2018 Ford Transit Custom 2.0L Diesel · SN68 MHU

Severe structural and safety-related defects marked earlier in the life of this 2018 Ford Transit Custom highlight a history requiring careful scrutiny, though the vehicle most recently passed an MOT test on the thirty-first of August 2026 with a single advisory for coated brake pipes. While recent tests from late 2024 and 2025 demonstrate successful rectifications following earlier failures, the overall roadworthiness trajectory shows a commercial vehicle that has been subjected to significant mechanical stress, transitioning from clean early test sheets to critical intervention requirements. Accumulating 90,450 miles across its eight years on the road places the annual mileage at approximately 11,306 miles, reflecting a standard working usage profile for a medium-sized panel van. This steady accumulation suggests the vehicle has been in regular operation without extended periods of inactivity or severe underuse, which generally helps prevent the seizure of moving components while ensuring consistent wear across the drivetrain, steering rack, and suspension assemblies. A thorough physical inspection of the front axle is essential during a test drive, given the previous failure for dangerously thin front brake pads below 1.5 millimetres, a lit brake pad warning light, worn and scored front brake discs noted in 2023, and a split near-side front constant velocity boot. Prospective buyers should listen closely for clicking or grinding noises when cornering sharply at low speeds, which would indicate persistent CV joint wear, and check for any pulsation or judder through the brake pedal under moderate deceleration. Furthermore, the more recent advisory regarding coated brake pipes warrants a close visual check underneath to ensure corrosion protection treatments have not been applied over pitting or advanced degradation on the metallic brake lines. Additional attention should be paid to the steering and suspension geometry, verifying that the tracking remains true and that the tyres wear evenly across the tread surface following the previous nearside front tyre advisory and offside tyre legal limit failure. Testing the vehicle over undulating road surfaces will help reveal any knocking or play from worn wishbone bushes, drop links, or anti-roll bar mountings that frequently bear the brunt of heavy loads in commercial transit applications. All cabin electrics, including headlamp dipped beams and windscreen washer delivery systems that previously caused test failures, must be thoroughly operated to confirm reliable electrical continuity.