2007 Subaru Legacy 2.0L Petrol · AG56 RHJ

Based on the DVSA MOT records, the 2007 Subaru Legacy currently holds a pass certificate dated 30 August 2023 at 272,890 miles, but the maintenance trend is clearly worsening. That same test day produced a fail for exhaust emissions exceeding hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, and Lambda default limits, alongside a non-clearing offside wiper and a completely empty washer reservoir. The tester flagged a corroded nearside rear tailpipe clamp and noted perished front suspension reaction bushes. Anti-roll bar linkage play on both axles has persisted across multiple tests, indicating these components have not been addressed despite repeated advisories. The most recent certificate is now nearly three years old, meaning the vehicle has been stationary or untested for a significant period. The mileage pattern tells a story of high annual use followed by a suspicious plateau. Between 2021 and 2022 the car covered roughly 6,400 miles in eleven months. Between 2022 and 2023 it added 8,444 miles in sixteen months. Then the recorded mileage froze at exactly 272,890 miles across both the fail and pass entries on 30 August 2023, and no further tests appear in the record. For a vehicle averaging over 14,000 miles per year across its nineteen-year life, this sudden stasis raises questions. The car may have been sitting unused, or the mileage discrepancy could indicate a rolled-back odometer. A buyer should verify the current true mileage against service invoices, cambelt replacement receipts, and the physical condition of the clutch pedal, driver's seat bolster, and steering wheel wear. A prospective buyer must inspect the front suspension reaction bushes and anti-roll bar linkages in person. The 2023 advisory noted perished reaction bushes both sides, and play in the anti-roll bar linkage ball joints has appeared on every test since 2021 without rectification. The exhaust system requires close examination. The 2023 emissions failure points to a deteriorating catalytic converter or lambda sensor, and the corroded tailpipe clamp suggests systemic exhaust decay. Brake discs were flagged as surface-roughened in 2021, and with no subsequent test confirming replacement, expect pitting and lipping on all four corners. The perished suspension bushes and corroded exhaust mounting also warrant a thorough underbody inspection for structural corrosion, particularly around the rear subframe and sills where Subaru Legacy models of this era are known to rust.