1997 Ford Probe 2.5L Petrol · P336 WNJ

The DVSA history for this 29-year-old Ford Probe tells a story of solid, uninterrupted roadworthiness across the modern testing window, with no advisories or recorded defects appearing in any of the passes between 2022 and 2025. Five tests are on file, four of which are clean passes and one a failure dated 23 June 2023, which under DVSA conventions was re-tested and passed at the same station on 12 July 2023 with no defects entered. The fact that the failing test carries no recorded defect categories is noteworthy: it suggests either an item that did not fall into a standard MOT category, a rectification carried out before the retest without the categories being logged against the failure, or a very minor issue that was dealt with immediately. The subsequent three annual tests through to 10 July 2025 returning clean further indicates that whatever prompted it has not reappeared or escalated. With 42,096 miles recorded over approximately 29 years, annual mileage averages out at roughly 1,450 miles, an exceptionally low accumulation rate for any road car and consistent with either very occasional weekend or summer use, or extended periods of standing between short trips. Mechanically, low mileage of this nature reduces wear on high-cycle components such as the engine internals, clutch, transmission synchros and friction materials, but it raises legitimate concerns around corrosion in coolant passages, brake caliper slide pins and pistons seizing from lack of exercise, damp accumulating inside the fuel tank, dried-out suspension bushes hardening and cracking, and perishable rubber items such as tyres, drive belts and hoses degrading from age rather than use. The fact that the test record shows five entries spread over only three years (2022 to 2025) indicates the vehicle has been actively presented for testing recently, and there is no multi-year gap that would suggest a long dormant lay-up within the recorded MOT period. Given the age of the vehicle, a prospective buyer should approach the inspection with particular focus on the items the MOT history cannot directly interrogate, as testers do not lift panels, remove wheels for full brake inspection, or pressurise cooling systems. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking from the front suspension over uneven surfaces, which on a Probe of this age commonly traces to worn lower wishbone bushes, anti-roll bar drop links and front strut top mount bearings; any steering vagueness, tramlining over ruts or uneven tyre wear across the front axle would suggest fatigued bushes or tired coil springs. Apply the brakes firmly from speed and feel for pedal vibration, sponginess or any pulling to one side, as seized front caliper slide pins and corroded brake disc surfaces are common on cars that have sat for long periods. Under the bonnet, inspect carefully for any oil residue around the cam cover gasket, crankshaft seals and sump gasket, as well as any green corrosion staining around the radiator, header tank and heater hoses, which would indicate aged coolant seals rather than mechanical wear. A physical inspection underneath the car on a ramp is strongly advisable given the vehicle's vintage and low annual use, with particular attention to the front subframe, suspension mounting points, brake pipework along the chassis rails, and the exhaust system from the manifold back, all of which are prone to surface and structural corrosion on Probe models of this era even where the tester has not yet flagged advisories. Check for any oil misting or staining on the bulkhead and around the ignition components, and confirm the condition of the timing belt or chain service history, as even low-mileage examples require age-based replacement of these items. Confirm that the tyres are recent and that none show sidewall cracking from dry-rot, and verify that all fluid levels are at the correct mark and free from discolouration. With the clean MOT history in hand, the priority for the buyer is verifying what those test results cannot reveal rather than questioning any pattern within them.