2014 Vauxhall Astra 1.6L Petrol · SW14 OBO

The 2014 Vauxhall Astra presents a mixed maintenance picture, with the most recent MOT on 25 February 2026 at 95,338 miles passing cleanly with zero defects. That clean sheet is encouraging, but it follows a failed test on the same day where the tester flagged an offside rear position lamp and both front tyres worn to the legal limit and scuffed on their inner edges. The inner-edge tyre wear pattern points to tracking or suspension geometry issues rather than simple neglect, and the fact that both fronts were borderline suggests the car may have been driven on them for some time before replacement. The overall trend is broadly stable rather than clearly improving, with recurring minor electrical niggles and intermittent structural advisories persisting across multiple test cycles. The mileage accumulation is consistent with typical use for a twelve-year-old car. Between the March 2025 test at 87,569 miles and the February 2026 test at 95,338 miles, the car covered 7,769 miles in just under twelve months, which sits comfortably within the roughly 7,945 miles-per-year average for its age. There are no suspicious gaps or sudden jumps in the odometer record, and the annual testing pattern suggests the car has been kept in regular use rather than sitting idle for long periods. A buyer should pay close attention to the front suspension and steering geometry. The repeated inner-edge tyre wear on both front wheels, noted in the February 2026 failure, is a classic indicator of excessive toe misalignment or worn suspension bushes and track rod ends. The March 2025 failure also flagged a severely deteriorated offside front anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover, which if left unaddressed allows water and grit into the joint and accelerates wear. Inspect the front lower arms, track rod ends, and anti-roll bar links for play, and check whether the replacement tyres fitted before the February 2026 pass are wearing evenly. The corrosion history warrants a careful underside inspection. The March 2025 test recorded a corroded rear fuel pipe at the filler neck and a brake pipe corroded and contaminated with grease front to rear, both of which are structural and safety-relevant items. While these were addressed in time for the pass, fuel and brake line corrosion on a twelve-year-old car often signals broader underbody deterioration, particularly around the rear subframe, sills, and fuel tank mounting areas. The March 2024 advisory for a corroded offside rear coil spring reinforces that the rear structure and suspension components have been exposed to moisture and road salt over time. A thorough check of the underside for fresh corrosion, repaired pipework, and coil spring condition is essential before purchase.