2004 Nissan Micra 1.2L Petrol · WF04 AEG

A 22-year-old Nissan Micra with 114,329 miles on the odometre presents an unusual MOT picture: a pattern of alternate pass and fail outcomes with no recorded defects on either side. Across five documented tests between May 2023 and May 2025, the vehicle passed on 2023-05-10, failed on 2024-05-13 without recorded defects, passed the following day on 2024-05-15, failed on 2025-05-06 without recorded defects, and passed the next day on 2025-05-07. The absence of any advisory notes, category failures, or component-specific defects means that the official DVSA record cannot, on its own, identify the precise mechanical reason for the repeated failure entries. Failures without recorded defects on the summary provided typically indicate that the relevant information was either not captured in the data supplied or relates to items not categorised under the standard advisory and failure coding, and a prospective buyer should treat the blank entries as a prompt to obtain the full MOT certificates, including any advisory and failure detail lines, directly from DVSA before committing. As the records stand, the roadworthiness trend cannot be described as stable or deteriorating because there is insufficient component-level information to make that judgement. The usage profile of this Micra is notably restrained for its age. At roughly 5,197 miles per year over a 22-year span, the annual accumulation is well below the typical figure for a vehicle of this vintage, particularly one that has remained in active test cycles throughout the period. The MOT testing record shows no multi-year lay-up, with annual or near-annual tests from 2023 through 2025 indicating the car has been on the road consistently in recent years. That said, the relatively modest mileage does not automatically equate to preserved mechanical condition, and lower-than-average annual use on an ageing Micra can still place the usual wear items under scrutiny. Rubber components, suspension bushes, brake hoses, coolant hoses, and the underfloor exhaust and braking hardware are all subject to age-related deterioration regardless of mileage, and the absence of any advisory notes on the record does not preclude their being close to replacement threshold. From a buyer-inspection standpoint, the lack of recorded advisories means the focus on a physical inspection should fall on the components commonly affected on K12-series Micras of this age and mileage band. Particular attention should be paid to the front suspension, including the lower wishbone bushes and anti-roll bar drop links, which are known to perish and split with age; listen for clonks or knocks over uneven surfaces and feel for vagueness through the steering. The front strut top mounts and coil springs should be checked for corrosion, as should the rear beam axle mounting points for any distortion or cracking. Brake discs and pads, given the age rather than the mileage, may exhibit lipped discs, surface corrosion, or seized caliper slider pins, so a firm pedal feel without judder under braking should be confirmed, and the handbrake holding on an incline verified. The steering rack and tie rod ends on these Micras can develop play and weep seals, so any clunking on full lock or uneven tyre wear across the front axle warrants further investigation. On the test drive, listen for transmission whine or crunch on selection, particularly in the lower gears, and check for any smoke from the exhaust on start-up indicative of valve stem seal wear, which is plausible at this age. Inspect the underside closely for any oil weeping from the engine sump, cam cover, or gearbox, and for corrosion along the floor pans, jacking points, and around the rear wheel arches. Above all, given the repeated MOT failures without documented component reasons on the summary provided, obtaining the full MOT test sheets from DVSA is the single most important step before purchase, as they will reveal exactly which items have been flagged in each cycle and allow the mechanical risk to be assessed against the vehicle's age and recorded mileage.