2017 MERCEDES-BENZ SLC2.1L Diesel

The vehicle is currently roadworthy, though the maintenance trend indicates a shift toward reactive rather than proactive upkeep. While the latest test in July 2025 at 34,790 miles passed, it introduced advisories for worn nearside front and nearside rear tyres. This marks a departure from the clean records seen in 2022 and 2023, suggesting that components are now reaching the end of their service life despite the low annual mileage. The mileage profile is exceptionally low for a nine-year-old vehicle, averaging approximately 3,866 miles per year. This low usage typically preserves mechanical components like the engine and drivetrain, but data shows inconsistencies. Between June 2023 and July 2024, the car covered 5,192 miles, which is a significant spike compared to its historical average. The failure in June 2024 at 32,037 miles revealed that the low mileage may have caused rubber-based components to degrade through age rather than mechanical wear. A buyer must scrutinise the front suspension geometry in person. The June 2024 failure flagged an excessively worn offside front suspension arm ball joint and multiple worn bushes. While these were seemingly rectified to pass the subsequent test, the presence of multiple bushing issues across the axle often indicates uneven wear or previous impact. The rear brake system was also flagged for thin pads and worn discs in 2024; these should be checked for caliper sticking or uneven pitting, which are common in vehicles that sit for long periods between uses. The recent MOT is nearly a year old, meaning the current state of the tyres requires immediate verification. The advisories for the nearside tyres in 2025 suggest the car is currently nearing a requirement for replacement. Given the history of suspension-related failures, a physical inspection for fresh dry cracking in rubber boots and perished seals is essential to ensure that the low mileage has not led to structural degradation of the critical chassis components.