Apologies in advance for this. Here is the MOT history of a car I am considering buying for around a grand this week. I looked up the MOT history and I was first shock, new to this as I am. There are lots of rust issues it seems to me. Would those who know about running bangers and their economics be put off? The car is SORN as well so a test drive might be tricky.

FORD Vehicle model GALAXY Date first used 27 September 2002 Fuel type Diesel Colour Blue

MOT history of this vehicle

Test date 16 April 2016 Expiry date 15 April 2017
Pass
Odometer reading 135,885 miles
Advisory notice item(s)
front chassis/outriggers heavy surface corrosion
rear tyre walls perished and cracked

Test date 26 May 2015 Expiry date 26 May 2016
Pass
Odometer reading 131,186 miles

Test date 23 May 2015
Fail
Odometer reading 131,184 miles
Reason(s) for failure
Offside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Test date 17 May 2014 Expiry date 26 May 2015
Pass
Odometer reading 123,026 miles
Advisory notice item(s)
o/s front outrigger split. Suspect used as jacking point
rear exhaust deteriorated with minor leak

Test date 18 May 2013 Expiry date 26 May 2014
Pass Odometer reading 117,216 miles
Advisory notice item(s)
Nearside Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.5.C.1a)
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Test date 23 May 2012 Expiry date 26 May 2013
Pass
Odometer reading 106,768 miles

Test date 23 May 2012
Fail
Odometer reading 106,768 miles
Reason(s) for failure
Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)
Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)
Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Test date 17 May 2011 Expiry date 26 May 2012
Pass
Odometer reading 97,658 miles
Advisory notice item(s)
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt
Headlamp masks/converters fitted

Test date 17 May 2011
Fail
Odometer reading 97,658 miles
Reason(s) for failure
Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)
Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)
Nearside Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter split (2.5.C.1a)
Nearside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)
Advisory notice item(s)
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt
Headlamp masks/converters fitted

Test date 20 May 2010 Expiry date 26 May 2011
Pass
Odometer reading 90,394 miles
Advisory notice item(s)
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Test date 20 May 2010 Test Result
Fail
Odometer reading 90,394 miles
Reason(s) for failure
Nearside Front Front constant velocity joint gaiter split (2.5.C.1a)
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)
Advisory notice item(s)
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Test date 14 May 2009
Fail
Odometer reading 80,765 miles
Reason(s) for failure
Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)
Nearside Inner Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)
Advisory notice item(s)
Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone ‘A’ (8.3.1a)
Nearside Inner Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)
Offside Inner Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)
Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Test date 14 May 2009 Expiry date 26 May 2010
Pass
Odometer reading 80,765 miles
Advisory notice item(s)
Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone ‘A’ (8.3.1a)
Nearside Inner Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)
Offside Inner Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)
Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Test date 27 May 2008 Expiry date 26 May 2009
Pass
Odometer reading 73,129 miles M
Advisory notice item(s)
Nearside Front Macpherson strut has slight movement in the upper support bearing assembly (2.5.B.1b)
Offside Front Macpherson strut has slight movement in the upper support bearing assembly (2.5.B.1b)
Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)
Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Test date 27 May 2008 Test Result Fail Odometer reading 73,129 miles MOT test number 9047 8874 8117 Reason(s) for failure
Offside Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter split (2.5.C.1a)
Advisory notice item(s)
Nearside Front Macpherson strut has slight movement in the upper support bearing assembly (2.5.B.1b)
Offside Front Macpherson strut has slight movement in the upper support bearing assembly (2.5.B.1b)
Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)
Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Someone has spent a few quid on it to get it thought its test last time – makes me wonder why its not being driven at the moment.
If you buy it with twelve months test on it then rust won’t be an issue for another year then you’ll just have to see how it goes.
I wouldn’t be buying it with what little test its got remaining, I’d want a recent pass.

I’d be swifly walking away from that. Plenty of second hand cars on the market to choose from.

as has been said it’s only a six month MOT. In april I would anticipate a corrosion MOT fail and in my experience on this age of motor that is probably it done.

I would also be very worried about it’s annual mileage in the last few years – it appears to be getting very little use, and probably short journeys. Leaving a vehicle sitting about unused is one of the best ways to cause problems IME. For a turbo diesel short journeys/low mileage = trouble

For info I sold a very similar age and mileage astra estate turbo diesel. These are still ‘desirable’ motors. It went for £450 so i’d say the galaxy is overpriced assuming it’s private.

im not mystic meg but i see welding in your future.

also worries me that it did very few miles between tests

The trick with Bangernomics is to find cars that have been looked after and maintained well. That MOT history does not show a well maintained car. I’d run for the hills!

“The trick with Bangernomics is to find cars that have been looked after and maintained well”

this – and a service history does not show good maintainance.

a rack of reciepts shows much more than a service history.

a clean set of MOTs shows more than a service history IMO.

What that shows me is a car that gets the bare minimum between tests….its one stop short of failing on having no washer fluid in…..

Dear Rockhopper, Vader, wwpaddler, trail rat,

Thank you! Really, thank you thanks thank you.

Most things on cars can be fixed. But whether its econmical to do so if another matter.
All you’ll end up doing is chasing the rust away with your wallet. I’d avoid that Galaxy completely.

I took a bit of a gamble with a 2005 Renault Scenic 1.5 DCI, because rust was going to become an issue with our 1999 Mazda 323.
Its not been perfect, but at £750 it was a bargain, and a year on, although I’ve spent out £600 on it, we now have a car with minimal issues (compared to when I got it, everything bar the air con now works!) and its now a known entity. Plus, there is no bodywork or chassis rust.
It failed its MOT the other week with only a split CV joint boot (which I already knew about) and a couple of advisories regarding tyres (again half expected).
If you’re prepared to work on the car yourself then bangernomics can work just fine.

My van just sailed through another mot. 10years old and owned for 7 not bad for a frenchie

Mean while my 12 year old berlingo is getting a new axle on Friday by my fair hand because other than the rear axle whose torsion bar snapped at weekend – there’s nowt wrong with it.

I do believe there is no more reliable car than the one you knowto be reliable. All used cars are a gamble for reliability

I wouldn’t touch that even if it was £200 (scrap value) as you start to pay to fix small things it snowballs.

Buy a lovingly cared for car. Yours would be better off buying 500 lottery tickets as a value/investment.

My current car is a 1 owner, huge service history Saab 9-5 Aero estate with 280bhp. It did 500miles this weekend.

An aside, admittedly, but Hora, nice car mate. I’d love one of those. Had a 9-3 2004. Selling it was probably one of my poorer decisions.

They aren’t the most reliable cars on the road, but easy & cheap to fix (compared to a French large MPV).
Don’t usually hear of them rusting badly. Check out the FGOC forum, tonnes of info on there.
Mine is a 54 plate on 128k. As said though, they are big, heavy vehicles. Not particularly complicated, indeed the diesels are mid 90’s VAG tdi so pretty robust, but 1800kg takes its toll on mechanicals.
Avoid anything with an auto box like the plague.
Problem is they fell into shoestring ownership quickly, & unless maintained well they can be a liability.
As a bike hauling, kid carrying, caravan hauling tug they are good.
Mine does 30+ round town, plus 45mpg is easy on a long run.