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F491 RMC

1988 Austin Mini Designer

Black Petrol 998cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Sep 2026
Tests19 (16 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate84.2%

Mileage

87,160 mi
Last recorded87,160 miles
Recorded on26 Sep 2025
Typical for 1988 Austin Mini Designer60,618 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationF491 RMC
MakeAustin
ModelMini Designer
Year1988
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine998cc
View full Austin Mini Designer reliability data

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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

16 pass 3 fail
Pass 26 Sep 2025 87,160 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2024 86,934 miles

Central Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

all brake pipes coated in sealant

underside of vehicle coated in sealant

Pass 13 Oct 2023 86,768 miles

All brake pipes covered in sealant

Vehicle underside coated in sealant

Pass 25 Oct 2022 86,677 miles

Vehicle underside covered in sealant

Fail 25 Oct 2022 86,668 miles

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

Vehicle underside covered in sealant

Pass 5 Oct 2021 86,151 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2020 84,212 miles
Pass 9 Apr 2019 83,562 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2018 83,160 miles

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit sidewall also cracking (4.1.E.1)

Pass 7 Feb 2017 82,764 miles

Nearside Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion floor pan (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Fail 11 Jan 2017 82,692 miles

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

Offside Front Outer Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings sill panel (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings floor pan (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion floor pan (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 16 May 2014 82,495 miles

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

Pass 3 May 2011 82,399 miles

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

Offside front sill corroded

Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Slight corrosion in bulk head area

Fail 19 May 2010 77,525 miles

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Nearside Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated (2.5.C.1a)

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

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Oil leak

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 19 May 2010 77,525 miles

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Nearside Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated (2.5.C.1a)

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

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Oil leak

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 22 May 2009 75,239 miles
Pass 13 Sep 2008 50,167 miles
Pass 3 Aug 2007 45,138 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2006 40,853 miles

How Reliable is the Austin Mini Designer?

Based on 4,630 MOT tests across 537 vehicles.

63.0%
Pass Rate
841
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
537
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 473
Steering rack gaiter split 383
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive 324
fog lamp not working 268
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 263
Full Austin Mini Designer reliability report

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F491 RMC is a 1988 Austin Mini Designer in Black with a 998cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 84.2%.

Across all 1988 Austin Mini Designer models, the average MOT pass rate is 63.1% with a typical mileage of 60,618 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Austin Mini Designer fails its MOT is subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 473 recorded failures. If you're considering buying F491 RMC, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of F491 RMC?

You can check the full history of F491 RMC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F491 RMC registered?

F491 RMC is a 1988 Austin Mini Designer, first registered on 8 August 1988.

Is F491 RMC safe to buy?

The MOT history for F491 RMC shows 19 tests with a 84.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F491 RMC 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 F491 RMC. 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.