2007 Volkswagen Touran 2.0L Diesel · PL07 LZW

This Touran's MOT record is defined by a recurring pattern of front suspension and drivetrain wear combined with a notable structural corrosion finding. The latest test on 12 October 2023 resulted in a pass, but only after a failure the previous day for a dangerously worn offside front tyre with no visible tread, a split CV boot, and a perished anti-roll bar linkage dust cover. That same pass carried an advisory that both front seat belt anchorage prescribed areas were corroded, with the sills having been re-welded and undersealed. This is the most significant entry in the history: welding to the sill and seat belt anchorage areas on a 2007 car warrants careful scrutiny, as the quality and longevity of such repairs directly affects structural integrity. Earlier failures in 2018 (ESC switch and warning lamp faults plus another anti-roll bar linkage dust cover) and 2021 (a stop lamp) were each rectified within a day, but the repeated appearance of linkage ball joint dust covers and CV boots across 2018, 2019, and 2023 shows these are consumable weak points on this vehicle. At 193,205 miles over roughly nineteen years, the car has averaged around 10,000 miles annually, a typical accumulation rate with no testing gaps in the record. This is steady, regular use rather than low-mileage standing, which is consistent with the wear items flagged: shock absorbers showing light oil misting on both front units since 2021, a slightly noisy offside rear wheel bearing recorded in 2019, 2021, and 2022, and worn front brake discs noted in 2019. An oil leak described as not excessive appears in both 2018 and 2023, suggesting a persistent minor seep rather than a resolved fault. The front tyres have been flagged for inner-edge wear on multiple occasions, which points towards possible tracking or suspension geometry issues rather than simple tread consumption. On a test drive, the buyer should prioritise the front suspension and drivetrain. Listen for clicking or knocking from the front wheels on full lock at low speed, which would indicate the CV joints have suffered following the documented boot failures, and for clonks over uneven surfaces that would betray worn anti-roll bar linkages or their ball joints. Given the shock absorber misting advisories, assess damping by pushing down on each front corner and feeling for excessive bounce or wallowing over undulations. The offside rear wheel bearing has been flagged as noisy across three separate tests, so listen for a humming or droning that rises with road speed and changes when weaving gently. Check the brake pedal for judder under moderate braking, consistent with the worn and scored front discs recorded in 2019. The structural corrosion repair deserves the closest physical inspection. Examine both front sill areas and the seat belt anchorage points for fresh underseal concealing poor weld quality, bubbling paint, or renewed rust bleed, and pull back any accessible trim to check the anchorage zones directly. Confirm the ESC warning lamp illuminates at ignition and extinguishes correctly, and that the switch functions, given the 2018 failure. Finally, inspect the front tyres for uneven inner-edge wear and check the engine bay and undertray for the source of the recurring oil leak. The record shows faults are generally rectified promptly after failure, but the accumulation of corrosion, suspension wear, and a persistent oil seep means this car should be bought only after a thorough hands-on inspection, with the sill repairs verified as sound.