2002 Mercedes-Benz C 1.8L Petrol · MK52 AOU

The vehicle presents a broadly stable roadworthiness profile, with the most recent test on 2 September 2021 at 127,894 miles returning a pass. The 2021 examination recorded minor advisories only: slight play in the offside front suspension arm ball joint, worn anti-roll bar bushes at both rear corners, a minor exhaust gas leak at the central box, and an inoperative offside registration plate lamp. No failures have occurred since the December 2019 test, indicating the maintenance trend has moved from corrective to routine monitoring rather than decline. Recorded mileage shows light use for a 24-year-old vehicle, averaging roughly 5,329 miles per year. The odometer moved from 107,142 miles in November 2017 to 119,636 in November 2018, then to 127,210 by December 2019, before creeping only 684 miles to the 2021 test. Such low annual accumulation suggests extended standing periods, which typically accelerate rubber perishment and corrosion risk despite reduced mechanical fatigue. The clean 2017 pass and sparse defect history imply previous owners addressed statutory requirements without neglect, though the 2019 failure on tyre tread and emissions points to intermittent lapses in basic upkeep. A buyer should physically verify the offside front suspension arm ball joint and both rear anti-roll bar bushes flagged in 2021, as worn bushes and ball joints degrade handling precision and may now exceed advisory tolerance. The central exhaust leak noted across 2019 and 2021 warrants underside inspection for advancing corrosion on the box and associated hangers. The 2019 emissions failure on CO and lambda, since cleared, still merits a cold-start emissions check to confirm the lambda sensor or catalyst has not degraded further during the car's low-use storage. Prior oil leaks recorded from 2018 through 2020, though classed non-excessive, require visual confirmation of sump, rocker, and gearbox seals for weeping. Headlamp lens contamination in 2018 and the plate lamp fault in 2021 should be confirmed cleared. Given the age and standing pattern, a thorough structural integrity check of subframes and sills for hidden corrosion remains prudent before purchase.