1985 Rover 3500 3.5L Petrol · C885 EUD

The most recent MOT in May 2025 resulted in a pass, yet it highlighted that the offside rear tyre is slightly damaged, cracking, or perishing. This follows a pattern from the previous year where both offside tyres showed similar deterioration, suggesting rubber degradation is an active issue despite the low annual mileage. A clear mechanical trend shows recurring fluid leaks and braking component wear that has persisted since at least 2021. The vehicle has consistently presented with engine oil leaks, servo oil leaks, and front brake discs that are worn, pitted, or scored. While these were deemed not to seriously weaken the discs in 2024 and 2025, their continued presence indicates unresolved maintenance rather than new damage. The condition trend appears stable regarding major failures but concerning for ongoing neglect of minor faults. The same defects regarding wheel bearing play, brake binding, and missing cotter pins appeared in both 2024 tests before the car passed in 2025 without explicit mention of their repair in the provided notes. This suggests the car may be passing on technicalities while underlying issues like slight wheel bearing play and brake bind remain unaddressed. With roughly 80,999 miles over 41 years, the average usage is extremely low at under 2,000 miles annually. This context implies long periods of standing still, which often accelerates the perishing of tyres and seals more than high mileage would.