2017 Mercedes-Benz C 2.0L Petrol · ND67 HPF

The vehicle is currently roadworthy, but the maintenance trend shows a developing issue with the front suspension. While the most recent test in October 2025 at 52,498 miles passed, it flagged an offside front suspension arm ball joint with slight play. This follows a defect from the October 2024 test at 47,856 miles where the same component was identified as having play. The persistence of this fault across two consecutive years suggests the component is reaching the end of its functional life and requires proactive replacement. The mileage profile is notably low for a nine-year-old vehicle, averaging approximately 5,833 miles per year. The records show consistent usage between 2020 and 2025, where the car covered roughly 5,000 miles annually. However, the low annual mileage indicates the vehicle has not seen heavy motorway use. While this generally means less wear on the drivetrain and engine, it can also lead to the degradation of rubber-based components and corrosion on brake surfaces if the car has sat stationary for extended periods between tests. A buyer should specifically inspect the front suspension assembly to determine if the play in the ball joint has migrated to the nearside side or affected the bushings. The history of worn tyres in both 2020 and 2024 indicates a pattern of neglecting basic consumable maintenance until an MOT failure, so a thorough check of current tyre tread and alignment is necessary. Given the low mileage, the inspector should also check for seized brake calipers or pitted discs, which are common on vehicles that are driven infrequently.