2014 Ferrari 458 4.5L Petrol · V8 UTU

A single recorded failure across eight MOT tests defines this 2014 Ferrari 458's history, and it is a telling one: on 28 April 2026 the car failed for a nearside front shock absorber with a serious fluid leak, before passing cleanly on retest on 26 May 2026 with no defects recorded. Every other examination from 2020 through to the present returned a pass with no advisories whatsoever, which is an unusually unblemished pattern for a twelve-year-old performance car. The trend is therefore stable and reassuring on paper, though the damper failure demonstrates that age-related component deterioration is now beginning to surface even on a lightly used example, and the clean retest confirms the fault was rectified rather than left outstanding. The recorded mileage of 15,708 miles equates to roughly 1,300 miles per year, which is very low for a vehicle of this age. Test intervals have been consistent, with annual examinations each spring and no significant gaps in the record, so the car has remained in regular circulation rather than being laid up for extended periods. That said, such modest annual use means components like suspension dampers, bushes and seals age more through time than through wear, which is entirely consistent with the shock absorber fluid leak recorded in April 2026. Low mileage also means braking and driveline components will have seen limited thermal cycling, but it cannot be taken as evidence of mechanical preservation in itself. The priority for any prospective buyer is the front suspension. The failed nearside damper was replaced or repaired to achieve the May 2026 pass, but the offside front shock absorber is the same age and has covered the same mileage, so it should be inspected closely for any misting or fluid weep around the damper body and rod seal. On a test drive, listen for knocking or dull thuds from the front corners over broken surfaces, and feel for any imbalance in body control or excessive pitch under braking that might suggest the remaining original damper is losing damping efficiency. Given the 458's adaptive magnetorheological suspension, also confirm there are no dashboard suspension warnings and that the system switches between modes correctly. Beyond the suspension, the record offers no other flagged concerns: no corrosion, brake, tyre, emissions or structural advisories appear anywhere in the history. Even so, a buyer should verify that the damper repair was carried out with correct specification parts and request invoices for the work, and should have the underside inspected for any seepage from engine, gearbox or differential seals, since low-mileage Italian performance cars can develop gasket weeps with age that an MOT may not capture. Overall the documented record is a clean one with a single, properly resolved failure, but the damper episode is a clear signal that age-related suspension wear is now a live consideration on this car.