1998 Peugeot Boxer 2.4L Diesel · P22 RAH

A pattern of structural corrosion and recurring brake and suspension wear dominates the roadworthiness history of this 1998 Peugeot Boxer. The single most serious entry sits at the 2023-03-02 test, where an offside front subframe mounting in the prescribed area was deemed excessively corroded with significantly reduced structural strength, accompanied by an offside stop lamp failure and a nearside front service brake found to be excessively binding. A second failure followed at 2022-02-16, citing a non-functioning horn, a split offside front outer CV joint boot allowing dirt ingress, and both rear service brakes excessively binding. Although the vehicle passed at the most recent test on 2026-04-24, the surrounding advisory pattern reveals the residual mechanical story: front wheel bearing play has been logged on both sides across the last two tests, nearside rear shock absorber bushes were recorded as slightly worn in 2025, and sill corrosion has been flagged on both sides in three consecutive annual tests from 2023 to 2024. The trajectory therefore reads as one of contained but unresolved wear rather than clean roadworthiness, with the corrosion risk still active. Against a 28-year vehicle age, the recorded 55,378 miles equates to an average annual accumulation of roughly 1,978 miles, which is notably low for a commercial-derived van. Such restrained mileage reduces cumulative wear on the engine, clutch, gearbox and drivetrain, but it heightens the likelihood of standing periods during which brake calipers seize, CV joint boots perish from lack of flexing, and underbody corrosion advances without the protective effect of regular road use. This usage profile aligns directly with the recorded defects: the repeated binding brake calipers at both front and rear, the split CV boot, and the progressive subframe and sill corrosion are all consistent with a vehicle that has spent extended intervals stationary. Mileage gaps of roughly twelve months between tests in 2022, 2023 and 2025 suggest periods of dormancy, while the otherwise incremental mileage rise between tests points to short, low-load journeys rather than sustained commercial operation. A prospective buyer should treat the subframe corrosion advisory from 2023 as the central inspection item, even though it did not recur at subsequent tests, because the test records only confirm its condition at the date of examination and cannot establish what has developed since. Lift the vehicle and inspect the offside front subframe mounting area for perforation, flaking scale and any localised repair plating, and check both sills with a magnet or by tapping for filler, distortion, or through-corrosion near the jacking points. With two advisories for slight play in both front wheel bearings, jack each side and rock the wheel at the top and bottom to feel for clonking or rotational roughness; the recorded play warrants replacement if it has progressed. The 2024 advisory for a slightly corroded power steering pipe/hose on the rack should be examined for active seepage and any stiffness in the steering, while the binding brake caliper history demands a warm test drive with repeated stops from around 30 mph to listen for any grabbing, pulling, or judder, and a visual check of the rear caliper slide pins and handbrake mechanism for seizure. The shock absorber bush wear noted in 2025 is another point worth probing on a test drive, as worn bushes allow the axle to shift under load. Drive over speed humps and uneven surfaces at low speed and listen for clonking or rattling from the rear axle, and observe whether the nearside rear wheel shifts fore and aft when rocked with the wheel jacked. Underbonnet, inspect all visible rubber boots, gaiters and CV joints for splits, paying particular attention to the offside front outer joint that was recorded as failed in 2022, and check the offside rear stop lamp circuit and bulb condition given its prior major failure. Given the combination of structural corrosion at load-bearing points, the binding brake history and the low annual mileage, a pre-purchase inspection by a competent specialist with the vehicle raised on a ramp would be the prudent course before committing to purchase.