2012 Peugeot 3008 1.6L Diesel · MM12 AAU

This 2012 Peugeot 3008 presents a roadworthiness picture dominated by a sharp reversal in the most recent test rather than a long-running pattern of mechanical decline. Between February 2022 and March 2025, the vehicle secured four consecutive passes with no advisories at all, suggesting a period where it was clearly meeting minimum standards without borderline items being flagged. That consistency broke on 30 March 2026, when the car failed on five separate Major items in a single examination: insufficient front windscreen washer fluid, a non-functioning nearside front position lamp, an offside front headlamp that was not operating on dipped beam, an inoperative offside rear stop lamp, and a split nearside front outer CV joint boot that was no longer preventing ingress of dirt. A retest on the same day produced a pass, but three advisories were logged at the same time, covering perishing on both nearside tyres and a nail embedded in the offside rear tyre. The cluster of lighting failures, taken together with the compromised CV boot, is the defining mechanical takeaway: the vehicle moved from a clean three-year run into a test where basic electrical and drivetrain integrity items were all found wanting simultaneously, which warrants close inspection. Recorded mileage of 87,838 miles over a 14-year life equates to roughly 6,270 miles per year, which is in line with typical usage for a car of this vintage and points to a vehicle that has been driven consistently rather than left standing for long periods. There are no unusual gaps between annual tests, with the MOT record appearing every February or March from 2020 through 2026, which is consistent with continuous road use and rules out extended lay-ups that might otherwise raise concerns about seized brakes, perished cooling system hoses, or flat-spotted tyres. The mileage progression through these tests is broadly steady, reinforcing the impression of regular commuter or family use. Earlier in the record, the 2020 test recorded both front service brakes binding slightly but not excessively, and the 2021 test captured nearside front tyre wear at the legal limit with both front brake pads flagged as wearing thin, all of which are entirely consistent with accumulating mileage on the consumable systems of a higher-mileage European hatchback. For a prospective buyer, the priorities raised by this record centre on the items flagged on the most recent failure. The split CV boot on the nearside front driveshaft is the most mechanically significant, as once the boot is compromised, grease is expelled and contaminated material is drawn into the joint, leading rapidly to vibration under load, clicking on full lock, and ultimately joint failure. A test drive should include tight low-speed turns in both directions to listen for any clicking or knocking, and the inner and outer boots should be visually inspected for fresh grease deposits, perished rubber, or previously repaired clamp marks. The four lighting defects, while typically inexpensive to resolve, suggest checking the condition of all bulbs, the headlamp connector and wiring for corrosion, and the multifunction switch, as a single root cause such as water ingress or a failing lighting control module could explain multiple simultaneous failures. The tyre advisories across 2020 and 2026, covering both perishing and under-inflation, warrant confirmation that all four tyres are current, correctly sized to the 3008 specification, and that the wheels have been balanced since any replacement, as uneven wear or chronic under-inflation can mask alignment issues. The earlier front brake binding and thin pad advisories from 2020 and 2021 mean the caliper guide pins, slider channels, and rear brake mechanisms should be examined for stiffness, particularly after the car has been parked overnight, and a firm brake pedal with no judder under moderate stopping should be confirmed on the road. Finally, the age of the vehicle places it firmly in the bracket where corrosion becomes a structural concern, so the offside and nearside front suspension arms, subframe mounting points, brake lines along the underbody, and the exhaust system should be inspected for any emerging rust, given that the MOT record does not contain corrosion advisories but also does not exclude their future development.