2017 Fiat 500 1.2L Petrol · WM17 WNP

This 2017 Fiat 500 presents a roadworthiness profile that is broadly reassuring on paper, with only one failure in eight tests and the most recent assessment on 2026-02-05 returning a clean pass with no advisories. The single failure occurred in May 2020, when both front wiper blades were recorded as Major defects for failing to clear the windscreen effectively; this is a straightforward wear item rather than a structural or mechanical concern and has not recurred in any subsequent test. The intervening years have been consistently clean, with passes on 2021-04-01, 2022-02-24, 2023-02-10, and 2024-02-15 all carrying no recorded defects at all. The 2025-02-20 test was also a pass, but it carried three advisories that warrant closer attention from a prospective buyer, particularly as these are the only mechanical flags to surface across the entire history. Recorded mileage stands at 45,974 miles against a nine-year age, giving an annual accumulation of roughly 5,100 miles, which is notably low for the vehicle's age. This figure, combined with the MOT cadence, suggests a usage pattern of short, irregular journeys rather than sustained high-mileage motoring. The implications are mechanical rather than purely cosmetic: brake discs and pads, which on a more frequently driven car would self-clean through regular high-temperature operation, can suffer from low-mileage corrosion, and the advisory record reflects this. The 2025 advisories specifically noted thinning front brake pads and pitted or scored front brake discs on both sides, which is consistent with surface corrosion typical of a vehicle used predominantly for short urban trips. The offside front inner track rod end ball joint showing slight play is the third advisory, and while classed as minor at the time of test, steering joints of this nature can deteriorate progressively and merit a physical inspection. For a prospective buyer, the priority items to verify on inspection are the front brake discs and pads previously flagged in 2025. On a test drive, listen for any scraping or grinding from the front wheels under light braking, and feel for brake pedal judder or vibration through the steering wheel which would indicate the discs have worn beyond their service limit or developed uneven run-out. A visual check should confirm pad material thickness and look for a visible lip on the disc outer edge. The track rod end ball joint is the second component to focus on; with the engine running and the vehicle stationary, a second person turning the steering wheel lock to lock while you watch the offside front wheel should reveal any excessive movement at the inner joint. On the road, pay particular attention to any knocking or clonking through the steering when traversing speed humps or potholes, any vagueness or wander in straight-line tracking, and any clonking over uneven surfaces that could indicate the joint has worn further since the 2025 advisory. Beyond the flagged components, a thorough physical inspection remains advisable given the low-mileage usage profile. Check the condition of the rear brake shoes and drums, which are not always visible on test, as rear drums on lightly used urban cars frequently seize due to corrosion even when the front discs have been attended to. Inspect the underside of the vehicle, paying particular attention to the sill seams, wheel arches, and suspension subframe mounting points for any emerging surface corrosion, as Fiat 500s of this era are known to develop rust in these areas. Finally, confirm that the wiper mechanism itself functions smoothly across the full sweep, as the 2020 failure noted both sides simultaneously, which can occasionally point to a worn linkage rather than merely perished blades, and cold-start the vehicle to verify there are no timing belt or auxiliary drive noises that low usage can sometimes mask until components deteriorate.