2008 Daihatsu Sirion 1.3L Petrol · WD08 LDY

A clean and uninterrupted pass record across four consecutive MOT tests, the most recent being on 28 March 2025 with no advisories or failures, establishes this 2008 Daihatsu Sirion as a consistently roadworthy example. The single recorded failure on 7 April 2022 carries no defect information, which can occur when a vehicle is presented before repairs are completed or when a refusal is issued administratively; the immediately retest on the same date returned a pass, and the car has since cleared three further tests without a single advisory. This pattern is notable on a vehicle of this age, where suspension, brake, and corrosion advisories typically begin to appear, and it suggests the Sirion has either been meticulously maintained or has seen predominantly gentle use that has not yet stressed its consumable components. Against an expected annual mileage of roughly 3,500 miles, the recorded 63,733 miles over eighteen years points to a car that has been used very lightly, averaging only about 3,541 miles per year. This is substantially below the typical 6,000 to 8,000 miles expected of a UK vehicle of this vintage, and the figure should be interpreted cautiously. Low-mileage examples often suffer more from the effects of standing than from wear: rubber components such as suspension bushes, anti-roll bar links, drive shaft gaiters, and brake caliper seals can perish or stiffen with disuse, leading to knocks, binding, and fluid leaks when the car is returned to regular service. Any extended gaps between tests or unusual clustering of mileage should be questioned, and a thorough inspection of perished rubbers and seized calipers is warranted despite the unblemished MOT sheet. On a physical inspection, particular attention should be paid to the suspension components that would normally be flagged as the vehicle accumulated mileage, namely the front and rear coil springs for corrosion and fractures, the anti-roll bar drop links and their bushes for knocking over uneven surfaces, and the lower wishbone bushes for splitting. Given the low annual mileage, the brake system warrants a close manual check: even though the MOT recorded no defects, caliper slides, handbrake mechanism, and rear drum or disc handbrake cables can seize when infrequently operated, producing a dragging sensation, uneven braking, or a handbrake that fails to hold on an incline. The tyres should also be examined for age-related sidewall cracking, as older tyres on a low-mileage car are often the original fitment and may have hardened, reducing grip particularly in damp conditions. Under the bonnet, the 1.0 and 1.3-litre engines fitted to this generation of Sirion are generally robust, but low usage can bring its own issues, including oil seals that weep when components have dried out and cooling system hoses that perish at their clips. Listen at idle for any timing chain rattle from a cold start, and check for oil misting around the cam cover gasket and around the sump plug, as both are common leak points on this model. On the road, expect a light and easy driving character but be alert to any clonks from the front suspension over speed humps, a wandering steering feel that may indicate perished front bushes, or a brake pedal that requires pumping, all of which would be consistent with a car that has spent long periods stationary rather than covering its miles steadily. Despite the flawless MOT history, a pre-purchase inspection by a specialist familiar with small Japanese hatchbacks remains strongly advisable given the age and the likely periods of inactivity inherent to such a low-mileage vehicle.