1998 FORD MONDEO1.8L PETROL

The roadworthiness of this vehicle is currently indeterminate due to a complete lack of testing data for nearly two decades. The last recorded MOT occurred in December 2007 at 162,105 miles, meaning the car has operated without a certified safety check for 18 years. While the final test resulted in a pass, the absence of subsequent records suggests the vehicle has either been off-road, used informally, or abandoned, rendering the historically current mechanical condition unknown and unreliable. The mileage profile is notably low for a twenty-eight-year-old vehicle, averaging approximately 5,800 miles per year. The data shows consistent progress between 105,865 miles in 2005 and 134,277 miles in late 2006, reaching 162,105 miles by late 2007. However, the low mileage combined with the long period of inactivity often indicates age-related degradation, such as perished rubber, seized seals, and fluid breakdown, which are more detrimental to older vehicles than mechanical wear from high mileage. A physical inspection must focus heavily on structural integrity and the braking system, as the 2007 failure highlighted significant corrosion on front brake pipes and a leaking system. The buyer should check for extensive rust on the sills and floor pans, which often accelerates when a car sits stationary. Given the previous failures regarding anti-roll bar linkages and shock absorbers, the entire suspension geometry requires a thorough check for play and perished bushings to ensure the components have not degraded during the long intervals between use.