2015 Land Rover Range Rover 5.0L Petrol · DS 3609

The Range Rover’s MOT history presents a stark contrast between its most recent performance and a single, isolated failure nearly three years ago. Since the January 2023 fail—where all four tyres were at or near the legal limit and both front lower suspension bushes were excessively worn—the vehicle has passed three consecutive annual tests without any defects recorded. The February 2026 pass at 41,597 miles confirms no major issues have resurfaced, suggesting that whatever corrective work was undertaken resolved the critical concerns. That said, the absence of advisories in recent tests means there’s no indication of proactive maintenance beyond the bare minimum required for compliance. The car’s mileage of 41,597 over roughly 11 years—averaging just 3,782 miles annually—is unusually low for its age, particularly for a vehicle of this type. The gap between the 2023 fail (35,508 miles) and the next test (35,510 miles) is suspicious, implying either a clerical error or a deliberate delay in retesting after repairs. More concerning is the lack of mileage accumulation between tests: the 1,552-mile jump from January 2023 to January 2024, followed by another 1,552 miles to January 2025, then a modest 1,450 miles by February 2026, suggests either very light use or prolonged periods of inactivity. Such low mileage could mask wear in components like brakes, drivetrain seals, or suspension, as they degrade more slowly—but it also raises questions about whether the vehicle has been stored improperly, leading to potential issues like seized bearings or degraded fluids. Given the history, a buyer should prioritise a thorough inspection of the front suspension, particularly the lower arm bushes, which were flagged as excessively worn in 2023. While no recent MOT has repeated this fault, wear in these components can accelerate unevenly, especially if the vehicle has been driven on rough terrain or left standing unsupported. The tyres, though now compliant, should be checked for uneven wear patterns—inner-edge scuffing on the nearside rear and all-round tread depth issues hint at alignment problems or underinflation in the past. Brakes were not mentioned in any recent test, but given the 2023 fail occurred just 2 miles before the retest, it’s plausible the pads or discs were replaced; still, binding or uneven wear could have developed since. Finally, the absence of corrosion advisories or structural defects in recent tests is positive, but the car’s age and low mileage mean a close examination of the underbody, wheel arches, and exhaust mounts is warranted—rust or fatigue cracks can go unnoticed without regular high-mileage use. The clean MOT record since 2023 is encouraging, but the vehicle’s history suggests it may have been neglected before that point. A buyer should treat this as an opportunity to verify recent repairs and assess whether the current owner has maintained the car beyond MOT minimums. The suspension and tyres are the most pressing areas, but the lack of mileage makes it difficult to predict long-term reliability without further scrutiny.