2016 Mercedes-Benz E 1.9L Diesel · BV66 YSS

A pattern of front suspension and brake wear dominates the mechanical record of this 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, with the most recent test on 5 November 2025 passing without any advisories but the broader history showing a nearside front lower suspension arm ball joint that was first flagged with slight play in November 2023 and then recorded as excessively worn at the dangerous failure level in November 2024. That failure was accompanied by rear brake pads worn below the 1.5 mm minimum thickness, and on the same day a re-test passed only after the defects were addressed, while retaining advisories for front brake discs worn but not excessively and front brake pads wearing thin. Earlier tests from 2019 through 2022 were largely clean aside from an inner-edge rear tyre advisory in 2022, suggesting that the bulk of the recent deterioration is concentrated in the front axle braking and suspension geometry rather than being a long-standing, vehicle-wide concern. Against an age of roughly ten years, the recorded mileage of 56,568 equates to an average annual accumulation of approximately 5,657 miles, which sits well below typical expectations for a vehicle of this vintage. Annual MOT readings progress from 2019 through to 2025 with no multi-year gaps in testing, indicating the car has remained on the road throughout, yet the year-on-year mileage increments are modest and consistent with light rather than sustained use. Mechanically, lower mileage of this kind reduces wear on major drivetrain and exhaust components but can still place stress on items that degrade with age regardless of distance covered, such as rubber suspension bushes, ball joints, brake hoses, and brake caliper slide mechanisms that can bind or seize when not exercised regularly. For a prospective buyer, the immediate priority is a close inspection of the front suspension, particularly the nearside lower arm ball joint that was replaced or repaired following the November 2024 failure, as any knocking or clonking over uneven surfaces, vagueness through the steering on turn-in, or uneven front tyre wear would suggest that the repair has not bedded in correctly or that adjacent components such as the offside arm, wishbone bushes, or anti-roll bar drop links have since deteriorated. The brake system also warrants direct attention, with the rear calipers and pads last inspected only because of an out-of-specification reading and the front discs and pads showing progressive thinning across consecutive advisories, so a test drive should include several firm stops from higher speed to detect any pedal judder, pulling to one side, or a soft or spongy pedal that might indicate a sticking caliper or perished brake hose. Given the inner-edge rear tyre wear recorded in 2022, confirm that all four tyres are of matching brand, size, and tread depth, as uneven shoulder wear can point to lingering alignment or suspension geometry issues that a single ball joint replacement may not have fully resolved.