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BU53 VCA

2003 Smart (mcc) City Coupe

Black Petrol 698cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Jan 2027
Tests24 (21 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87.5%

Mileage

81,000 mi
Last recorded81,000 miles
Recorded on26 Jan 2026
Typical for 2003 Smart (mcc) City Coupe47,556 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Smart (mcc)
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationBU53 VCA
MakeSmart (mcc)
ModelCity Coupe
Year2003
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine698cc

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

21 pass 3 fail
Pass 26 Jan 2026 81,000 miles

Coil spring corroded BOTH FRONT (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Fail 26 Jan 2026 81,000 miles

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Coil spring corroded BOTH FRONT (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 26 Jan 2026 81,000 miles

Coil spring corroded BOTH (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 25 Jan 2025 80,104 miles

Coil spring corroded BOTH FRONT (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 27 Jan 2024 79,239 miles
Pass 21 Jan 2023 78,246 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2022 76,428 miles
Pass 14 Jan 2021 74,662 miles
Pass 25 Jan 2020 73,645 miles
Pass 18 Jan 2019 71,526 miles
Pass 18 Jan 2018 69,758 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2017 67,797 miles
Pass 22 Sep 2015 67,204 miles
Pass 15 Sep 2014 63,244 miles
Pass 13 Sep 2013 57,427 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Grease applied to brake pipes-Inspection Limited

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 15 Nov 2012 51,995 miles
Fail 13 Nov 2012 51,991 miles

Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Bulb inop on high level brake light

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Front brake discs corroded @ edges

Pass 10 Jan 2012 44,357 miles
Fail 9 Jan 2012 44,357 miles

Offside Front coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 4 Jan 2011 29,460 miles
Pass 4 Jan 2010 14,683 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2008
Pass 8 Jan 2008 11,780 miles
Pass 24 Jan 2007 9,103 miles

How Reliable is the Smart (mcc) City Coupe?

Based on 282,294 MOT tests across 17,380 vehicles.

71.5%
Pass Rate
3,273
Miles/Year
27
Year Lifespan
17,380
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Stop lamp not working 9,153
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 8,215
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 5,697
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 5,268
Headlamp aim too low 5,252
Full Smart (mcc) City Coupe reliability report

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BU53 VCA is a 2003 Smart (mcc) City Coupe in Black with a 698cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87.5%.

Across all 2003 Smart (mcc) City Coupe models, the average MOT pass rate is 71.9% with a typical mileage of 47,556 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Smart (mcc) City Coupe fails its MOT is stop lamp not working, accounting for 9,153 recorded failures. If you're considering buying BU53 VCA, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Smart (mcc) City Coupe typically stays on UK roads for around 27 years. At 23 years old, this Smart (mcc) City Coupe is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of BU53 VCA?

You can check the full history of BU53 VCA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BU53 VCA registered?

BU53 VCA is a 2003 Smart (mcc) City Coupe, first registered on 17 December 2003.

Is BU53 VCA safe to buy?

The MOT history for BU53 VCA shows 24 tests with a 87.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BU53 VCA 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 BU53 VCA. 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.