This 1993 Mitsubishi Lancer presents a mixed maintenance picture. The most recent MOT, dated 11 May 2007 at 86,593 miles, passed, but it followed a failure just ten days earlier on 1 May 2007 at 86,549 miles. That failure flagged multiple active defects, including a split nearside steering rack gaiter, excessively pitted inner front brake discs on both sides, and a slightly distorted nearside front wheel bead rim. The car also carried advisories for aftermarket front seats, seat belts, exhaust, and suspension, plus a handbrake needing adjustment. The pass on the retest suggests these specific items were rectified, yet the underlying pattern reveals a vehicle that was deteriorating quickly enough to fail and pass within the same month. The maintenance trend is therefore unstable rather than consistently improving.
The mileage record is exceptionally sparse and raises its own concerns. Between the August 2006 test at 85,602 miles and the May 2007 tests at 86,549 to 86,593 miles, the car covered roughly 991 miles in nine months. There is no recorded MOT activity after May 2007, meaning the vehicle has had no verified roadworthiness assessment for nearly nineteen years as of today, 18 June 2026. The recorded 86,593 miles equates to an average of approximately 2,624 miles per year over thirty-three years, which is very low. Such low annual use often correlates with long periods of standing, during which rubber components perish, brake surfaces corrode, and fluids degrade without the regular thermal cycling that keeps systems in working order.
The 2006 pass already carried advisories for corroded rear brake discs, a corroded centre exhaust section, and front suspension components beginning to corrode in places, alongside a badly perished nearside steering rack gaiter. These are not minor cosmetic issues. Corrosion on brake discs and exhaust sections suggests the car was already suffering from moisture ingress and underuse-related decay. The steering rack gaiter deterioration points to a lack of proactive rubber-component replacement, which can allow water and grit into the rack itself, leading to costly steering failure if left unaddressed.
A buyer should treat this vehicle as unroadworthy until proven otherwise. The absence of any MOT since 2007 means there is no current certificate, making it illegal to drive on the road without a fresh test. Before any purchase, a thorough inspection should focus on the structural integrity of the front suspension and subframe given the corrosion noted in 2006, the condition of all brake discs and calipers given the repeated pitting and corrosion history, and the steering rack for play or leaks following the split gaiter advisory. The aftermarket exhaust, suspension, and seat installations from 2007 also need verification for safe mounting and compliance. Tyres, bushes, and all rubber hoses will almost certainly require replacement due to age-related perishing after nearly two decades of dormancy.