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C509 VLJ

1985 Talbot Express

White Petrol 1971cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires5 Jun 2026
Tests13 (11 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate84.6%

Mileage

54,602 mi
Last recorded54,602 miles
Recorded on2 Jun 2025
Typical for 1985 Talbot Express77,632 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationC509 VLJ
MakeTalbot
ModelExpress
Year1985
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,971cc

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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

11 pass 2 fail
Pass 2 Jun 2025 54,602 miles

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

Pass 20 May 2024 53,239 miles

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Rear Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (c))

Pass 31 May 2023 51,307 miles

Nearside Front Slight play in steering arm

Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 6 Jun 2022 50,361 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2021 48,852 miles
Pass 20 Jul 2020 47,509 miles
Pass 27 Aug 2019 46,900 miles
Pass 29 Jul 2017
Fail 22 Nov 2014 43,592 miles

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

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1) DANGEROUS

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

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

unable to check nsr wheel bearings as nsr brake stuck on.

Pass 26 Jun 2008 43,484 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 3 May 2007 43,113 miles
Pass 26 Oct 2005 43,022 miles
Fail 19 Oct 2005 43,011 miles

Nearside All position lamps not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

Nearside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

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

Nearside Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Front Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Steering system excessively rough (2.2.D.1)

How Reliable is the Talbot Express?

Based on 171,025 MOT tests across 8,371 vehicles.

65.4%
Pass Rate
1,204
Miles/Year
41
Year Lifespan
8,371
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 6,812
Brake pipe excessively corroded 6,026
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 4,909
Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 4,861
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 4,297
Full Talbot Express reliability report

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C509 VLJ is a 1985 Talbot Express in White with a 1,971cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 84.6%.

Across all 1985 Talbot Express models, the average MOT pass rate is 61.1% with a typical mileage of 77,632 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Talbot Express fails its MOT is suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 6,812 recorded failures. If you're considering buying C509 VLJ, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of C509 VLJ?

You can check the full history of C509 VLJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C509 VLJ registered?

C509 VLJ is a 1985 Talbot Express, first registered on 1 August 1985.

Is C509 VLJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for C509 VLJ shows 13 tests with a 84.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C509 VLJ 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 C509 VLJ. 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.