2005 Toyota Hilux 2.4L Diesel · N167 CCF

A thirty-one-year-old Toyota Hilux carrying 366,899 miles presents a broadly reassuring MOT record, with four of the last five tests passing without any recorded defects or advisories. The most recent examination on 6 January 2026 concluded with a clean pass, matching the clean results posted in January 2025, January 2024 and January 2023. The single interruption to that pattern came on 25 January 2024, when the vehicle failed on a nearside front lower suspension ball joint showing excessive wear and a parking brake efficiency reading below the required threshold. Because the vehicle was presented again the following day and passed outright, the recorded evidence suggests both defects were addressed promptly rather than being symptomatic of a chronic mechanical deterioration. For a working pickup of this age and mileage, the absence of advisories relating to corrosion, exhaust integrity, brake pipe condition or steering components is a notably positive indicator of structural and mechanical soundness. An annual accumulation rate of roughly 11,835 miles is broadly consistent with active use over a thirty-one-year working life, and the testing history shows no multi-year gaps that would suggest extended periods off the road. The mileage recorded across the MOT inspections demonstrates continuous operation rather than the dormant or sporadic use that often leads to seized calipers, perished rubber and deteriorated brake hydraulics. Sustained high-mileage service of this kind typically accelerates wear on consumables such as suspension bushes, shock absorbers, wheel bearings and clutch components, and the relatively unblemished pass rate suggests these items have either been replaced proactively or have not yet degraded to the point of MOT failure. The single ball joint failure recorded in January 2024 is consistent with normal wear for a vehicle of this mileage and age, and the prompt rectification between the failed and subsequent passed test supports a pattern of active maintenance rather than deferred repair. Prospective buyers should pay particular attention to the nearside front suspension geometry during inspection, as the recorded ball joint failure on the lower arm indicates this is a wear point that has already required intervention. On a test drive, listen for any clonking or knocking from the front end over uneven surfaces, particularly when turning at low speed, and feel for vagueness or play in the steering that would suggest renewed wear in the joint or its associated bushes. The vehicle should also be raised to allow a physical check of the lower arm ball joint and any new components fitted during the 2024 repair, ensuring that the gaiters are intact and the joint shows no sign of oxidation or slack. Given the working nature of most Hiluxes of this generation, the rear springs, leaf bushes and shock absorbers should be examined for sagging or fluid leakage, even though no advisories have been recorded against them. The parking brake efficiency failure on the same 2024 test date is also worth scrutinising, as rear drum parking brake mechanisms on heavily worked pickups can suffer from stretched cables, contaminated linings, or seized rear caliper mechanisms. With the vehicle parked on an incline, confirm that the handbrave holds firmly without requiring excessive lever travel, and on the road listen for any scraping or dragging sounds from the rear wheels that could indicate a binding drum or sticking caliper piston. The minor advisory recorded for an insecure battery on the same date is unlikely to have recurred, but it remains sensible to confirm that the battery is firmly clamped within its carrier to prevent vibration damage and short-circuiting. Finally, given the high accumulated mileage, a thorough inspection of the clutch operation, gearbox synchro behaviour, and any signs of excessive smoke or oil consumption from the drivetrain would be prudent to verify that the powertrain remains in proportion with the recorded odometer reading.