2004 Fiat Ducato 2.8L Diesel · WA04 HRN

The most recent test on 2 April 2026 at 56,577 miles returned a clean pass with no defects or advisories, marking a clear improvement from the pattern seen in previous years. The maintenance trend has stabilised; the 2025 and 2024 tests recorded only minor advisories for offside front tyre cracking and nearside front shock absorber misting, both of which remain unresolved but have not deteriorated to failure. This contrasts sharply with the 2022 failure on a significantly corroded nearside front brake disc and the 2021 failure involving a fuel filter leak, binding rear brake, deteriorated brake hose and coolant loss, all of which have since been rectified. Mileage accumulation remains low for a 22-year-old commercial vehicle, averaging roughly 2,500 miles per year. The record shows consistent annual testing since 2021, but earlier gaps appear between 2019 and 2021 and again between 2017 and 2019, suggesting periods of limited use or SORN status. Recent accumulation confirms this pattern: the vehicle covered only 1,769 miles between April 2025 and April 2026, and 2,850 miles in the preceding 14 months. Such low usage often accelerates age-related degradation of rubber and hydraulic components rather than mechanical wear. A buyer should focus inspection on the nearside front shock absorber, where light oil misting has persisted across the last two tests at 51,958 and 54,808 miles, indicating a weeping seal that will eventually require replacement. Brake disc corrosion remains a recurring theme, noted in 2016, 2019 and culminating in the 2022 failure; verify the current discs are free from heavy pitting or lip formation. The power steering rack showed slight seepage in 2016 and pipe corrosion in 2019, while the radiator was flagged as corroded and possibly leaking in 2019 before a coolant leak and empty header tank caused the 2021 failure. Check the cooling system for seepage and the steering rack for fresh fluid. Finally, tyre sidewalls deserve close scrutiny; the 2025 advisory for offside front cracking follows a 2016 fail for perishing rear tyres, a typical consequence of long-term standing.