2015 Vauxhall Astra 1.6L Diesel · CU65 WKM

The 2015 Vauxhall Astra presents a generally stable but mechanically neglected roadworthiness profile as of its most recent MOT on 6 November 2025 at 87,979 miles. That test began as a failure due to an offside rear fuel pipe union leaking at the fuel filter area, a defect demanding immediate repair before the same-day retest passed. The tester also flagged an offside rear brake pad wearing thin and both the offside front and nearside rear tyres worn close to the legal limit. The fuel leak represents a serious safety-critical fault that was rectified promptly, yet the simultaneous appearance of worn pads and marginal tyres on the same axle suggests deferred maintenance rather than a one-off issue. The trend is not worsening in a structural sense, but it is not clean either. It points to an owner who addressed failures reactively at the MOT boundary rather than maintaining the car proactively throughout the year. The mileage progression tells a coherent story. Between 31 October 2023 at 64,748 miles and 7 November 2024 at 75,022 miles, the car covered 10,274 miles in just over twelve months. Then from 7 November 2024 to 6 November 2025, the odometer moved only from 75,022 to 87,979 miles, adding 12,957 miles in a year. That is roughly 10,798 miles annually across the most recent two years, which is above the 7,998-mile average implied by the car's age. The MOT record is sparse for a vehicle of this mileage, with only three test events spanning two years. There is no evidence of rapid gaps or suspicious jumps, but the limited history means a buyer cannot verify interim servicing or whether the fuel leak developed over weeks or months before the November 2025 failure. A buyer inspecting this Astra in person should focus on the rear axle and fuel system first. The recurring rear brake pad wear and repeated rear tyre advisories across multiple tests suggest the offside rear caliper may be binding or the handbrake mechanism on that side is dragging, generating excess heat and accelerated wear. The offside rear tyre has appeared on the verge of the legal limit in three consecutive tests, and the 2024 failure recorded a structural bulge from internal separation on that same corner. That pattern warrants a close inspection of the rear suspension bushes, shock absorbers, and coil springs for wear or uneven loading that could be causing irregular tyre contact. The fuel pipe leak at the union near the fuel filter also demands underbody inspection, particularly around the offside rear inner wing and fuel lines, for corrosion or chafing that could recur. Tyre condition across all four corners should be checked for age-related cracking, as the 2023 test noted perishing on both rear tyres at just 3mm tread depth, indicating the rubber was degrading well before the tread was consumed.