2018 Peugeot 108 1.0L Petrol · SC18 XTJ

The most recent DVSA examination on 28 July 2026 recorded a pass, but the result should be read in conjunction with the recurring advisories and the dangerous failure recorded roughly twelve months earlier. Across the four test cycles visible, the vehicle has passed on each occasion except for two retest failures, one of which resulted in a dangerous defect for an offside front tyre with ply or cords exposed. This is a serious finding suggesting that prior tyre maintenance may have been deferred, and the latest test again records perishing on both offside tyres and worn anti-roll bar pin or bush wear on both sides at the front. The recurring nature of the anti-roll bar, Macpherson strut and suspension arm bush advisories across 2022, 2024 and 2026 points to a steadily worsening trend in front suspension component wear rather than a one-off observation. Taken together, the maintenance trend appears to be stable on outright pass-fail grounds but with a clear deterioration in suspension and tyre condition that warrants close attention. With 86,399 miles recorded over eight years, the vehicle is averaging roughly 10,800 miles per year, which is broadly typical for its age and segment. There are no significant gaps in the MOT record and no evidence of extended standing periods, which is positive because long periods of disuse on small city cars commonly bring their own issues such as brake disc corrosion, binding calipers, flat-spotted tyres, and 12V battery degradation. Equally, the moderate annual mileage means wear items such as tyres, brake pads and discs will have been worked through at a fairly conventional rate. At this odometer reading the clutch, exhaust system, and engine mounts should be considered age-related service items rather than imminent failures, but timing chain, coolant and gearbox fluid condition should be confirmed via the service history regardless of the MOT record. The MOT history is dominated by advisory items relating to front suspension and steering joints, and these should be the priority focus of any inspection. The persistent advisories for the nearside front shock absorber showing light oil misting since 2024 indicate the unit is beginning to lose its gas-oil charge and is likely to require replacement in the relatively near term. On a test drive, listen for a dull clonking over speed humps and uneven road surfaces, and check for excessive nose dive under braking and pronounced body roll through corners, all of which would suggest the damper is past its serviceable life. The offside front suspension arm and nearside front Macpherson strut pin or bush wear advisories, together with the anti-roll bar bush wear on both sides flagged at the latest test, are early signs of joint play in the front suspension. The buyer should jack the front of the vehicle and physically check the anti-roll bar drop links and bushes, the lower suspension arms, the strut top mount, and the track rod end joints for movement beyond what is specified by the manufacturer. A split pin was reportedly missing from the nearside front lower ball joint as far back as 2022, and although it passed at the most recent test, this is a small but critical item that should be verified as present and correctly fitted to retain the ball joint nut. Brake condition also requires verification. The 2023 test noted nearside front brake pads wearing thin and front brake discs worn, pitted or scored, and although no further brake advisories have appeared since, the discs in particular will have continued to wear under normal use. Inspect the discs for a pronounced lip at the outer edge and for corrosion pitting that has not polished away, both of which can produce a pedal pulsation or vibration through the steering wheel under braking. The nearside rear wheel bearing noted as slightly noisy in 2022 is another item to monitor; listen for a humming tone that rises with road speed and changes when gently swerving left and right, which is the classic symptom of a failing wheel bearing. Tyres warrant particular scrutiny given the dangerous defect recorded in 2025 and the cracking or perishing advisories in 2026; sidewall cracking on a 2018 manufactured tyre suggests age-related rubber degradation, so confirm the production date by reading the DOT stamp and budget for a full set if any tyre is over six years old. Finally, given the mileage, the age and the relatively modest annual use, ensure the 12V battery holds a stable voltage, that brake fluid has been changed within the last two years, and that the cooling system has been refreshed, as calendar-aged fluids remain a common failure point on Peugeot 108s of this vintage.