2003 Vauxhall Combo 1.7L Diesel · EJ53 FCP

The 2003 Vauxhall Combo passed its most recent MOT on 12 July 2025 at 213,010 miles, but the maintenance trend is clearly worsening. Four days prior, on 8 July 2025 at 212,915 miles, the vehicle failed with a fractured nearside front coil spring, a leaking front-to-rear brake pipe, and both service and parking brake efficiencies below 50 per cent of the required value. The coil spring was clearly replaced and the braking system repaired before the pass, yet the same test still flagged a light misting of oil from the offside front shock absorber, worn front tyres, deteriorated front anti-roll bar linkage dust covers, a worn nearside front suspension arm bush, and corroded rear brake pipes. These are not fresh defects. The shock absorber misting, oil leak, and worn suspension bush appear as advisories stretching back to the August 2024 test at 207,738 miles, indicating a pattern of deferred maintenance rather than proactive repair. The mileage progression tells a consistent story. Between the October 2023 test at 201,402 miles and the August 2024 test at 207,738 miles, the vehicle covered 6,336 miles in roughly ten months. From August 2024 to July 2025, it added a further 5,272 miles. Annual mileage sits around 9,261 miles, which is typical for a working van of this age. There are no suspicious gaps or sudden drops in recorded distance, suggesting the vehicle has been in regular use rather than sitting idle. The MOT record itself is reasonably well documented, with no extended periods lacking a valid certificate. A buyer should approach this vehicle with caution and focus on the front suspension and braking system during any in-person inspection. The recurring advisory for the offside front shock absorber oil misting suggests the unit is weeping and may be approaching the end of its service life. The worn nearside front suspension arm bush, noted across multiple tests, points to general front-end wear that could affect steering precision and tyre wear. The fractured coil spring in July 2025 was a serious structural failure, and the buyer should verify the replacement was done correctly and that the opposite side is not showing similar fatigue. The rear brake pipes were flagged as corroded and covered in grease or other material in the most recent test, and the July 2025 failure recorded a hydraulic leak, so the entire braking system deserves close scrutiny for corrosion, fluid condition, and pipe integrity. The front tyres worn to the legal limit at the last test also suggest the tracking and suspension geometry need checking. Finally, the corroded offside rear suspension mounting area noted in the August 2023 failure at 200,778 miles was a structural concern; whether it was properly repaired or merely monitored should be confirmed, as corrosion in prescribed areas directly affects the vehicle's structural integrity.