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F981 SBD

1988 Austin Mini Designer

Black Petrol 998cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Apr 2027
Tests7 (5 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

80,999 mi
Last recorded80,999 miles
Recorded on14 Apr 2026
Typical for 1988 Austin Mini Designer60,618 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationF981 SBD
MakeAustin
ModelMini Designer
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

5 pass 2 fail
Pass 14 Apr 2026 80,999 miles
Pass 17 Apr 2025 80,850 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2008 50,684 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2007 25,622 miles
Fail 20 Jun 2007 2,589 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing (3.3.A.1b)

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

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

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

Nearside Front passenger seat cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.4)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Indicator tell tale inoperative (1.4.A.2a)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Nearside front brake juddering severely (3.7.A.2b)

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

Offside Front Sub-frame attachment rubber mounting bonding deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Suspension arm locating pin retaining device not properly locked (2.4.G.3b)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside front brake juddering severely (3.7.A.2b)

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Oil leak

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Pass 11 Sep 2006 94,980 miles

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

Oil leak

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

both front tyres very close to limit

some corrosion to n/s/r subframe

Fail 6 Sep 2006 94,975 miles

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

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition on (1.4.B.1f)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Front Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Front Sub-frame has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Rear position lamp(s) incorrect colour (1.1.A.3e)

Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Oil leak

n/s/f tyre worn on inner edge very close to limit(boarder line)

o/s/f tyre wearing on inner edge

o/s/r tyre very close to limit

some corrosion to n/s/r sub frame

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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F981 SBD is a 1988 Austin Mini Designer in Black with a 998cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 7 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 F981 SBD, 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 F981 SBD?

You can check the full history of F981 SBD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F981 SBD registered?

F981 SBD is a 1988 Austin Mini Designer, first registered on 1 August 1988.

Is F981 SBD safe to buy?

The MOT history for F981 SBD shows 7 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F981 SBD 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 F981 SBD. 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.