2010 Mitsubishi Lancer 1.5L Petrol · LL10 DWW

The defining mechanical story of this 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer is a pattern of emerging structural and under-vehicle corrosion that has now become firmly established across its MOT record. The most recent test on 11 July 2023 was a pass, but it carried four advisories that together paint a clear picture of a chassis beginning to suffer the effects of age and mileage. Both the front and rear subframes were noted as corroded but not seriously weakened, and the rear suspension arms were flagged with corrosion across all rear arms. Five days earlier, the same vehicle had failed its test outright, with a major defect recorded for an ABS warning lamp indicating a fault in the anti-lock braking system, alongside a dangerous failure for a nearside front tyre worn below the legal 1.6mm tread depth. The earlier records through 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 were largely clean, so the abrupt arrival of multiple corrosion advisories and a braking system fault in 2023 suggests a vehicle whose underbody protection and ancillary systems are now entering a phase where deterioration can accelerate quickly from one test to the next. With 115,523 miles recorded on a 2010-registered vehicle, the annual accumulation works out at roughly 7,200 miles per year, which sits close to the average for a car of this age. The MOT history is reasonably consistent, with tests recorded in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and then 2022 and 2023, and there are no extended multi-year gaps that would point to a long period off the road with the attendant risks of seized calipers, perished fuel lines, or a heavily discharged battery. The mileage is therefore consistent with steady operational use rather than abandonment, which is a positive sign for the major drivetrain components, although the level of wear implied by 115,000 miles means that consumables such as brake discs, pads, shock absorbers, and engine mountings will all be approaching or past their normal service replacement intervals even where no defect has yet been formally recorded. For a prospective buyer, the priority on inspection must be the underbody and suspension condition, given the advisories logged in 2023. The rear suspension arms and both subframes should be examined on a ramp for any flaking or bubbling paint that hides deeper structural corrosion, and the welds around the rear subframe mounting points warrant particular scrutiny because the advisory specifically noted all rear arms as affected. On the road, listen for clonking or knocking noises from the rear over speed humps and uneven surfaces, which would indicate that the corroded bushes or arm cores have progressed beyond the not seriously weakened threshold, and check for any vagueness or wandering from the rear end that could point to compliance bushes wearing out. The front subframe should similarly be inspected for corrosion around its mounting bolts and any stone-guard underseal that may be concealing significant metal loss, and the front suspension components including the lower arms, drop links, and anti-roll bar bushes deserve a close look given the vehicle's mileage and age. The ABS fault recorded as a major failure in July 2023 is another area that demands direct attention. Because the vehicle subsequently passed just five days later, the rectification may have been a straightforward sensor or ring replacement, but the warning should be confirmed as genuinely resolved rather than simply cleared, and the buyer should ask for documentation of the repair. A test drive should include several firm stops from around 30 mph on a dry surface to confirm that the ABS modulator is functioning and that the pedal does not pulse or vibrate excessively, which could indicate a sticking modulator or air in the system. Brake pedal feel should be firm and consistent, with no sponginess, and the handbrake should hold the vehicle on a moderate incline without excessive travel. The tyres noted as worn or damaged on the rear in 2023 should be inspected for current tread depth, sidewall cracking, and even wear across the tread, as uneven wear at the rear can be a symptom of the corroded rear suspension arms no longer holding correct geometry. Finally, the 2020 advisories for front brake disc wear and the 2019 advisories for rear brake hose ferrule corrosion should be taken as confirmation that the braking system has been a recurring area of attention, and the discs, hoses, and calipers should all be visually inspected for current condition rather than assumed serviceable simply because no defect was recorded at the most recent test.