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A23 UST

1989 Austin Metro L

Red Petrol 998cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Feb 2027
Tests21 (13 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate61.9%

Mileage

69,011 mi
Last recorded69,011 miles
Recorded on4 Feb 2026
Typical for 1989 Austin Metro L49,130 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Austin
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationA23 UST
MakeAustin
ModelMetro L
Year1989
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine998cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

13 pass 8 fail
Pass 4 Feb 2026 69,011 miles
Fail 22 Jan 2026 69,011 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 13 Feb 2025 67,743 miles
Pass 18 Mar 2024 67,329 miles
Fail 12 Mar 2024 67,328 miles

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases BOX LOOSE (6.1.2 (a))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 22 Sep 2021 66,730 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2020 65,417 miles
Pass 27 Sep 2019 63,827 miles

Nearside Front Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Fail 24 Sep 2019 63,827 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Pass 19 Feb 2018 56,485 miles
Fail 19 Feb 2018 56,485 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Pass 16 Mar 2016 56,443 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre is cracking in the wall

Offside Front Tyre is cracking in the wall

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.1.2c)

Pass 8 Jan 2013 53,841 miles
Pass 24 Jan 2012 53,723 miles
Pass 23 Apr 2008 52,222 miles
Fail 23 Apr 2008 52,222 miles

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Fail 16 Oct 2007 52,195 miles

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b)

Nearside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

Fail 19 Sep 2007 52,191 miles

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Nearside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

both front tyres wearing inner edges

Pass 4 Sep 2006 45,835 miles
Fail 25 Aug 2006 45,834 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 9 Aug 2005 40,266 miles

How Reliable is the Austin Metro L?

Based on 7,416 MOT tests across 1,865 vehicles.

66.0%
Pass Rate
817
Miles/Year
41
Year Lifespan
1,865
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 978
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 519
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 513
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 388
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive 383
Full Austin Metro L reliability report

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A23 UST is a 1989 Austin Metro L in Red with a 998cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.9%.

Across all 1989 Austin Metro L models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.1% with a typical mileage of 49,130 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Austin Metro L fails its MOT is subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 978 recorded failures. If you're considering buying A23 UST, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Austin Metro L typically stays on UK roads for around 41 years. At 37 years old, this Austin Metro L is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of A23 UST?

You can check the full history of A23 UST by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A23 UST registered?

A23 UST is a 1989 Austin Metro L, first registered on 31 December 1989.

Is A23 UST safe to buy?

The MOT history for A23 UST shows 21 tests with a 61.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does A23 UST have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on A23 UST. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.