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BTE 601L

1973 Triumph Spitfire

Red Petrol 1493cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Oct 2026
Tests14 (9 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate64.3%

Mileage

56,203 mi
Last recorded56,203 miles
Recorded on2 Oct 2025
Typical for 1973 Triumph Spitfire50,358 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationBTE 601L
MakeTriumph
ModelSpitfire
Year1973
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,493cc

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

9 pass 5 fail
Pass 2 Oct 2025 56,203 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all metal brake pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Fail 20 Sep 2025 56,183 miles

Nearside Front Floor excessively deteriorated (6.2.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Floor excessively deteriorated fibreglass showing (6.2.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Stop lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp bulb wrong way round (4.3.3 (b))

Offside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all metal brake pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 18 Sep 2017 49,570 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Oil leak ()

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Pass 18 Aug 2016 49,525 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Oil leak ()

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Pass 1 Jul 2015 48,966 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Fail 30 Jun 2015 48,952 miles

Nearside Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Pass 21 Jul 2014 48,567 miles
Fail 9 Jul 2014 48,550 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Nearside Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 30 Aug 2008 48,053 miles
Pass 15 Jun 2007 47,847 miles
Fail 11 Jun 2007 47,847 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (1.8)

Offside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Registration plate lamp insecure (1.1.C.1c)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 9 Jun 2006 47,442 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Pass 15 Jun 2005 46,953 miles
Fail 13 Jun 2005 46,950 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Offside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

How Reliable is the Triumph Spitfire?

Based on 69,541 MOT tests across 8,423 vehicles.

72.5%
Pass Rate
302
Miles/Year
63
Year Lifespan
8,423
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 4,320
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 2,718
brake binding 2,431
Stop lamp not working 2,126
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 1,894
Full Triumph Spitfire reliability report

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Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

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BTE 601L is a 1973 Triumph Spitfire in Red with a 1,493cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.3%.

Across all 1973 Triumph Spitfire models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.4% with a typical mileage of 50,358 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 Triumph Spitfire fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 4,320 recorded failures. If you're considering buying BTE 601L, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Triumph Spitfire typically stays on UK roads for around 63 years. At 53 years old, this Triumph Spitfire is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of BTE 601L?

You can check the full history of BTE 601L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BTE 601L registered?

BTE 601L is a 1973 Triumph Spitfire, first registered on 1 July 1973.

Is BTE 601L safe to buy?

The MOT history for BTE 601L shows 14 tests with a 64.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BTE 601L 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 BTE 601L. 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.