2004 Ford Mondeo 2.0L Diesel · YR04 FMM

The 2004 Ford Mondeo presents a stable and consistently clean roadworthiness record. The most recent MOT, conducted on 2 February 2026 at 74,618 miles, passed with zero defects. This marks five consecutive flawless annual tests stretching back to January 2022, indicating no recurring mechanical or structural failures over the last four years. The maintenance trend is stable and improving in the sense that no new issues have materialised, though the absence of any advisories at all across half a decade is unusual for a 22-year-old car and warrants careful physical inspection to verify the record's accuracy. The mileage pattern tells a distinctive story. Between 25 January 2022 at 74,228 miles and 2 February 2026 at 74,618 miles, the car covered just 390 miles over four full years, averaging fewer than 100 miles annually. The increments between successive tests are remarkably small: 142 miles over the 2022–2023 gap, 118 miles over 2023–2024, 22 miles over 2024–2025, and 108 miles over 2025–2026. This is extremely low use for a vehicle of any age, and the accumulation is not only minimal but inconsistent, suggesting the car may have spent extended periods stationary. Prolonged standing can cause its own problems, including seized brake calipers, perished rubber suspension bushes, degraded brake fluid from moisture absorption, and flat-spotted tyres, none of which the MOT necessarily detects unless severe enough to constitute a failure. Despite the clean paperwork, a buyer should conduct a thorough physical inspection focused on components that deteriorate with age and inactivity rather than mileage. Check the condition and date stamps of all four tyres, as rubber perishes regardless of tread depth. Inspect the brake discs and pads for surface corrosion, which is common on vehicles that sit unused, and verify that the handbrake mechanism is not seized. Examine the front and lower rear suspension bushes, coil springs, and shock absorbers for perishing or weeping. Inspect the underside and wheel arches for structural corrosion, particularly on a 22-year-old Mondeo where subframe and sill rust is a known concern. Given the extraordinarily low recorded mileage, request service records or receipts to corroborate the MOT history, as the data suggests either a carefully garaged vehicle or a mileage anomaly that demands further investigation.