2009 Citroen Relay 3.0L Diesel · MK09 EUO

The Citroen Relay currently holds a valid MOT issued on 28 November 2022 at 130,810 miles, meaning the certificate expired over three and a half years ago on 28 May 2023. The vehicle is effectively untested for a significant period, and the maintenance trend is impossible to verify beyond that date. Looking at the record leading up to 2022, the picture is mixed. The van passed cleanly in January 2020 and December 2020, but the November 2022 test cycle reveals a deterioration in basic mechanical upkeep. The tester flagged a severely deteriorated nearside front constant velocity boot on both the initial fail and the subsequent pass, suggesting the boot was replaced but the underlying joint wear was not fully addressed. More concerning, the parking brake system was found inoperative on one side with efficiency below 50 percent of the required value during the fail, and while it passed on retest, this points to a system that was operating at the very margins of compliance. The mileage progression tells a story of the van sitting largely unused in recent years. Between the December 2020 pass at 114,649 miles and the November 2022 test at 130,810 miles, the vehicle covered roughly 16,161 miles in nearly two years, which is modest but not negligible. However, the recorded mileage has remained frozen at 130,810 since the November 2022 pass, strongly indicating the van has not been driven meaningfully in over three and a half years. Extended standing periods introduce their own risks, including flat-spotted tyres, seized brake calipers, perished rubber hoses, and fuel system degradation, none of which the current MOT record can confirm has been addressed. A buyer should treat this vehicle as having an unverified mechanical state. The nearside front driveshaft joint and CV boot were a known concern, and any play or clicking from that joint during a test drive warrants immediate inspection. The parking brake system, having previously failed on efficiency, needs thorough checking for seized cables, corroded linkages, and uneven rear brake wear. Given the van has stood for an extended period, a full inspection of all brake calipers for binding, all rubber flexible hoses for perishing, and the fuel tank and lines for corrosion is essential. The exhaust system had a minor gas leak and a defective front rubber mount flagged in December 2018, so any rattling or visible corrosion around the flex section and mountings should be examined closely. Structural rust around the sills, outriggers, and suspension mounting points must be probed, as commercial vans of this age frequently suffer from hidden corrosion that compromises long-term integrity.