2006 Ford Focus 2.5L Petrol · WK55 FPE

The 2006 Ford Focus presents a mixed maintenance picture. The most recent MOT, conducted on 17 July 2025 at 129,004 miles, passed but carried multiple advisories that point to deteriorating structural and braking components rather than routine wear. Underside corrosion was noted alongside corrosion affecting the rear subframe and suspension components. Both rear brake discs were flagged as worn, pitted or scored, and both rear tyres were worn to the point of showing cords on the inner edges. Front lower suspension arm bushes were worn, and an oil leak was recorded. Engine covers and undertrays obscured inspection of the underside, which limits the completeness of that test. Comparing this to the clean pass recorded on 28 March 2024 with zero defects, the trend is clearly worsening over the most recent twelve months. The mileage pattern is broadly consistent with typical use for a vehicle of this age. From 113,229 miles recorded on 7 October 2020 to 129,004 miles on 17 July 2025, the vehicle accumulated roughly 15,775 miles over nearly five years, averaging approximately 3,150 miles annually during that window. This is lower than the overall lifetime average of around 6,450 miles per year, suggesting the car has seen lighter recent use or spent extended periods stationary. The gap between the March 2024 and July 2025 tests shows no recorded mileage increase, which is unusual and may indicate the vehicle was not in regular use during that period or that mileage was not captured at the time of test. A buyer should treat the underside as the primary area of concern. The July 2025 test explicitly identified corrosion on the rear subframe and suspension components, which on a twenty-year-old vehicle raises legitimate questions about structural integrity, particularly around mounting points and suspension pickup areas. The rear brake discs and tyres were both flagged as worn, and the tyres were described as being close to exposing cords, meaning replacement is not a future consideration but an immediate requirement. The oil leak, while described as not excessive at the time of test, warrants investigation to determine its source, whether that is a rocker cover gasket, oil filter housing seal, or a more significant rear main seal issue. The suspension history shows a recurring pattern of wear across multiple test cycles. Anti-roll bar linkage dust covers were flagged as severely deteriorated in both 2021 and 2022, rear coil springs were noted as corroded in 2022, and front suspension arm bushes and ball joint play have appeared across several tests. These are not isolated failures but a consistent pattern of aging rubber and metal components that have not been proactively replaced. Any pre-purchase inspection should include a thorough check of suspension bush condition, subframe mounting points for corrosion-related weakness, and a road test to assess brake binding or uneven braking effort given the repeated rear brake disc advisories.