CarVerify

Free Car Check

E3 XRL

1989 Ford Escort

Grey Petrol 1597cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 May 2027
Tests24 (17 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate70.8%

Mileage

21,935 mi
Last recorded21,935 miles
Recorded on20 May 2026
Typical for 1989 Ford Escort53,879 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Ford
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationE3 XRL
MakeFord
ModelEscort
Year1989
ColourGrey
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,597cc

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

17 pass 7 fail
Pass 20 May 2026 21,935 miles

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

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

Fail 20 May 2026 21,936 miles

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

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

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

Pass 26 May 2025 20,965 miles
Fail 15 May 2025 20,958 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel only 37kg (1.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel only 47kg (1.2.1 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Fail 10 Apr 2024 20,959 miles

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Inner Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced ARCH (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced FLOOR (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Position lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (4.2.3 (c))

Pass 8 Apr 2021 19,506 miles
Pass 25 Jan 2019 19,081 miles

exhaust runs very close to body and fuel tank

Pass 19 Feb 2018 18,866 miles
Fail 12 Feb 2018 18,862 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 6 Feb 2017 18,220 miles

Coolant leak

Emissions just within maximum allowed limit

Multiple welded repairs done and covered with thick underseal

Oil leak

Under body and vehicle structure corroding

Fail 24 Jan 2017 18,214 miles

Nearside Rear Passenger's seat cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.A.2)

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded inner wheel arch (5.2.6)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is inadequately repaired inner sill (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded seat mount / floor (5.2.6)

Nearside rear brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

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

Offside rear brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

Rear fog lamp switch faulty (1.3.1a)

Coolant leak

Emissions just within maximum allowed limit

Multiple welded repairs done and covered with thick underseal

Oil leak

Under body and vehicle structure corroding

Pass 5 Feb 2016 17,725 miles

Nearside Front Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt c/v gaiter deeply cracked (2.5.C.1a)

Offside Front Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt c/v gaiter deeply cracked (2.5.C.1a)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded to flexy brake hose (3.6.B.2c)

battery is loose.

Fail 25 Jan 2016 17,718 miles

Offside Front Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

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

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

Nearside Front Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt c/v gaiter deeply cracked (2.5.C.1a)

Offside Front Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt c/v gaiter deeply cracked (2.5.C.1a)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded to flexy brake hose (3.6.B.2c)

battery is loose.

Pass 29 Jan 2015 17,421 miles

Exhaust emits blue smoke during acceleration (7.3.A.2c)

Offside Front Obligatory mirror damaged, but not seriously affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

Oil leak

Pass 27 Jan 2014 15,376 miles
Pass 23 Jan 2013 13,391 miles

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

Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Pass 26 Jan 2012 11,144 miles
Fail 25 Jan 2012 11,144 miles

Offside Front Driver's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

Offside Outer Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Pass 21 Jan 2011 8,374 miles
Pass 22 Jan 2010 4,429 miles
Pass 21 Jan 2009 1,977 miles
Pass 25 Jan 2008 99,984 miles
Pass 24 Jan 2007 97,559 miles
Pass 20 Jan 2006 93,403 miles

How Reliable is the Ford Escort?

Based on 4,961,191 MOT tests across 821,553 vehicles.

63.1%
Pass Rate
4,830
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
821,553
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 465,333
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 447,459
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 433,778
Brake pipe excessively corroded 419,450
constant velocity joint gaiter split 203,602
Full Ford Escort reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

E3 XRL is a 1989 Ford Escort in Grey with a 1,597cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.8%.

Across all 1989 Ford Escort models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.5% with a typical mileage of 53,879 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Ford Escort fails its MOT is suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 465,333 recorded failures. If you're considering buying E3 XRL, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Ford Escort typically stays on UK roads for around 38 years. At 37 years old, this Ford Escort is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of E3 XRL?

You can check the full history of E3 XRL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E3 XRL registered?

E3 XRL is a 1989 Ford Escort, first registered on 16 November 1989.

Is E3 XRL safe to buy?

The MOT history for E3 XRL shows 24 tests with a 70.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E3 XRL 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 E3 XRL. 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.