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F159 FTU

1988 Austin Mini 1000 City E

Orange Petrol 998cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Jan 2027
Tests17 (11 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate64.7%

Mileage

87,479 mi
Last recorded87,479 miles
Recorded on13 Jan 2026
Typical for 1988 Austin Mini 1000 City E55,483 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationF159 FTU
MakeAustin
ModelMini 1000 City E
Year1988
ColourOrange
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

11 pass 6 fail
Pass 13 Jan 2026 87,479 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2022 86,735 miles

Offside Front Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security outer sill plate (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 8 Dec 2020 85,950 miles
Fail 24 Nov 2020 85,945 miles

Cab or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a cab mounting boot floor (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover missing (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Suspension rod ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Front Suspension rod ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 5 Aug 2015 85,496 miles
Fail 1 Aug 2015 85,493 miles

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

Nearside Front Tie bar/rod rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded outer sill (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Front Tie bar/rod rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

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

Fail 31 Jul 2014 79,334 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Sub-frame has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Upper Sub-frame has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Radius arm has slight play in a pin bearing (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Lower Sub-frame has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Upper Sub-frame has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 31 Jul 2014 79,334 miles

Nearside Front Lower Sub-frame has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Upper Sub-frame has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Radius arm has slight play in a pin bearing (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Lower Sub-frame has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Upper Sub-frame has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 31 Jul 2013 72,676 miles
Fail 31 Jul 2013 72,676 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Pass 26 Nov 2011 72,565 miles

Nearside Front Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front Seat belt flexible stalk damaged but not likely to lead to failure under load (5.2.4a)

Fail 23 Nov 2011 72,565 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Front Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Nearside Front Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front Seat belt flexible stalk damaged but not likely to lead to failure under load (5.2.4a)

Pass 4 Dec 2010 72,563 miles

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Rear Sub-frame has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

front floors need attention

n/s rear footbrake low efficiency

top engine mounting weak

Fail 25 Nov 2010 72,563 miles

Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.A.1)

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

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Rear Sub-frame has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

front floors need attention

n/s rear footbrake low efficiency

o/s inner boot insecure

top engine mounting weak

Pass 27 Nov 2009 71,307 miles

Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

needs protecting

slight play in rear swivel hubs

Pass 22 Feb 2008 710,025 miles
Pass 15 Feb 2007 70,989 miles

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

How Reliable is the Austin Mini 1000 City E?

Based on 44,703 MOT tests across 5,158 vehicles.

64.5%
Pass Rate
716
Miles/Year
44
Year Lifespan
5,158
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 3,881
Steering rack gaiter split 2,979
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive 2,706
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 2,326
fog lamp not working 2,243
Full Austin Mini 1000 City E reliability report

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F159 FTU is a 1988 Austin Mini 1000 City E in Orange with a 998cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.7%.

Across all 1988 Austin Mini 1000 City E models, the average MOT pass rate is 64.5% with a typical mileage of 55,483 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Austin Mini 1000 City E fails its MOT is subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 3,881 recorded failures. If you're considering buying F159 FTU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Austin Mini 1000 City E typically stays on UK roads for around 44 years. At 38 years old, this Austin Mini 1000 City E is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of F159 FTU?

You can check the full history of F159 FTU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F159 FTU registered?

F159 FTU is a 1988 Austin Mini 1000 City E, first registered on 24 November 1988.

Is F159 FTU safe to buy?

The MOT history for F159 FTU shows 17 tests with a 64.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F159 FTU 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 F159 FTU. 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.