehicle now nearly three decades old, structural corrosion on the rear subframe, arches, and suspension mounting points is a known concern for Puma models of this era and warrants a physical inspection on a ramp, looking specifically for rust through the rear trailing arm mounts, sill jings, and front crossmember. Finally, the recurring front oil leak advisories from 2023 and 2025 should be monitored by checking the underside of the engine bay for fresh wetness and inspecting the coolant and oil levels before any purchase, as a persistent leak from the cam cover or front crankshaft seal could escalate over time.