2017 Volkswagen Golf 1.6L Diesel · D22 RAJ

The vehicle maintains a roadworthy status, though the maintenance trend shows the first signs of mechanical wear emerging. In the most recent test conducted in December 2025 at 74,031 miles, the tester identified a slight play in the offside front anti-roll bar linkage ball joint. This marks the first defect recorded in four years of clean passes, suggesting that while the vehicle has been stable, suspension components are now beginning to age and degrade. The usage pattern is consistent with a nine-year-old vehicle, averaging approximately 8,200 miles per year. The record shows a steady annual testing interval with mileage increments of roughly 6,000 to 8,000 miles between each inspection from 2021 to 2025. This regularity suggests the car has been subjected to consistent use rather than long periods of standing, which often prevents the seal issues associated with stationary vehicles. A buyer should prioritise a physical inspection of the front suspension geometry, specifically checking the offside anti-roll bar linkage flagged in the latest MOT. While a ball joint with play is a common consumable failure, it indicates that adjacent rubber components like control arm bushes may also soon require attention. Given the clean history between 2021 and 2024, there is no evidence of chronic neglect or recurring structural corrosion, but the focus should now shift to preventative suspension maintenance as the vehicle ages.