2007 Peugeot 307 1.6L Diesel · CD 1144

The most recent DVSA examination on 3 September 2025 resulted in a PASS, though three items were recorded against the vehicle: a nearside front steering rack inner joint play advisory, a near side front anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated minor defect, and an offside rear service brake binding but not excessively advisory. Looking at the broader pattern across the last six years of testing, the vehicle has consistently passed but with a recurring theme of advisories, particularly the persistent steering rack inner joint play on the nearside which has been flagged at every test since at least 2020, alongside the recent addition of a deteriorated anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover and brake binding. The history also contains two failures, one in September 2022 for a fractured nearside rear coil spring and another in September 2024 for a nearside front tyre cut exposing ply or cords, both serious items but evidently rectified before the subsequent re-tests. Overall the maintenance trend is broadly stable with the vehicle being kept roadworthy, but the accumulation of steering and suspension related items suggests gradual wear progression that warrants close attention. The recorded mileage of 53,047 miles on a vehicle now nineteen years old equates to an average of around 2,790 miles per annum, which is considerably below the typical annual mileage for a car of this age and points to a history of either genuinely light motoring or, more likely given the MOT test gaps and condition items seen, prolonged periods of standing. Such low usage is mechanically significant because components that deteriorate predominantly with time rather than with distance will have advanced calendar ageing irrespective of the modest odometer reading. Brake discs, callipers, brake hoses, flexible coolant hoses, drive belt rubber, the 12V battery, tyre sidewalls and rubber boots and bushes all degrade with age and inactivity, and a car that has spent long periods parked will commonly suffer binding brakes due to corroded slider mechanisms, perished rubber boots splitting, and surface corrosion on brake discs leading to judder on initial application. Given the recurring nearside steering rack inner joint advisory that has appeared at every test for several years, this should be a primary inspection priority, as steering rack inner joint play can develop into a significant source of lost directional precision and will eventually fail an MOT if the deterioration progresses; during a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking from the front end over speed humps and uneven surfaces, and feel for vagueness or wandering in the steering. The deteriorating anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover is also a concern, as once the cover splits completely the joint will lose its grease and wear rapidly, producing rattling or clunking noises and potentially requiring replacement of the complete anti-roll bar link. The advisory regarding offside rear brake binding suggests the offside rear caliper or handbrake mechanism may be seizing slightly, which on a test drive would manifest as the vehicle pulling to one side, reduced fuel efficiency, a burning smell after use, or excessively hot rear wheel compared to its pair, and this should be inspected by checking for free wheel rotation and clean slider pins. Beyond the recorded defects, a prospective buyer of a nineteen year old Peugeot 307 with such low annual mileage should carry out several time-based checks irrespective of the MOT record. Tyre sidewalls should be examined closely for cracking and perishing due to age, even where tread depth appears adequate, and all tyres including the spare should be checked for their DOT date code as rubber older than around six years begins to harden and lose grip. The braking system should be inspected for surface corrosion on the discs, seized calliper slide pins, perished flexible brake hoses and any signs of fluid leaks, while the cooling system requires scrutiny for brittle hoses, the condition of the timing belt and water pump if due by interval, and the state of the coolant itself which should be refreshed periodically. The 12V battery should be load tested given prolonged standing periods are likely to have degraded it, and the exhaust system examined for corrosion particularly at joints and the rear siliging, as nineteen years of UK weather takes a heavy toll on underbody components. Finally, verify that the service book stamps align with the recorded mileage, confirm the timing belt replacement interval has been observed, and check for any oil leaks from the engine and gearbox seals which become more prevalent with calendar age.