2018 Vauxhall Combo 1.6L Diesel · DC68 DHM

A pattern of late-life braking and front-end wear is the defining mechanical story of this 2018 Vauxhall Combo, with the November 2023 test standing out as the most concerning data point in the record. On that date the vehicle failed on dangerously worn front brake pads measuring under 1.5 mm, accompanied by advisories for pitted front brake discs and a nearside front tyre worn down to 3 mm on the edge. A registration plate lamp inoperative major was also recorded at the same visit. The car then passed a retest the same day with no further defects noted, and subsequent tests in early 2025, late 2025, and most recently on 29 July 2026 have all returned pass results. The latest test recorded a minor defect for a severely deteriorated nearside front outer CV joint boot, and earlier advisories captured a slight ball joint play on the offside front suspension arm and another nearside front tyre worn close to the legal limit on its edge. The trajectory suggests that the original brake and tyre issues were addressed at the time of the failure, while a slow, recurring pattern of front suspension and steering component wear has continued to develop through the advisory notices. Recorded mileage of 92,976 miles across eight years equates to an annual accumulation of roughly 11,600 miles, which sits squarely within the typical range for a commercial-derived light van of this vintage and points to consistent working use. There are no extended gaps between MOT tests that would suggest the vehicle was laid up for prolonged periods, with certificates appearing in late 2023, January 2025, August 2025, and July 2026, implying fairly continuous operation. For a vehicle of this age and duty cycle, this level of mileage is not unusual, but it does mean that consumables such as clutches, dual-mass flywheels, turbo components, and suspension bushes have accumulated meaningful wear and should be evaluated accordingly rather than assumed to be in early-life condition. A prospective buyer should focus the physical inspection on the front braking and suspension components flagged in the MOT record, beginning with a close visual check of the front brake pad material and disc surface condition. Given that pads were measured below 1.5 mm in late 2023 and discs were noted as pitted, any replacement components fitted at that time will now be approaching three years of service, so a thorough check of remaining pad thickness, disc wear ridge at the outer edge, and any signs of binding calipers or uneven wear across the nearside and offside is warranted. The nearside front CV boot has been flagged as severely deteriorated in the most recent test, and an unchecked split boot will rapidly contaminate the joint with grease loss and water ingress; on a test drive, listen for clicking or knocking on full-lock turns and inspect the inside of the wheel for fresh grease splatter. The offside front suspension arm ball joint was also recorded with slight play, so the buyer should listen for clonking or knocking over speed bumps and uneven road surfaces, and check for uneven front tyre wear that would confirm progressive deterioration. Tyre wear has appeared twice in the record, both times on the nearside front and characterised as edge wear, suggesting an underlying geometry or suspension issue rather than simple tyre ageing. On a test drive, the vehicle should be driven at a steady speed on a flat road to check for steering pull to either side, and any tramline feathering or inner-edge wear on the front tyres should be taken as a strong indicator that the suspension components and possibly wheel alignment require further investigation beyond what the advisories alone suggest. Beyond these flagged items, the rest of the MOT record is notably clean with no advisories relating to corrosion, exhaust integrity, structural areas, or fluid leaks, which is a positive sign for a working vehicle of this mileage, though a buyer should still carry out the usual under-bonnet and under-floor checks for any developing issues that would not be visible from the test data alone.