2020 Audi A1 1.0L Petrol · SE58 AMY

The defining feature of this Audi A1's history is a recurring offside rear tyre problem that escalated from advisory to dangerous defect within eight months. In November 2024 the offside rear tyre was flagged as worn close to the legal limit, worn on the edge, and slightly damaged with cracking or perishing; by June 2025 the same position had deteriorated to exposed ply or cords, resulting in a dangerous failure. The car passed on retest the same day, and the two most recent examinations in June 2025 and July 2026 were clean passes with no defects recorded, so the immediate trend is improving, but the earlier pattern of edge wear on one corner warrants scrutiny rather than dismissal. A separate windscreen episode saw a minor defect in January 2023 progress to a major failure for damage affecting the driver's view in November 2023, rectified within a week, with no recurrence since. Recorded mileage stands at 41,097 miles over roughly six years, an average of about 6,850 miles per year, which is typical for a car of this age and suggests regular, moderate use rather than prolonged standing. Testing intervals have been consistent, with the only anomalies being the short retest gaps following the 2023 windscreen failure and the 2025 tyre failure, both of which were resolved promptly. This usage profile means wear on consumables such as tyres, brakes, and suspension bushes should be broadly commensurate with age, and there is no evidence in the record of the kind of extended lay-up that would raise concerns about perished components or seized brakes. The priority for a prospective buyer is the offside rear corner. Edge-localised tyre wear on a single wheel, followed by structural failure of that tyre, can indicate incorrect rear axle geometry, a worn or damaged suspension component, or simply repeated under-inflation, and the MOT record alone cannot distinguish between these. On inspection, examine the current offside rear tyre for uneven shoulder wear and check that all four tyres match in brand, size, and approximate tread depth. On a test drive, listen for any knocking or rumbling from the rear over uneven surfaces, feel for the car pulling or tramlining, and check whether the steering wheel sits straight when driving in a straight line, as any of these could point to alignment or bush wear at the rear. Beyond the tyre issue, confirm the windscreen replacement was carried out to a proper standard by checking for even panel gaps around the glass, wind noise at motorway speed, and correct operation of any camera or sensor mounted at the top of the screen, since the A1's driver assistance systems depend on it. Otherwise the record is relatively clean: no brake, suspension, corrosion, or emissions defects have ever been recorded, and the last two tests passed without a single advisory. A buyer should still commission a four-wheel alignment check and a general inspection of the rear suspension bushes and dampers before purchase, as this is the one area where the documented history suggests a possible underlying cause that a clean MOT pass would not necessarily reveal.