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F196 SPY

1988 Austin Mini 1000 City E

Black Petrol 998cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Jul 2027
Tests12 (7 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate58.3%

Mileage

21,754 mi
Last recorded21,754 miles
Recorded on21 Jul 2026
Typical for 1988 Austin Mini 1000 City E55,483 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationF196 SPY
MakeAustin
ModelMini 1000 City E
Year1988
ColourBlack
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

7 pass 5 fail
Pass 21 Jul 2026 21,754 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 Jul 2026 21,744 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive test aborted, emissions went off the scale (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

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

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 20 Jun 2025 21,688 miles

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

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

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Fail 19 Jun 2025 21,686 miles

Emissions unable to be completed Vehicle will not idle (8.2.1.2 (d))

Exhaust emits visible black smoke at idle (8.2.1.2 (f))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively fluctuating (1.2.1 (e))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Windscreen wiper not working (3.4 (a))

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

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

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 21 Feb 2024 21,174 miles

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

Rear Fuel pipe chafing (6.1.3 (c) (i))

Pass 24 Aug 2022 21,088 miles

Nearside Rear Position lamp has a product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity (4.2.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Position lamp has a product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity (4.2.3 (b) (i))

Fail 24 Aug 2022 21,088 miles

Nearside Rear Position lamp has a product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity (4.2.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Position lamp has a product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity (4.2.3 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 29 Oct 2020 21,087 miles

Rear Wheel bearing has slight play offside+nearside (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Pass 18 Sep 2008 25,155 miles
Fail 18 Sep 2008 25,155 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 31 Jul 2007 23,954 miles
Fail 27 Jul 2007 23,954 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

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

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

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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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F196 SPY is a 1988 Austin Mini 1000 City E in Black with a 998cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 12 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 58.3%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 F196 SPY, 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 F196 SPY?

You can check the full history of F196 SPY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F196 SPY registered?

F196 SPY is a 1988 Austin Mini 1000 City E, first registered on 17 September 1988.

Is F196 SPY safe to buy?

The MOT history for F196 SPY shows 12 tests with a 58.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F196 SPY 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 F196 SPY. 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.