1996 Chevrolet GMC Motor Home 5.7L Petrol · N897 FKJ

This 1996 Chevrolet GMC Motor Home holds a fully clean MOT certificate dated 14 April 2026 at 38,989 miles, with zero defects recorded. The maintenance trend is clearly improving. The 2023 test at 38,406 miles flagged four advisories, including corroded rear brake pipes, slight play in a nearside front wheel bearing, and wear in an offside front drag link end ball joint. By April 2024, the vehicle passed cleanly at 38,598 miles, and it repeated that clean result in April 2025 at 38,814 miles. The April 2026 failure was a trivial registration plate lamp issue, rectified on the same day. This pattern suggests a previous owner addressed the 2023 mechanical advisories promptly and has kept the vehicle in sound condition since. The mileage profile is exceptionally low. Over roughly three decades, the recorded distance averages approximately 1,300 miles per year. The MOT history shows incremental annual usage of 185 miles between April 2024 and April 2025, and 175 miles between April 2025 and April 2026. Such minimal accumulation implies long periods of dormancy between short trips. While low mileage limits wear on consumables like brake discs and tyres, prolonged sitting carries its own risks. Seals, flexible hoses, and brake components can deteriorate from age and moisture ingress rather than use. The 2023 corrosion on both rear brake pipes, masked under grease, hints at surface rust developing during stationary periods. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on structural and mechanical systems prone to age-related decay. Examine the chassis and floor pans for corrosion, particularly around suspension mounting points, brake pipe runs, and any box sections where water collects. The 2023 advisories flagged corroded rear brake pipes; verify whether these were replaced or merely cleaned and greased. Inspect all flexible brake hoses for perishing and check the condition of the drag link and suspension bushes, as the 2023 test noted play in the offside front drag link end ball joint. Confirm the nearside front wheel bearing remains free of play. Despite the clean recent MOT, a motor home standing for months between short trips demands scrutiny of fuel system integrity, coolant condition, and tyre sidewall cracking from age, not just tread depth.