2016 Vauxhall Zafira 1.4L Petrol · BU16 LWR

The vehicle is currently roadworthy, but the recent history reveals a significant decline in maintenance standards during the last testing period. While it passed its MOT in October 2025 at 71,169 miles, this followed two consecutive failures within a single month. The trend shows a reactive rather than proactive approach to repairs, as faults were addressed only after failing the test rather than being serviced beforehand. The transition from a serious fluid leak on the offside rear shock absorber to light misting on the nearside unit suggests some work was performed recently. The mileage pattern is consistent with a ten-year-old vehicle, averaging approximately 7,100 miles per year. There is a gap of 6,159 miles between the October 2024 and October 2025 tests, which indicates steady use. However, the rapid accumulation of just 95 miles between the September and October 2025 failures suggests the car was driven only to the testing centre to rectify the mechanical defects. The low annual mileage often leads to the aging of rubber components, such as tyres and bushes, which aligns with the issues noted in the record. A buyer must conduct a close inspection of the suspension geometry, as the offside front suspension arm bush was flagged as excessively worn in September 2025. The rear shock absorbers require monitoring, as the history of serious leaks and misting across multiple tests indicates the seals are failing due to age rather than just distance. Given that the rear brake pads were below the legal limit of 1.5mm recently, the discs should be checked for thinning to ensure they have not scored. The presence of a child seat during testing also hindered inspections, so a thorough check of the adult seatbelt and mounting points is necessary.