2004 Vauxhall Vivaro 1.9L Diesel · BL53 FVC

The most recent MOT was on 2025-11-17 — just seven months ago — and it shows both a PASS and a FAIL on the same day. The vehicle passed only after urgent repairs were carried out, likely to fix the critical failure items: the collapsed top bearing in the offside front MacPherson strut, and the dangerously low service and parking brake efficiencies. A clear pattern emerges across all three years: persistent corrosion on brake pipes (both sides, front), rear coil springs, exhaust mountings, tyres, and general underbody rust. The strut mounting failure and brake efficiency failures are new and serious — they signal accelerating deterioration, not stable wear. The fact that brake efficiency barely met requirements in 2023, then failed outright in 2025, confirms the braking system is worsening, not holding steady. At 122,002 miles over 22 years, this Vivaro averages just 5,546 miles per year — well below typical commercial use. That low annual mileage doesn’t mean less risk; it often points to long periods of inactivity, which accelerates corrosion, dries out rubber components, and causes brake calipers and master cylinders to seize or bind — exactly what’s shown here with corroded brake pipes and binding front brakes. The tyre condition is also concerning: both rear tyres show cracking around inner and outer sidewalls — a classic sign of age-related perishing, not just wear. That, combined with corroded coil springs and swivel pin wear, suggests suspension integrity is compromised. The repeated “general underbody corrosion” notes reinforce that structural weakness is widespread, not superficial.