2010 Mazda 2 1.3L Petrol · SV60 RXU

This vehicle is currently unroadworthy, having failed its most recent MOT on 4 September 2024 at 72,638 miles. The maintenance trend is clearly worsening. A car that passed cleanly in September 2023 at 69,568 miles deteriorated into a corrosion-heavy failure within twelve months. The 2024 failure list is severe: structural corrosion on both outer sills significantly reducing structural strength, corroded brake pipes, a rough front wheel bearing, an illuminated ABS lamp, and a perished nearside rear tyre with a nail puncture. A retest on 31 August 2024 at 72,589 miles failed again with similar corrosion and new advisories on both coil springs and rear axle corrosion. The car has not held a valid MOT since September 2023, and the defects have escalated from advisory-level corrosion to outright structural failure points. The mileage profile is unusual and inconsistent. Between the October 2022 pass at 66,928 miles and the September 2023 pass at 69,568 miles, the car covered just 2,640 miles in nearly a year. Yet between September 2023 and the August 2024 failure at 72,589 miles, it accumulated 3,021 miles in under eleven months, with the odometer then frozen at 72,638 miles for the September 2024 retest. The 49-mile gap between the two 2024 tests suggests the car was driven only for the retest itself. The overall average of roughly 4,540 miles per year over sixteen years is low, but the recent spike followed by a stationary odometer raises questions about how the car was used or whether it sat unused for long periods, which often accelerates corrosion and component seizure. A buyer must treat this car as a structural project, not a runner. The outer sills, subframes, and suspension mountings are the primary concern. The tester flagged "excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" on both sills in both 2024 failures, which is a direct pass/fail criterion under section 5.3.6(a)(i). This is not surface rust; it is a load-bearing integrity failure. The front brake backplates were corroded away, both front brake pipes were corroded and contaminated with grease or material, and the nearside front brake was flagged as damaged. The offside front wheel bearing was rough when rotated, indicating imminent replacement. The ABS warning lamp was active, meaning the anti-lock braking system is non-functional. Tyre condition also needs immediate attention, given the perished and punctured nearside rear tyre flagged in September 2024. Beyond the structural and braking risks, the secondary systems show neglect. The offside stop lamp was inoperative in both 2024 tests, and the offside registration plate lamp was also flagged. Both rear coil springs were corroded in 2024, and the rear axle was corroded. The nearside anti-roll bar linkage and track rod end were flagged as excessively worn in the October 2022 failure, and while the car passed later, there is no evidence these were rectified. A buyer should inspect the entire underside for active corrosion, verify the ABS sensor and wiring, check all brake lines for contamination and wall thickness, and confirm the structural sills and subframe mounting points are sound before any repair investment.