2011 Isuzu Rodeo 3.0L Diesel · WG61 DZX

The 2011 Isuzu Rodeo presents a mixed maintenance picture at its most recent MOT on 20 December 2025, passing at 111,569 miles but carrying three advisories. Both front tyres were worn close to the legal limit and feathered on the edges, indicating possible tracking or suspension geometry issues rather than simple neglect. The nearside front shock absorber was noted with a light oil misting, a condition first flagged in the December 2024 test at 99,755 miles and still present twelve months later. This suggests a slow, ongoing deterioration rather than a sudden failure, though the unit will likely require replacement in the near term if the misting progresses to active weeping. The mileage accumulation of roughly 7,438 miles per year over fifteen years is typical for a working light commercial or rural utility vehicle. The record shows a notable jump of 11,814 miles between the December 2024 test at 99,755 miles and the December 2025 test at 111,569 miles, a sharper annual increase than the long-term average. This could reflect heavier recent use or a catch-up after a quieter period. The gap between the failed test on 27 November 2023 and the retest on 30 November 2023 at the same 91,448 miles indicates a prompt repair, which is encouraging, but the subsequent tests show that lower-cost consumable items and slow-wearing components have been left to deteriorate rather than proactively addressed. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on the front suspension and steering linkage. The November 2023 failure flagged excessively worn front suspension arm ball joints, which were replaced or repaired before the retest, yet by December 2022 both lower ball joints already had slight play advisories. This pattern suggests the front end has been a recurring weak point and deserves close scrutiny for play, uneven tyre wear, and cracked track rod ends. The rear prop shaft universal joints were noted with slight play in December 2024, and no subsequent repair is recorded, so any clunking on lift-off or vibration at speed should be investigated. Brake discs were flagged as worn but within tolerance at the 2024 test, meaning they may now be at or below minimum thickness given the mileage added since. Beyond the documented items, the chassis and body mountings deserve attention on a fifteen-year-old Isuzu of this type, particularly around the rear spring hangers, outriggers, and brake pipe runs where corrosion can compromise structural integrity long before it appears on an MOT. The headlamp aim was corrected after the 2023 failure, but both lenses were noted as slightly defective in 2024, so beam quality and moisture ingress should be checked. Overall, the vehicle appears mechanically functional but has a history of deferred attention to suspension and consumable wear items rather than a pattern of major mechanical neglect.