2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Petrol · WD60 GDV

A fifteen-year-old Mitsubishi Lancer presenting with a mileage of 110,740 miles yields a recent MOT narrative that is decidedly mixed rather than reassuring, with the most recent test on 9 June 2026 producing both a pass and a same-day failure. Four major defects were recorded at that failure, spanning lighting (offside headlamp aim too low and a rear fog lamp not emitting steady red light), wiper effectiveness, and a deteriorated nearside front anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover. That anti-roll bar item is particularly noteworthy because it represents a continuation of a problem first flagged in March 2025 as a minor, then progressing to a major category the following year, suggesting a suspension component that has been deteriorating rather than being rectified between tests. Compounding this, the vehicle has suffered two failures with safety-critical brake issues within four years, including dangerous-level brake pad wear on both nearside front and offside rear in February 2022 and a binding offside rear service brake in March 2025. Usage over the vehicle's life averages roughly 7,383 miles annually, which sits in a typical band for a car of this age and indicates neither long-term storage nor exceptionally heavy use. Testing frequency is broadly consistent with annual MOT compliance, with no multi-year gaps that would raise concerns about prolonged standing, and there are no mileage anomalies between consecutive tests that would suggest clock irregularities or rapid accumulation that could outpace consumable replacement. In mechanical terms, this mileage and usage profile points to a car that has been driven regularly enough to keep seals, bushes, and brake components working, but with sufficient annual mileage that wear items such as suspension joints, brake calipers, and tyres should be inspected thoroughly at the point of purchase rather than assumed serviceable. For a prospective buyer, the steering rack inner joint play flagged in both 2024 and 2023 warrants direct attention on a test drive. With the engine running and the vehicle stationary, listen for any clonking or knocking from the rack area as the steering is rotated lock to lock, and during a road drive, feel for vagueness, a wandering straight-ahead stance, or knocking transmitted through the column over uneven surfaces. Given the binding offside rear brake recorded in 2025, the car should be driven at low speed with the handbrake released to confirm the rear rotates freely without dragging or pulling, and the offside rear caliper should be examined for seized slide pins or a stiff piston, which often manifests as a pulling sensation under braking or uneven pad wear. The deteriorating nearside front anti-roll bar linkage and ball joint dust covers suggest the surrounding bushes may also be perishing; over speed bumps or during lane changes, listen for a metallic rattle or knocking from the front suspension, and visually inspect the links for perished rubber boots, play in the joint, or separation between the link and the bar. The braking system as a whole merits careful scrutiny given the history of dangerously thin pads on both axles and the recurring rear binding issue, so all four corners should be inspected for pad and disc thickness, corrosion on disc edges, and any hydraulic leaks around calipers and brake pipes, particularly along the underside of the vehicle where corrosion tends to attack pipework on cars of this age. The headlamp aim and rear fog lamp issues from the most recent failure are easily corrected but should be verified as properly adjusted before purchase, and the wiper blades should be checked for effective clearing across the swept area rather than smearing. Finally, given the tyre advisories from 2023 covering perished tread rubber on both front tyres and a slightly damaged offside rear, current tyres should be examined for age-related cracking in the sidewalls and tread grooves regardless of remaining tread depth, as perished rubber remains a roadworthiness concern even before the legal limit is reached.