2011 Vauxhall Astra 1.7L Diesel · FL11 JXF

The Vauxhall Astra passed its most recent MOT on 4 February 2026 at 174,121 miles with several advisories carried over from a prior failure. The maintenance trend is worsening. In the January 2026 failure at 173,986 miles the tester rejected the car for a non-working horn, an excessively worn offside front suspension arm ball joint, and a failed sidelight, alongside worn brake discs, corroded coil springs, oil leak, and misshapen rear tyres. The owner cleared the hard failures within twelve days but left the advisories unremedied. The recorded mileage shows typical use for a 15-year-old car, averaging around 11,600 miles per year. The gap between the 31 January 2024 test at 164,074 miles and the 3 February 2025 test at 169,454 miles added just 5,380 miles, a low annual rate suggesting lighter running or periods off the road. From February 2025 to February 2026 the car covered 4,667 miles, then jumped 135 miles between the failed and passed tests eleven days apart, indicating a quick pre-sale preparation rather than sustained upkeep. Recurring corrosion on the offside rear and both front coil springs first appeared in January 2024 and persisted through both 2026 tests. The oil leak noted in 2024 and 2026 points to an ageing engine seal or gasket the owner never addressed. Front brake discs pitted and scored since January 2026 remain on the latest pass as a worn-but-acceptable item. A buyer should physically inspect the front suspension arm ball joint replacement, verify the horn and sidelight now function, and check the rear tyres for the out-of-shape deformation the tester logged twice. The corroded coil springs warrant close examination for structural integrity and likely replacement soon. Confirm the oil leak source and severity on a ramp. Given the repeated advisories and a failure cleared only days before sale, previous ownership deferred consumable and suspension work until forced by the test.