2015 Nissan Qashqai 1.6L Diesel · BN15 JOA

The Nissan Qashqai presents a mixed maintenance picture. The most recent MOT, conducted on 6 February 2026 at 132,454 miles, passed, but the tester flagged an oil leak and rear brake pads wearing thin. These are minor issues, yet they sit against a backdrop of recurring suspension and braking faults that suggest a pattern of deferred rather than proactive maintenance. The overall trend is not clearly improving; it is stable in the sense that the car remains roadworthy, but the same categories of defect keep reappearing without evidence of lasting repair. The vehicle has covered 132,454 miles over roughly eleven years, averaging about 12,000 miles per year. That is above the typical annual mileage for a car of this age, indicating sustained high use rather than light commuting. The MOT record shows a gap between January 2024 and January 2025, during which the mileage jumped from 98,988 to 114,373, a gain of 15,385 miles in twelve months. That spike confirms the car was being driven hard through that period. The subsequent rise to 132,454 by February 2026, another 18,081 miles in thirteen months, reinforces the picture of a vehicle subjected to continuous, demanding use with no extended periods of standing. Buyers should focus their inspection on the front suspension and braking components, which have appeared repeatedly in the test history. In the January 2025 failure at 114,373 miles, the tester flagged worn nearside front lower suspension arm pin or bushes, insecure ball joint dust covers, and a light oil misting on the nearside front shock absorber. These are not consumable items; they are structural wear points that, left unresolved, can lead to uneven tyre wear, vague steering, and compromised handling. The inner edge wear noted on both front tyres in both 2024 and 2025 supports the likelihood that suspension geometry has been out of specification for some time. A physical check of the front wishbones, ball joints, and shock absorbers for play, oil misting, and perished bushes is essential. The braking system also warrants close attention. Rear brake pads were flagged as wearing thin in both the January 2025 and February 2026 tests, and the nearside front brake disc was noted as scored in 2025. Combined with the repeated advisories on front and rear tyre condition, including cracking and wear to the legal limit, this points to a car where braking and tyre upkeep has been reactive rather than preventive. A buyer should inspect the condition of all brake discs and pads, check for any uneven wear patterns, and verify that the tyres are fresh and evenly worn. The oil leak noted in the most recent test should also be traced to its source, as even minor leaks can escalate if left unaddressed.