2011 Vauxhall Combo 1.4L Petrol · NV61 BZP

A fracture failure in 2023 sits at the centre of this Vauxhall Combo's mechanical record, with both offside front and offside rear coil springs recorded as broken on 28 June 2023, producing a Major category defect and an outright fail. The vehicle returned the following day for a retest and passed with no advisories, indicating the springs were replaced and the rest of the suspension structure was signed off as serviceable at that point. Since then the record shows a clean run of passes, but the 2026 test on 22 June carried an advisory for light oil misting on the offside front shock absorber, suggesting the replacement dampers may already be beginning to weep. An oil leak, recorded as not excessive, was also flagged on both the 2026 and 2025 tests, so the engine or gearbox sealing is worth monitoring rather than being treated as a one-off. The broader pattern is one of escalating advisories: a fully clean pass in 2020, a clean pass in 2021, then a gradual build-up of steering, tyre, anti-roll bar, exhaust and suspension notes through 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026, indicating wear items are now accumulating rather than resolving. Against its 2011 build year, the recorded mileage of 70,999 miles equates to roughly 4,733 miles annually, which is well below the typical usage rate for a commercial-derived light van of this age. Eight tests appear in the DVSA record between 2020 and 2026 with no significant gaps, so the vehicle has been on the road consistently and has been exercised rather than left dormant for long periods. The annual mileage figures between tests remain in the low four-figure bracket, suggesting genuine light-duty use rather than heavy commercial work, which is consistent with the relatively modest wear one would expect on brake discs, clutch friction material and drivetrain components. That said, the coil spring failures in 2023 on a low-mileage vehicle are noteworthy, as broken springs are more often associated with age-related material fatigue, corrosion or heavy loading events than with high mileages, so the springs that were fitted as replacements should be inspected for any signs of corrosion pitting at the seats. For a prospective purchase, the priority items to examine physically are the offside front damper and the engine or gearbox oil leak, both of which have been flagged on consecutive tests. The offside front shock oil misting should be checked by looking for a wet film or fresh oil tracking down the damper body, and on a road test any knocking, excessive pitching over bumps or uneven damping compared to the nearside would suggest the unit is deteriorating beyond the advisory threshold. With the oil leak recorded twice, it is worth identifying whether it is engine oil from the sump, cam cover or crankshaft seal, or possibly gearbox or power steering fluid, and checking for fresh drips on the undertray or driveway surface; any increase in top-up requirement between services would indicate the leak is worsening rather than stable. The 2022 advisory for slight free play at the steering wheel and a deteriorated offside front anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover is also relevant, as perished dust covers allow water and grit to enter the joint, leading to play and knocking over uneven surfaces, so the front anti-roll bar links should be physically rocked by hand to detect any lateral movement or clonking. The exhaust mounting advisory from 2025, recorded as corroded, points to typical age-related exhaust degradation on a fifteen-year-old vehicle, and on inspection the rubber hangers and front flexi section should be checked for cracking, sagging or blowing under engine load. The nearside front tyre advisory for edge wear on the 2025 test, alongside the nearside rear tyre damage advisory in 2024, suggests tracking or suspension geometry may be pulling unevenly, particularly given the offside spring failure history, so a careful test drive paying attention to steering pull, tramlines on cambered roads and uneven front tyre wear would be worthwhile. The nearside rear direction indicator discolouration in 2025 is cosmetic and unlikely to be of mechanical concern, but it is worth confirming all indicators flash at the correct legal rate. Finally, the test drive itself should include firm brake application from speed to detect any pedal judder indicative of warped front discs, a tight turning lock test in both directions to listen for any groan or binding from the calipers, and a pass over a rough road at walking pace with the windows down to listen for any clonks from the front anti-roll bar, springs or steering rack area, all of which tie directly back to specific items flagged in the MOT record.