Is it safe to buy a car that s been out of MOT for a year?

[howaylee]

Hi all -
There’s a 2015 SsangYong Korando for sale on here close to me.
It’s now January 2026 and the car’s MOT expired in April 2025.
The garage are saying they will service it and give it an MOT along with a warranty.
Is this something to avoid or may there be many genuine reasons as to why the car’s MOT wasn’t renewed when it expired almost a year ago?

[Olivergt]

Did you ask the garage?

Maybe it's been sitting on their forecourt for 8-10 months?

If the MOT runs out before they sell it, they won't bother getting a new one till it's sold.

[howaylee]

Hi - the reg plate was covered on the ad.
I phoned them and got it.
After I hung up, then I researched the MOT and found this out.

[Blue_star]

What is the price? Any recent advisories?

[Robertb]

It wouldn’t put me off but certainly extra due diligence required. It might have been in stock, sitting in a trade compound or maybe stuck in probate, who knows…

It won’t have been driven for nearly a year except on trade plates, which isn’t ideal.

I’d definitely check things like the brakes which might have corroded while the car was sitting about.

[howaylee]

Blue_star said:

What is the price? Any recent advisories?

Advisories from April 2024 MOT (the latest test)

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material end of pipe into flexible hose (1.1.11 (c))
Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material end of pipe into flexible hose (1.1.11 (c))
jets in front washers missing not squirting fully onto windscreen

[howaylee]

£2,500

[howaylee]

Robertb said:

It wouldn t put me off but certainly extra due diligence required. It might have been in stock, sitting in a trade compound or maybe stuck in probate, who knows

It won t have been driven for nearly a year except on trade plates, which isn t ideal.

I d definitely check things like the brakes which might have corroded while the car was sitting about.

I assume these wil show on MOT?

[paul_c123]

Why bother with this car, why not just move on to something else. Its not exactly a special car - in fact I'd say, very unspecial. Its going to have sat around, and it may be several weeks (if at all) if you put a deposit down, then the garage MoT it and it fails on a number of items.

[howaylee]

paul_c123 said:

Why bother with this car, why not just move on to something else. Its not exactly a special car - in fact I'd say, very unspecial. Its going to have sat around, and it may be several weeks (if at all) if you put a deposit down, then the garage MoT it and it fails on a number of items.

I see your point. It’s just appeared in my filtered search and seems a bargain. Just thought I’d ask on here first…

[Screenwash]

Previous owner probably sold/traded it in before the last MOT - maybe they suspected it wouldn’t pass? Then it’s sat around unused for months, as I’m sure many unloved used cars do. A ten year old Korando isn’t going to have buyers queuing up for it, unless it’s dirt cheap?!

[ARH]

The bargain word is the biggest issue. Car dealers do tend to know the true value of the thing they are trying to sell. Be it moted or not.

[TriumphStag3.0V8]

howaylee said:

Robertb said:

It wouldn t put me off but certainly extra due diligence required. It might have been in stock, sitting in a trade compound or maybe stuck in probate, who knows

It won t have been driven for nearly a year except on trade plates, which isn t ideal.

I d definitely check things like the brakes which might have corroded while the car was sitting about.

I assume these wil show on MOT?

In theory, yes, although I have seen cars with fresh MOTs from traders at that end of the market where there really should be advisories at least.....

[Ed Boon II]

I brought a 20 year old Landcruiser Colorado, 140,000 miles, many owners, spent 4 years in a field as a horse feeder and after a filter and fluids change it’s been almost faultless over the last 18 months.

Assume the Ssangyong will have similar build quality?

[55palfers]

Back in the day brand new cars came over on a ferry and sat in the docks for a while. (Both ends.) Got moved to a field in the middle of nowhere for 12 months then got sold as new.

Is it well priced?

[howaylee]

Prices at £2,500.
As someone else mentioned… no idea what the MOT will throw up AFTER I’ve placed a deposit.

I’ve spotted a Hyundai ix35 and Qashqai at similar prices.

[Blue_star]

Not sure its a great deal. If you love the car might be great decision but just based on price point - dont think its a steal

Edited by Blue_star on Saturday 17th January 09:40

[howaylee]

Thank you for replying - I’ll shuffle it down my shortlist!

[Lester H]

howaylee said:

paul_c123 said:

Why bother with this car, why not just move on to something else. Its not exactly a special car - in fact I'd say, very unspecial. Its going to have sat around, and it may be several weeks (if at all) if you put a deposit down, then the garage MoT it and it fails on a number of items.

I see your point. It s just appeared in my filtered search and seems a bargain. Just thought I d ask on here first

Well, it doesn’t have to be bad. Some dealers routinely MOT stock with a short ‘ticket’ after which, of course a car could be hanging around, perhaps in damp cold weather for a while . Some better independents will have a showroom, but only the ‘ posher’ stock may make it into there. Others wait until a potential customer comes along and then MOT the car so that it goes out with a full years test and you would hope, a basic service. The situation you describe needs to be reflected in the price.

[paul_c123]

Lester H said:

Well, it doesn t have to be bad. Some dealers routinely MOT stock with a short ticket after which, of course a car could be hanging around, perhaps in damp cold weather for a while . Some better independents will have a showroom, but only the posher stock may make it into there. Others wait until a potential customer comes along and then MOT the car so that it goes out with a full years test and you would hope, a basic service. The situation you describe needs to be reflected in the price.

We're not talking about short MoT though, we're talking about no MoT since April 2025. It WILL have been sat around somewhere, for 8 months at least. Either that or its been used illegally on the roads by its previous owner.