2007 Subaru Forester 2.5L Petrol · MV07 VFD

The 2007 Subaru Forester passed its most recent MOT on 26 July 2025 at 156,459 miles, but the maintenance trend over the preceding two years tells a more complicated story. The car failed twice in July 2024 on serious structural and safety grounds, including corroded inner sills, compromised rear suspension mounting points, and missing front suspension arm split pins. It returned just two days later with a pass at the same mileage of 150,967 miles, suggesting urgent repairs were carried out to achieve compliance. The 2025 pass shows the car is currently legal, yet several advisories remain live: slight play in both front suspension arm ball joints, a severely deteriorated nearside inner CV boot, a minor oil leak, pitted front brake discs, and localised corrosion within 30cm of a rear cab mounting. These are not new failures, but they are unresolved wear items that a buyer should treat as active concerns rather than historical footnotes. The mileage pattern is broadly consistent with typical use for a 19-year-old vehicle, averaging roughly 8,235 miles per year. The record shows a jump of 8,825 miles between the March 2023 test at 142,142 miles and the July 2024 tests at around 150,900 miles, which is a reasonable annual rate. After July 2024 the mileage barely moved, sitting at 156,459 miles by July 2025, an increase of just 5,492 miles in a full year. That slower recent accumulation could indicate lighter use, but it could also mean the car sat unused for extended periods while structural corrosion progressed unchecked, particularly around the rear sills and wheel arches flagged in the 2024 failures. A buyer inspecting this Forester in person should focus first on the structural areas that caused the 2024 failures. The rear inner sills, rear upper wheel arches, and rear suspension mounting points need close examination with a torch and a firm check for fresh welding or underseal applied over residual corrosion. Underseal can mask active rust, so tapping or probing those zones is worthwhile. The front suspension arm ball joints showed slight play in 2025, and the missing split pins that caused the 2024 failure suggest previous work was done hastily; check whether the joint boots are intact and whether the joints themselves now exhibit excessive movement. The nearside inner CV boot is severely deteriorated, meaning the joint has likely been exposed to dirt and moisture, so listen for clicking on full lock and inspect for play. The braking system also warrants attention. Front brake discs have been flagged as worn and pitted in both the 2023 and 2025 tests, indicating a long-standing issue that may have worsened. Rear brake pads were noted as wearing thin in 2023, and no subsequent test confirms replacement. A road test should assess whether the pedal feels firm and the car pulls straight under braking. The minor oil leak flagged in 2025 should be traced to its source, whether that is a cam cover gasket, sump, or a more costly turbo oil feed line given the turbocharged engine. Overall, this is a car that has been kept on the road rather than properly restored, and any purchase decision should be conditional on a thorough independent inspection of its structure and running gear.