One of the misconceptions that I often come across, is that low mileage means that less maintenance is required. This is not the case, and it’s not just use that causes problems, many problems can develop even when the vehicle is not traveling far.

One of these problem areas is corrosion, which can affect the vehicle regardless of the miles travelled. The braking system is a prime area for such troubles and it is not only the brake discs that can be subjected to unwanted rusting, but also the brake pipes and hose ferrules.

This 2006 BMW X5 3.0 diesel, had like many other motors, not been used much during 2020, leaving the owner to suspect that his lower mileage would result in lower repair bills.

Unfortunately, the BMW had still been sitting out on the road during the lock down period and so this had not prevented the rust from doing its worst. Before this X5 could get its new NCT certificate, it was going to need a couple of brake hoses at the front. The metal ferrules clamping the hose onto the union had rusted, and could fail allowing for the sudden loss of brake pressure.

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