2009 Mercedes-Benz E 2.1L Diesel · P4 LFS

The 2009 Mercedes E-Class presents a mixed maintenance picture. The most recent MOT on 28 April 2025 at 68,713 miles passed, but the tester flagged three tyres worn close to the legal limit and slight free play detected at the steering rack. This is a notable deterioration from the clean pass recorded on 26 April 2022 at 64,120 miles. The trend since 2022 has been worsening, with tyre wear advisories appearing consistently across the last three consecutive tests and a new steering defect emerging in 2025. The vehicle appears to have been maintained adequately enough to pass each year, but the recurring nature of these issues suggests consumable wear is not being addressed proactively between tests. The mileage pattern tells a clear story of very light use. At roughly 4,042 miles per year over 17 years, this is well below the UK average. The annual tests show steady but modest accumulation: 62,145 miles in April 2021, 64,120 in April 2022, 65,579 in April 2023, 67,242 in April 2024, and 68,713 in April 2025. There are no suspicious gaps or sudden jumps in the odometer record, and the MOT history is complete with no missing years. The low mileage is consistent and verifiable, though it does raise the question of whether extended periods of standing have contributed to uneven tyre wear from flat-spotting or perished rubber. A buyer should pay close attention to the steering rack free play flagged in the April 2025 test. Slight free play at the steering wheel can indicate worn track rod ends, a worn steering rack bush, or play in the intermediate column joint. This deserves a proper inspection on a ramp rather than a road test alone. The repeated advisories for tyres worn on the edges across all four corners point to a possible wheel alignment issue. Edge wear on both inner and outer shoulders typically suggests toe misalignment or worn suspension bushes causing dynamic camber changes under load. The plastic undertrays noted in 2024 may still be obscuring the underside, so a buyer should request their removal to inspect for corrosion on subframes, sills, and brake lines, particularly given the car's age and the possibility of long stationary periods. The brake system and suspension components warrant particular scrutiny. No brake defects have been recorded, but the combination of low annual mileage and edge tyre wear raises the possibility of binding calipers or seized suspension components that a short test drive may not reveal. A thorough inspection of lower ball joints, anti-roll bar links, and rear trailing arm bushes is advisable, as these are common failure points on the W212 platform. The exhaust and emissions system has not drawn any advisories, which is encouraging, but a cold-start check for smoke and a visual inspection of the DPF and lambda sensor condition would be prudent given the stop-start nature of low-mileage use.