2004 Vauxhall Vivaro 1.9L Diesel · CV54 WNU

This 2004 Vauxhall Vivaro presents a mixed maintenance picture. The most recent MOT, a pass on 6 October 2021 at 127,135 miles, followed a same-day failure for a serious nearside rear shock absorber leak, a non-functioning horn, and multiple suspension advisories. That same-day retest pattern suggests the previous owner addressed immediate failures but left underlying wear items unresolved. The record then goes completely dark for over four and a half years. No test exists between October 2021 and today, June 2026, meaning the vehicle has no proven roadworthiness status for the last four years and eight months. That is a significant gap for a commercial van of this age. The mileage profile is unusual. Between the September 2019 pass at 127,135 miles and the October 2020 pass at 127,136 miles, the van recorded just one mile in over a year. The same 127,135-mile figure then reappears across multiple 2021 tests. This pattern strongly suggests the odometer has been capped, replaced, or simply not recorded accurately, making true mileage impossible to verify. At a nominal 5,779 miles per year over 22 years, the figure looks low for a working van, but the erratic recording undermines any confidence in that number. A buyer should treat the front suspension as a priority inspection area. The 2020 failure flagged an offside front track rod end worn to the point of serious detachment risk, along with a split nearside front CV boot. The 2021 tests then revealed slight play in the nearside front anti-roll bar linkage ball joint, the offside front lower suspension arm ball joint, and the offside front wheel bearing, all carried as advisories. These are not isolated faults. They point to a front end that has seen sustained wear and may need a comprehensive suspension refresh. The nearside rear shock absorber was leaking seriously in 2021, and with no subsequent test, its condition today is unknown. Corrosion assessment is also essential. A 22-year-old van, particularly one that may have stood idle for long periods, is vulnerable to structural rust on the chassis, sills, and around mounting points for the very suspension components already flagged. The horn failure and inoperative speedometer from 2020 indicate electrical issues were present and may persist. A thorough underbody inspection, a road test focusing on steering play and damping, and a full brake and tyre assessment are essential before any purchase decision.