2008 Lexus RX400H 3.3L Hybrid electric (clean) · GV08 LNG

The most recent MOT, conducted on 5 August 2025 at 102,121 miles, resulted in a pass, but the record reveals a maintenance trend that is neither fully stable nor sharply declining. The tester flagged both front tyres worn close to the legal limit and worn on the edge, alongside a recurring light oil misting from the nearside front shock absorber. The shock absorber advisory first appeared in the August 2023 test at 91,760 miles and has persisted through two subsequent annual tests without being rectified. This indicates a slow-developing fault that has been monitored rather than repaired, a pattern consistent with a vehicle that has been kept on the road with minor defects tolerated rather than proactively serviced. The mileage accumulation of roughly 5,673 miles per year over eighteen years is notably low for a vehicle of this age, and the MOT intervals confirm consistent, steady use rather than prolonged standing. Between the August 2022 test at 90,064 miles and the August 2024 test at 95,560 miles, the vehicle covered approximately 5,496 miles in two years, a figure that aligns with the long-term average. There are no alarming gaps or sudden spikes in the odometer record, suggesting the mileage is genuine and the vehicle has not been laid up for extended periods, though the low annual distance may have contributed to perishing tyre sidewalls and minor corrosion-related wear rather than high-mileage mechanical fatigue. A buyer should pay close attention to the front suspension and braking components during any physical inspection. In the August 2023 test at 91,760 miles, the tester noted worn front brake discs that were pitted or scored, along with worn lower suspension arm pins or bushes on both sides. Although the vehicle passed a retest one week later on 8 August 2023 after the exhaust leak was repaired, the advisories on the suspension bushes were carried forward and not marked as rectified. The nearside front shock absorber oil misting has now been present for nearly three years, and while it has not yet failed the MOT, a misting condition can deteriorate into a full fluid loss, compromising damping performance. The front tyres were again flagged in August 2025 for edge wear, which may point to tracking or alignment issues rather than simple age-related deterioration. The exhaust system also warrants a careful check. The initial failure on 1 August 2023 for a major exhaust gas leak was resolved before the retest, but any vehicle of this age with a hybrid powertrain is susceptible to exhaust corrosion, particularly around joints and flexi-pipes that experience thermal cycling. The rear tyre perishing noted in 2023 has not reappeared, yet the recurring tyre wear and suspension wear suggest the vehicle has not had a comprehensive front-end overhaul. A pre-purchase inspection should include a close visual check of the front lower suspension arm bushes, shock absorber bodies, brake disc condition, and tyre sidewalls, along with a road test to assess brake binding or suspension knocks that a static MOT may not fully expose.