2012 Subaru Forester X Boxer Diesel 2.0L Diesel · YT62 WDY

The Subaru Forester currently holds a valid MOT pass dated 5 January 2026 at 146,194 miles, but the maintenance trend is one of gradual, unresolved deterioration rather than active repair. The most recent test passed with four separate advisories for worn suspension arm bushes and anti-roll bar bushes, plus a minor oil leak. These same bush wear items appeared on the immediate re-test of 2 January 2026, which itself failed on a split ball joint dust cover and headlamp aim. The car has not been under the tester's scrutiny since early January 2026, meaning the current certificate is now roughly five months old with no further evidence of rectification work. The mileage progression tells a consistent story of regular use. Between the January 2024 pass at 116,785 miles and the January 2025 failure at 131,169 miles, the car covered 14,384 miles in twelve months. The jump from January 2025 to January 2026 was 14,978 miles, and the three-mile gap between the 2 January 2026 failure and the 5 January 2026 pass confirms the car was driven immediately after repair. This is a well-used vehicle averaging just over 10,000 miles per year, typical for a diesel Forester of this age, with no suspicious gaps or sudden drops that would suggest long-term standing or clocking concerns. The recurring theme across multiple tests is front and rear suspension bush degradation. Worn front suspension arm bushes appeared in January 2024, January 2025, and January 2026, while rear anti-roll bar bushes were flagged in both 2026 tests. The January 2025 failure for an excessively worn front suspension ball joint, followed by a dust joint cover failure days later in January 2026, suggests the front end has been neglected rather than systematically maintained. A buyer should have the front suspension arm bushes, ball joints, and anti-roll bar links physically loaded and inspected on a ramp, checking for play that may have worsened since the January 2026 pass. The minor oil leak noted in both 2026 tests warrants under-bonnet inspection to determine whether it is a weeping gasket or something more active. Rear brake pads were flagged as wearing thin in January 2025, yet no corresponding advisory appeared in 2026, implying they were replaced in the intervening twelve months. That is the only clear evidence of consumable renewal in the record. The headlamp aim failure in January 2026 also suggests possible bulb or unit replacement, though no follow-up advisory confirms permanent correction. A prospective buyer should verify rear brake disc condition, check for uneven pad wear indicating a binding caliper, and confirm headlamp aim is still correctly set. Given the age and mileage, an underbody inspection for corrosion on suspension mounting points and subframes is advisable, as the fitted undertrays noted in 2025 may have been masking deterioration.