2020 Citroen Berlingo 1.5L Diesel · EN69 FSG

A pattern of tyres worn to the legal edge and a recurring transmission-side oil misting sits at the heart of this Berlingo's MOT history, even though the underlying test outcomes have remained favourable. Across four recorded tests the vehicle has passed on every occasion, including the most recent examination on 10 December 2025, which recorded no defects at all. However, three of the four tests carry advisories, with the 2023 pass flagging both offside tyres as close to the legal limit alongside the on-edge wear pattern, the 2025 test repeating a similar nearside front tyre advisory, and a 2023 entry noting a slight oil leak between the engine and gearbox. The 2025 pass also noted minor damage to the lower windscreen that did not impede the driver's view. Taken together, the trend points to a vehicle that is legally roadworthy but is beginning to display wear items that buyers should expect to address in the near term. Annual mileage on this Berlingo averages roughly 23,870 miles, which is markedly higher than typical for a 2020-registered vehicle and consistent with sustained commercial or high-mileage private use. The recorded tests cover 2022, 2023, 2025 and the latest in late 2025, with a notable absence of a recorded test during 2024. Whether this reflects a gap in DVSA records for that year or a period off the road, the mileage progression between tests is broadly consistent with a working van rather than a lightly used family carrier. This kind of usage pattern accelerates wear on consumables, clutches, dual-mass flywheels, suspension bushes, brake discs and pads, and tends to bring forward oil seepage from gaskets and seals, which aligns neatly with the seepage already observed at the engine-gearbox mating face. Given the repeated edge-wear advisories on the tyres, a prospective buyer should pay close attention to the suspension geometry during a test drive. Listen for clonking or knocking from the front strut assemblies or top mounts over speed humps, and feel for vague steering response, tramlining on cambers or uneven tyre scrubbing that would suggest worn wishbone bushes, drop links, or a tired anti-roll bar. Uneven inner or outer shoulder wear on the nearside front in particular would warrant an alignment check, while any binding or pulling under braking should be noted alongside the condition of the discs, as high-mileage commercial use tends to produce lipped or scored front discs that can trigger brake judder through the pedal. The advisory regarding a slight oil leak between the engine and gearbox is the item most likely to develop into a rectification cost if the vehicle is purchased. On inspection, look for dampness or active weeping along the bellhousing area, fresh oil residue on the underside of the transmission, and any residue tracking down from the rear main seal or the gearbox input seal. On the road, watch for a rising idle in neutral, an inconsistent clutch bite point, or a faint whine from the transmission that could indicate the leak has been progressing long enough to affect lubrication. Combined with the tyre-edge wear pattern flagged across multiple tests, these are the two specific mechanical threads that warrant the most direct scrutiny before committing to purchase.