CITROEN BERLINGO2006 · 1.9L DIESEL

The Citroen Berlingo failed its most recent MOT on 13 March 2026 at 119,603 miles and is presently unroadworthy. The maintenance trend has worsened markedly from previous years. In that test the examiner rejected the vehicle for excessive corrosion to near and offside outer sills and rear inner sill and chassis suspension mounting areas, each significantly reducing structural strength. He also flagged worn near side front anti roll bar ball joint, worn off side front suspension arm ball joint, excessive play in the near track rod end, a fractured off side front coil spring, and front brake discs obviously and significantly worn. This contrasts with the February 2025 pass at 116,772 miles which carried only corrosion advisories on rear outer sills and a severely deteriorated near front drive shaft CV boot. The mileage record shows consistently low use for a twenty year old vehicle. From the February 2022 test at 102,014 miles the Berlingo recorded 107,391 in February 2023, 112,474 in February 2024, 116,772 in February 2025 and 119,603 in March 2026. Annual increments of roughly four to five thousand miles indicate light duty and probable periods of standing. Low accumulation did not prevent rust progression. Corrosion first noted as non structural on rear outer sills in 2023 spread to load bearing inner sills and chassis by 2026, suggesting previous keepers ignored advisory warnings and omitted underseal care. A buyer must inspect the exact structural zones cited in the failure. The near and off side outer sills, rear inner sills and chassis mounting points require physical probing for perforation and flaking. Suspension and steering joints need full replacement: anti roll bar ball joint, front lower arm ball joint and track rod end are past limits. The broken coil spring and worn front discs confirm neglected mechanical servicing. The CV boot deterioration logged in 2025 should be checked for splits and grease loss. Prior ownership clearly deferred welding and running gear repairs until statutory rejection forced the issue.