2013 Ford Fiesta 1.2L Petrol · YR63 CXN

The 2013 Ford Fiesta presents a mixed maintenance picture. Its most recent MOT, conducted on 14 January 2026 at 118,078 miles, resulted in a pass, but the tester flagged three distinct advisories that suggest the car is being run close to component limits rather than being proactively maintained. The nearside front tyre was worn to the legal limit and edged, the rear exhaust silencer had a minor gas leak, and the rear brakes were imbalanced to the point of only just meeting minimum standards. Comparing this to the clean pass recorded on 2 January 2024 at 87,944 miles, the trend over the last two years is clearly worsening. The vehicle has accumulated significant mileage in a short window, and the defects now appearing are consistent with a car that has been driven hard without commensurate attention to consumable replacement or brake system adjustment. The mileage accumulation pattern tells a clear story. Between the clean pass on 2 January 2024 at 87,944 miles and the most recent test on 14 January 2026 at 118,078 miles, the car covered 30,134 miles in just over two years. That is roughly 14,500 miles per year, well above the 9,083-mile annual average implied by its age. This rapid accumulation explains the accelerated wear on tyres and the rear brake imbalance, both of which are directly proportional to distance driven. The gap between the 2024 and 2026 tests is also notable. There is no recorded MOT between those dates, meaning the car sat unused or was driven untested for a period before the mileage surged. The 2025 tests at 98,678 miles show a failed attempt on the same day as a pass, both at identical mileage, suggesting the owner addressed the windscreen washer fault between two test bookings but left the tyre and exhaust issues untouched for another full year. A buyer inspecting this car should focus on three areas. First, the rear braking system needs close examination. The tester's note that imbalance requirements were only just met points to a sticking caliper, uneven disc wear, or a deteriorating flexible hose. Have the rear discs, pads, and calipers assessed for scoring and free movement. Second, the rear exhaust silencer has been leaking gases since at least January 2025 and was still flagged in January 2026. This is not a new fault. It has persisted across two consecutive annual tests, meaning the silencer or its joints are corroded and will likely need replacement rather than a simple repair. Third, the suspension arm ball joints flagged in May 2022 at 84,246 miles were noted as having slight play. With an additional 33,000 miles since that advisory, those joints may now be significantly worn. Check for clunking over rough surfaces and have the front end inspected on a ramp for excessive movement before committing to purchase.