2013 Volkswagen Caddy 1.6L Diesel · DF62 OGM

A pattern of recurring suspension, brake, and tyre advisories defines the MOT history of this 2013 Volkswagen Caddy, with chassis components appearing at every test in the last three years. The most recent examination on 12 October 2024 returned advisories for worn front suspension arm pins or bushes, an offside rear inner tyre worn close to the legal limit, a binding offside front service brake, and a deteriorated front registration plate. The 2023 test added a slight play in the front anti-roll bar linkage, reduced damping effect on the rear shock absorbers, a binding nearside rear service brake, and another tyre close to its limit, alongside a Minor for a severely deteriorated nearside front CV joint boot. The 2022 test recorded advisories on both front suspension arm pins or bushes and both rear inner tyres. The only outright failure in the record came on 17 February 2022 for nearside front headlamp aim too low, which was rectified at the same date, and a Major was issued on 3 February 2020 for an excessively worn nearside rear anti-roll bar D bush, paired with advisories for shock absorber bushes and anti-roll bar linkage play. No structural corrosion, brake pipe, exhaust, or steering component failures appear in the data, but the persistent recurrence of similar chassis and brake items indicates ongoing wear rather than a one-off rectification. Recorded mileage stands at 256,263 miles against a 2013 first-registration date, equating to roughly 19,700 miles per year on average and placing this Caddy firmly in heavy-use commercial territory. MOT tests are recorded annually from 2019 through 2024, with no notable gaps in testing, and the odometer reading has increased by tens of thousands of miles between successive tests, consistent with sustained high-mileage operation rather than long stationary periods. Mechanically, this level of annual accumulation accelerates wear on the very components flagged in the advisories: anti-roll bar linkages and bushes, suspension arm bushes, shock absorbers, brake calipers and their slider mechanisms, CV joint boots, and tyres, particularly on a vehicle that has likely carried regular payload. A buyer should therefore anticipate that chassis and braking items already identified as worn will be closer to or past the point of replacement, and that any previously rectified advisories may have reappeared since the last test. A pre-purchase inspection should focus on the specific components repeatedly flagged. For the suspension, listen for clonks or knocks from the front end over speed humps and uneven surfaces, particularly from the anti-roll bar drop links and the front lower arm rear bushes, and check for uneven tyre wear across the front axle which would confirm bushing deterioration. Jack the vehicle and physically check the anti-roll bar D bushes, drop link ball joints, and front arm bushes for free play, as worn items often fail to show movement with the vehicle on the ground. For the brakes, conduct a series of slow forward and reverse manoeuvres and feel for any residual binding, pulling, or judder through the pedal, paying particular attention to the offside front and nearside rear calipers which were both flagged for binding; also inspect the rear caliper sliding pins and carrier for seizure and check the brake discs for lipping and corrosion scoring. The CV joint boot noted as severely deteriorated on the nearside front in 2023 is a priority, since a torn boot allows grease loss and eventual joint failure; listen for a clicking or knocking noise on full-lock turns and look for fresh grease deposits on the inner driveshaft gaiter. Inspect the headlamp alignment on both sides, as the nearside unit was projecting too low in 2022, and check the rear shock absorbers for any sign of leaking fluid or reduced damping by pressing down firmly on each rear corner and counting the number of oscillations. Finally, verify the condition of the front registration plate, confirm all tyres including the inner rears have ample tread depth with even wear, and have the rear shock absorbers and front suspension arms physically inspected, as the advisory history suggests both are approaching the end of their service life on a high-mileage example of this age.