2018 Mitsubishi Mirage 1.2L Petrol · YA68 OSL

A clean and largely untroubled MOT history defines this Mitsubishi Mirage, with the single recorded failure being a trivial washer-fluid top-up that was rectified the same day and the subsequent test on 28 May 2026 passing with no defects recorded at 39,379 miles. The previous four examinations in 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022 also passed without advisories, giving five consecutive clean results. The only cluster of notes appears at the November 2021 test, when the odometer would have been considerably lower. That test recorded thin front brake pads, both front and rear tyres worn close to the legal limit with perishing, a defective pair of wiper blades, and a deformed central front subframe where structural rigidity was not significantly reduced. No further advisories have appeared in the four years since, suggesting the braking and tyre components flagged at that point were attended to and the subframe condition has not deteriorated to the point of re-noting. Annual mileage works out at roughly 4,922 miles per year over the eight-year life of the car, which is unusually low and points to a vehicle that has either been used sparingly or has spent extended periods off the road. The MOT record shows testing gaps of seven to twelve months between annual visits rather than any multi-year lay-up, and the mileage progression across the recorded tests appears broadly consistent with light, steady use rather than sudden high-mileage accumulation. Mechanically, such a low annual figure tends to preserve the engine, clutch and drivetrain, but it can work against consumables such as brake discs and pads, which can corrode on the surface from infrequent use, and can expose rubber components to dry-rot through underuse rather than wear. The front brake pads noted as wearing thin in 2021 should be physically inspected on any viewing, checking the remaining friction material thickness through the caliper window and listening on a test drive for any squeal or grinding under light pedal application that could indicate the pads have once more thinned toward the backing plate. Even though the 2026 test passed without comment, corrosion on the brake discs from low annual mileage is a known issue on lightly used city cars and may manifest as a judder through the pedal or steering wheel under the first firm stop from cold. The tyres flagged for wear and perishing on both axles in 2021 are simply age-related items that recur roughly every four years on a low-mileage car, so a close check of the current sidewalls for cracking between the tread grooves and a check of the production date stamps is worthwhile. The central front subframe deformation noted in 2021, where structural rigidity was deemed not significantly reduced, is the most notable structural item in the file. On a test drive, listen for any clonks or knocks from beneath the front of the car over speed humps and uneven surfaces, particularly clattering that could indicate a loose or shifting mounting, and feel for vagueness or wandering through the steering that might suggest the subframe mounting points have moved further. Roadholding, ABS intervention under hard braking and any warning lights on the dashboard should also be scrutinised, as the subframe carries the steering rack and lower suspension arms. With no repeat advisories since 2021 and four clean tests behind it, the mechanical outlook from the MOT record is reassuring, provided the subframe, brakes and tyres are examined closely at the point of purchase.