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F234 SMC

1988 Talbot Express

Beige Petrol 1971cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Jan 2027
Tests24 (19 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate79.2%

Mileage

67,267 mi
Last recorded67,267 miles
Recorded on29 Dec 2025
Typical for 1988 Talbot Express76,257 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

RegistrationF234 SMC
MakeTalbot
ModelExpress
Year1988
ColourBeige
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,971cc

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

19 pass 5 fail
Pass 29 Dec 2025 67,267 miles

All under vehicle covered in underseal

Both sills slightly corroded and covered in underseal

Brake load sensing valve stiff (1.1.17 (c) (ii))

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

Pass 16 Jan 2025 64,892 miles
Fail 2 Jan 2025 64,881 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 31 May 2024 63,836 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule x2 (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Pass 23 May 2023 63,230 miles
Fail 18 May 2023 63,214 miles

Nearside Front Service brake excessively fluctuating (1.2.1 (e))

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

Offside Rear Lower Suspension spring mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength inner sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Central Rear Lower Gearbox mounting defective ()

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

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

Pass 30 Mar 2022 59,729 miles

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

Pass 22 Aug 2019 58,598 miles
Pass 24 Aug 2018 58,222 miles
Pass 31 May 2017 56,631 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2016 56,066 miles

crack in nearside lower windscreen

exhaust system corroded and small leak

nearside & offside front wheel bearings slight play

undernearth corroded

Pass 18 Jun 2015 56,020 miles

exhaust system corroded

guter rail corroded

lower windscreen damaged

nearside & offside front wheel bearing slight play

undernearth corroded

Pass 19 Jun 2014 55,936 miles

crack to lower half of windscreen

nearside & offside front wheel bearing slight play

some brake pipes starting to corroded

Pass 13 Jun 2013 55,918 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

crack in windscreen

nearside & offside front suspension arm bushes starting to crack

nearside rear & offside rear shocker bushes starting to crack

nearside rear wheel bearing slight roughness

offside rear wheel bearing slight roughness

Pass 21 Jun 2012 55,838 miles

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

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

Offside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 17 Jun 2011 55,787 miles
Pass 21 Jun 2010 55,691 miles
Fail 17 Jun 2010 55,687 miles

Offside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Rear Stop lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Pass 15 Apr 2009 55,596 miles
Pass 8 May 2008 54,827 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2006 54,401 miles
Fail 12 Dec 2006 54,401 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 8 Dec 2005 53,403 miles
Fail 7 Dec 2005

Nearside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

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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F234 SMC is a 1988 Talbot Express in Beige with a 1,971cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 79.2%.

Across all 1988 Talbot Express models, the average MOT pass rate is 63.1% with a typical mileage of 76,257 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 F234 SMC, 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 38 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 F234 SMC?

You can check the full history of F234 SMC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F234 SMC registered?

F234 SMC is a 1988 Talbot Express, first registered on 30 September 1988.

Is F234 SMC safe to buy?

The MOT history for F234 SMC shows 24 tests with a 79.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F234 SMC 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 F234 SMC. 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.