2020 Ford Transit Custom 280LEADER Eblue 2.0L Diesel · ST70 BOF

The vehicle presents a stable and improving maintenance trend, culminating in a clean pass on 19 September 2025 at 173,216 miles with zero defects recorded. That is a significant turnaround from the failed test just three days prior in September 2024, where the tester flagged four separate issues including a worn front brake pad below 1.5 millimetres, excessive play in the nearside track rod end ball joint, an inoperative headlamp levelling device, and a failed offside daytime running lamp. The subsequent pass on 20 September 2024 at 139,473 miles still carried advisories for rear brake pads wearing thin and a rear brake disc that was worn, pitted, or scored, but the tester deemed these not seriously weakened. By the 2025 test, even those minor advisories had cleared, suggesting the previous owner addressed the outstanding items promptly rather than deferring them. The mileage accumulation tells a clear story of sustained heavy commercial use. Covering roughly 28,869 miles per year over six years, this Transit Custom has been driven hard and consistently. The jump from 104,027 miles in September 2023 to 139,473 miles by September 2024 alone accounts for 35,446 miles in a single year, which is well above even the high annual average. There are no suspicious gaps or periods of inactivity in the record, and the mileage progression is logical and continuous, ruling out any indication of a rolled-back odometer. The intensity of use places elevated stress on consumable components, particularly brakes, tyres, suspension bushes, and drivetrain mounts. A buyer should pay close attention to the front suspension and steering linkage during any in-person inspection. The nearside track rod end ball joint that failed with excessive play in September 2024 was clearly replaced before the retest, but the underlying cause of that wear at relatively high mileage warrants checking for any remaining play in tie rod ends, suspension bushes, and drop link attachments. The repeated appearance of front and rear brake pad wear across multiple tests, combined with the scored rear disc advisory, indicates this vehicle has spent considerable time under load. Inspect the condition of all brake discs, calipers for any sign of binding, and the handbrake mechanism, as high-mileage vans frequently develop parking brake shoe or cable issues that MOTs do not always capture. Tyre wear patterns also deserve scrutiny. Both front tyres were flagged as worn close to the legal limit and worn on edge in September 2023, which points to either sustained under-inflation, aggressive driving, or misaligned front tracking. Given the track rod end failure occurred shortly after, the alignment may have been compromised for some time. Check the inner and outer edges of all four tyres for uneven wear and have the four-wheel alignment verified. At 173,216 miles, the exhaust system, DPF system, and turbocharger should also be assessed for signs of oil sooting or excessive play, as these are common failure points on high-mileage EcoBlue engines subjected to frequent short or loaded runs.