2009 Honda Accord 2.0L Petrol · SF59 RBY

A clean and consistent pass record defines this 2009 Honda Accord, with the most recent test on 5 September 2025 returning a pass and no advisories, mirroring the outcomes from 2024 and 2022. The only blemish on the DVSA history is a fail dated 8 September 2023, which surprisingly carries no recorded defect categories, suggesting an administrative refusal, a category missing from the dataset, or a rectification carried out before the immediate retest four days later on 12 September 2023, where the vehicle passed cleanly. Across five recorded events there are zero advisories logged, which is an unusually tidy sheet for a 17 year old car and points to either meticulous attention to component wear prior to test or steady-state mechanical condition across the major inspection categories. Annual mileage averages around 6,900 miles, broadly typical for a vehicle of this age and indicative of moderate mixed usage rather than heavy motorway commuting or extended urban stop-start duty. The gap between the 2022 and 2023 tests sits within the normal annual window, and there is no evidence of long periods off the road or sudden large mileage jumps between tests, so drivetrain, suspension, and brake wear should be tracking proportionally to the accumulated miles rather than being concentrated. At this usage rate the engine and transmission internals will have seen steady thermal cycling without the oil-seal drying-out issues that plague very low-mileage cars, but consumables such as dampers, bushes, brake discs, and exhaust components will have accumulated real-world wear that a clean MOT sheet does not necessarily capture between tests. For a prospective buyer, the absence of advisories is genuinely encouraging but warrants physical verification on areas that an MOT does not strictly fail until they reach defined thresholds. On a test drive, listen for clonks or knocks from the front suspension over speed bumps and uneven tarmac, as worn lower wishbone bushes, anti-roll bar drop links, and front damper top mounts are common on high-mileage Hondas of this era and would not necessarily be flagged until play becomes pronounced. Feel through the brake pedal for any judder under firm stopping, which would indicate front disc lipping or warped discs, and check visually behind the wheels for any uneven pad wear suggesting a binding caliper. Inspect the exhaust system from underneath for blueing at joints or hangers, as rear silencer and centre section corrosion is typical for a 17 year old car, and look along the subframe, arch lips, and rear suspension mounting points for any surface rust that could develop into a future structural fail. Finally, although no oil leaks were recorded, a 2.0 or 2.4 litre K-series or K24 engine at this mileage commonly shows light valve cover gasket seepage and rear main seal misting, so inspect the underside for damp patches and the exhaust downpipe for oil staining when cold. Check the underside of the coolant reservoir and radiator for crystallised deposits indicating a slow leak, and ensure the transmission fluid is pink rather than brown if it is dipstick-accessible, as neglected ATF accelerates automatic gearbox wear. A compression test or at least a clean exhaust smoke check on start-up from cold will give confidence in the engine's internal state, given the absence of any recorded mechanical defects to assess otherwise.