2013 Skoda Fabia 1.2L Petrol · SF13 VJU

The 2013 Skoda Fabia currently holds no valid MOT after failing its March 2026 test at 89,861 miles. The maintenance trend has deteriorated sharply. While the car passed cleanly in 2024 and only picked up minor advisories in 2023 and 2022, the most recent failure reveals a combination of structural corrosion and mechanical wear that suggests the vehicle has been left unattended for some time. The nearside sill is holed and corroded across a 30-centimetre section inside the door step and inner sill, a defect serious enough to fail the test outright on structural integrity grounds. Both front brake discs are worn, pitted, or scored, and there is a minor exhaust leak at the nearside rear silencer. These are not new issues in isolation. Front brake disc wear appeared as an advisory in March 2023 at 82,813 miles, meaning the discs have likely remained in poor condition for over three years. The rear brake binding noted in March 2025 was also never formally rectified, only flagged as not excessive. The pattern points to a car that has been driven with known faults rather than one receiving timely preventative maintenance. The mileage progression tells a similar story of neglect. Between April 2022 and March 2024, the car covered just 6,938 miles across two years, averaging roughly 3,469 miles annually. Yet in the 12 months between March 2024 and March 2026, it accumulated 4,626 miles, a noticeable uptick. More critically, the odometer has not moved at all since the March 2026 failure. The car has been stationary for over three months with a corroded sill and worn brake discs sitting unresolved. That combination of low recent use and deferred repairs is a red flag. Vehicles left standing with structural rust can develop accelerated corrosion around mounting points, subframes, and floor pans, especially if moisture has been trapped inside the sill cavity. A buyer inspecting this Fabia in person should focus first on the nearside sill and inner structure. A 30-centimetre holed section is not surface rust. Probe the inner sill with a screwdriver if possible, and check whether the corrosion extends into the jacking point or subframe mounting area. The front brake discs should be measured for thickness and lateral run-out; if they are pitted and scored, the pads will also be contaminated and require replacement alongside the discs. Inspect the nearside rear silencer for the exhaust leak, paying attention to whether the skin peeling noted in 2025 has worsened. The rear calipers need a close look given the binding advisory from 2025, and the offside rear shock absorber should be checked for oil misting first flagged in 2023. Finally, examine all four tyres carefully. Two separate tests flagged rear tyre wear and deterioration, suggesting either misalignment or long-term underinflation has been an issue. This car needs more than a quick test drive. It needs a thorough underbody inspection and a realistic budget for corrosion repair and brake work before it can be considered roadworthy.