2005 Ford Ranger 2.5L Diesel · EX55 OBS

The most recent MOT test on 25 November 2021 at 86,718 miles returned a failure with no defects recorded, an administrative anomaly that leaves the vehicle's live roadworthiness unconfirmed. Prior to that, the truck passed every annual test from 14 March 2018 through 17 March 2021 with no advisories or faults logged. The maintenance trend across those four clean passes reads as stable, though the sudden failure with a blank defect sheet breaks the pattern and demands clarification from the testing station or seller. Recorded mileage sits at 86,718 against a 2005 build date, an average of roughly 4,129 miles per year. The truck added only 1,291 miles between the March 2018 test at 74,122 miles and the November 2021 failure at 86,718, confirming very light use and likely extended standing periods. Such low yearly running on a 21-year-old 4x4 often masks perished rubber components, seized linkages, and corrosion that infrequent movement accelerates rather than prevents. The absence of any advisories across the 2018 to 2021 passes means the official record shows no flagged wear on suspension bushes, brake discs, coil springs, or structural panels. A buyer should still treat the November 2021 failure as a red flag and obtain the failure reason, since DVSA systems normally list defects. Given the age and low mileage, a physical inspection must prioritise chassis and subframe corrosion, driveshaft and UJ condition, and brake caliper binding after prolonged storage. The Ranger has covered few miles but has now stood untaxed and untested for over four and a half years relative to today's date of 8 July 2026. That dormancy poses a greater mechanical risk than the clean test history suggests. Verify the November 2021 failure cause, then commission a full underside and brake assessment before any purchase.