2022 Ford Transit Custom 300 Trend Eblue 2.0L Diesel · WM71 AMU

A 2022 Ford Transit Custom 300 Trend EcoBlue carrying 81,724 miles presents a mechanical profile dominated by heavy commercial use rather than any flagged defects. The DVSA record is notably clean across the three tests captured here, with passes recorded on 26 January 2026 and 18 December 2024, and only a single fail on 13 December 2024 that recorded no defects at all, likely an administrative or metadata-only entry rather than a component rejection. With no advisories logged on either pass and no specific components called out for monitoring, the official roadworthiness history offers reassurance that the vehicle has not accumulated documented wear on suspension, braking, exhaust, or structural items as of its most recent examination. The annualised mileage of roughly 20,431 miles is substantially above the typical private-car average and sits at the upper end of what is common for a working Transit Custom of this age. Four years of intensive commercial duty means the engine, clutch, dual-mass flywheel, brake friction material, and suspension components have been worked considerably harder than the odometer alone would suggest on a passenger car. Heavy-load cycle use, frequent stop-start driving, and laden mileage accelerate wear on clutch hydraulics, gearbox mounts, brake discs and pads, plus front suspension components such as control arm bushes, anti-roll bar drop links, and front strut top bearings. The single test gap between late 2024 and early 2026 is consistent with a van in regular daily service rather than one left standing, which reduces the risk of seized brakes, perished coolant hoses, or 12V battery degradation from inactivity. For a prospective buyer, the absence of advisories means attention should shift to wear items that an MOT does not fully interrogate but which are common failure points on high-mileage Transits of this generation. On a test drive, listen for clonks or knocks from the front end over speed humps and uneven surfaces, which can indicate worn lower control arm inner bushes, anti-roll bar drop link failure, or front strut top mount wear, all typical Transit Custom complaints well before 100,000 miles. Check for clutch slip under load by selecting a higher gear than appropriate on an incline, feel for a slipping or juddering clutch pedal, and listen for a rattle from the bell housing area at idle with the clutch pressed, which on the EcoBlue can point to dual-mass flywheel wear. Brake pedal feel should be firm with no excessive travel, and the vehicle should pull up straight without steering pull, as the Transit is prone to sticking caliper sliders and uneven front pad wear under heavy use. A thorough physical inspection should focus on areas the MOT history cannot capture. Inspect the front brake discs for lipping and the inner pad material for uneven wear suggesting seized caliper slides, examine under-trims for signs of oil seepage from the EcoBlue engine and gearbox, and check the rear leaf spring bushes and shock absorbers for any sagging or knocking under load. Verify the AdBlue system functions correctly, as emissions-related faults are increasingly common MOT failure triggers on later Transits, and confirm the timing belt or chain service interval history, as the EcoBlue engine is particularly intolerant of stretched timing chains past 100,000 miles. With a clean MOT record but usage that points to a hard-working commercial vehicle, a pre-purchase inspection by a specialist familiar with Transit Customs would be prudent to catch the wear that the standard MOT has not yet flagged.