2009 Vauxhall Vivaro 2.0L Diesel · RX59 FNS

The most recent MOT, conducted on 14 April 2026 at 224,558 miles, returned a pass, but the record reveals a maintenance pattern that is borderline rather than reassuring. The vehicle failed its preceding test on 13 April 2026 at 224,557 miles, and the sheer volume of items requiring attention before that pass was granted raises questions about how consistently the van has been maintained. A fractured offside rear coil spring, a seriously weakened offside front Macpherson strut mounting, and front brake pads below 1.5 mm were all flagged in the failure. These are not minor consumable items. They are structural and safety-critical defects that suggest the van was operated in a deteriorated condition before repairs were carried out. The pass the following day indicates the immediate failures were addressed, but the advisories carried forward, including worn rear brake discs, worn nearside front suspension bushes, and perishing front tyres, point to a vehicle that is being kept at the minimum legal threshold rather than proactively maintained. The mileage accumulation tells its own story. At roughly 13,209 miles per year over seventeen years, this Vivaro has lived a hard working life. The gap between the March 2025 test at 221,289 miles and the April 2026 test at 224,558 miles represents approximately 3,269 miles in just over twelve months, which is modest by historical standards but consistent with continued commercial or high-frequency use. The MOT record itself is reasonably well documented, with consecutive annual tests and no alarming gaps that would suggest long periods of unregistered use. The data is clean in terms of continuity, but the fault history within it is not. A buyer inspecting this van in person should focus on the components that have repeatedly appeared across multiple tests. The front suspension is a recurring concern, with worn bushes, ball joints, and a previously damaged Macpherson strut mounting all flagged between 2024 and 2026. Have these items been replaced, or merely noted? The front brake discs and pads have been flagged as worn or thin in every test from 2024 onwards, and the rear brake discs were advisory items in both 2025 and 2026. This suggests the braking system is being run hard and replaced late. The perishing front tyres noted in 2026 may indicate age-related deterioration rather than simple wear, which could point to periods of standing or low-speed use. Structural corrosion around the suspension mounting points and subframe should be checked carefully, given the high mileage and the nature of the defects previously identified. The rear coil spring that fractured in April 2026 warrants particular scrutiny. A replacement should be confirmed, and the opposite side inspected for fatigue. This is a vehicle that has been worked hard and repaired reactively.