2014 Peugeot RCZ 1.6L Petrol · V6 EJL

The 2014 Peugeot RCZ presents a mixed maintenance picture. Its most recent MOT on 18 March 2026 at 45,318 miles passed, yet the tester flagged an inner front brake drum as worn, pitted, or scored. This advisory is not a serious structural failure, but it does indicate ongoing brake wear. The trend across the last three years is not clearly improving. Brake disc wear was noted in March 2023 and again in April 2025, and a fractured nearside front coil spring caused a failure in March 2025. That spring was replaced before the April 2025 retest, which is a positive sign, but the reappearance of brake-related advisories suggests the braking system is a recurring weak point rather than a resolved one. Mileage accumulation is notably low. The car covered roughly 3,776 miles per year on average, and the record shows only 1,638 miles between the March 2025 failure and the April 2025 retest, likely reflecting the repair period. From April 2025 to March 2026, the car added 1,638 miles again, confirming very light annual use. Such low mileage can reduce wear on drivetrain and suspension components, but it also raises the possibility of long stationary periods, which can cause brake corrosion, tyre flat-spotting, and moisture ingress into seals and bushes. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on the front suspension and braking systems. The fractured coil spring in March 2025 is a serious fault that demands scrutiny of the opposite-side spring and the condition of all four dampers, top mounts, and suspension bushes. Even though the spring was replaced, the root cause, whether corrosion, fatigue, or impact damage, must be understood. The repeated advisories on front brake discs and now a front inner drum point to a pattern of surface degradation rather than outright failure, but the calipers should be checked for binding and the discs measured for thickness and run-out. Corrosion on the inner drum surface, often caused by moisture ingress during prolonged standing, is a common issue on low-mileage vehicles. Tyres and rubber components deserve close attention given the car's age and usage pattern. Low annual mileage can mask perished sidewalls, perished bushings, and seized handbrake mechanisms, particularly on the rear, where drum components may rarely see full operational heat. The exhaust system, including the catalytic converter and lambda sensors, should be examined for internal deterioration, as short trips and infrequent use can accelerate condensation-related corrosion inside the silencer and DPF, if fitted. A thorough underbody inspection for structural rust is essential, especially on subframes, suspension mounting points, and inner wing lower edges, where salt ingress can compromise structural integrity long before surface rust becomes visible.