2013 Vauxhall Mokka 1.7L Diesel · LK63 XAA

Suspension wear and recurring headlamp faults define this Mokka's recent MOT story. The November 2025 test initially failed on five major items: both front upper Macpherson strut pins or bushes excessively worn, an excessively worn offside front lower suspension arm ball joint, and three separate headlamp defects covering aim, main beam, and dipped beam. It passed four days later with no defects recorded, indicating the faults were rectified, but this was the second consecutive year the car failed first time on headlamp issues, with the January 2024 test also failing on inoperative main beam, dipped beam, and untestable aim before passing the following day. A pattern of repeat lighting failures across two years suggests an underlying electrical or headlamp unit issue rather than simple bulb replacement, and the suspension wear at the front end is a more significant mechanical finding that a buyer should treat as the headline concern. Mileage accumulation has been steady and unremarkable at roughly 7,500 miles per year, with no gaps in the annual testing record and no periods where the car appears to have stood unused. This is typical use for a 13-year-old vehicle, and the wear items flagged are consistent with that profile: front tyres worn close to the legal limit and a perishing rear tyre in 2023, front brake pads wearing thin in 2021, and an oil leak noted as an advisory in 2023 that has not reappeared in subsequent tests. The 2024 windscreen damage minor is cosmetic in testing terms. Overall the record shows a car that passes once faults are addressed, but one that has needed front-end suspension work and repeated attention to its lighting within the last two years. On a test drive, the front suspension deserves the closest scrutiny given the November 2025 failures. Listen for knocking or clonking over bumps and uneven surfaces, which would indicate the strut top bushes or ball joint work was incomplete or that adjacent components such as the nearside lower arm or anti-roll bar links are now worn. Feel for vagueness or play in the steering at low speed and any tendency for the car to wander, and check for uneven front tyre wear, which would corroborate suspension geometry issues. The 2023 advisory noted both front tyres worn on the edge, so confirm the replacements are wearing evenly across the tread. Verify the headlamps thoroughly before purchase: test dipped beam, main beam, and aim on both sides, and inspect the headlamp units for condensation, corroded connectors, or damaged wiring, since identical failures two years running point to something more persistent than spent bulbs. Ask for invoices covering the November 2025 rectification work to confirm what was actually replaced. Finally, although the 2023 oil leak advisory has not recurred, inspect around the engine and underneath the car for fresh seepage, and check the front brake discs and pads given the earlier advisory for pads wearing thin, feeling for any judder or pull under braking.