2014 Vauxhall Zafira 1.8L Petrol · LP14 WHE

The 2014 Vauxhall Zafira presents a broadly stable maintenance picture as of its most recent MOT on 8 October 2025 at 84,250 miles, where it passed with several minor advisories. The tester flagged a nearside rear tyre worn close to the legal limit, a non-excessive oil leak, a minor exhaust gas leak, a windscreen stone chip outside the driver's swept area, and brake pads wearing thin on both axles. None of these items constitute a serious structural or mechanical risk, but the pattern of advisories suggests the car has been kept running rather than cosmetically refreshed. The trend is neither sharply worsening nor clearly improving; it reflects a vehicle that passes its annual test with manageable wear and minor fluid seepage typical of a twelve-year-old family MPV. The mileage progression is consistent and unremarkable. Between the October 2022 test at 66,138 miles and the October 2024 test at 77,591 miles, the car covered roughly 11,453 miles in two years, then added 6,659 miles in the following twelve months to reach 84,250 miles in October 2025. That equates to approximately 7,000 miles per year over the recorded period, which is typical for a vehicle of this age and class. There are no suspicious gaps or sudden jumps in the odometer record, and the annual test intervals align with the mileage accumulation, indicating regular use rather than prolonged standing. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on three areas that recur in the record. First, the front and rear brake pads have been flagged as wearing thin in the most recent test, so checking disc condition and remaining pad thickness is essential, particularly if the car has been used for short urban trips that accelerate wear. Second, the oil leak noted as non-excessive in both 2024 and 2025 warrants a close look at the engine and gearbox area for fresh seepage, as what begins as a minor weep can progress to a significant loss over time. Third, the minor exhaust leak flagged in 2025 should be verified, paying attention to the flexi-joint and manifold gaskets for any signs of gas blow or corrosion. The suspension also deserves attention given the 2023 failure for an excessively worn offside front anti-roll bar ball joint, which was rectified before the retest on the same day. While that specific fault was addressed, a buyer should still check both anti-roll bar links, drop links, and front suspension bushes for play, as these components wear progressively on a heavy MPV. Tyre condition has been a recurring advisory across multiple years, with both nearside and offside rear tyres appearing close to the legal limit, suggesting the rear axle may be subject to uneven wear from alignment or suspension geometry drift. A four-wheel alignment check and a thorough underside inspection for corrosion, particularly on the rear subframe and sills, would complete a sound pre-purchase assessment.