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FOW 597L

1972 MG Midget

Orange Petrol 1275cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Dec 2026
Tests11 (6 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate54.5%

Mileage

31,158 mi
Last recorded31,158 miles
Recorded on20 Nov 2025
Typical for 1972 MG Midget33,792 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationFOW 597L
MakeMG
ModelMidget
Year1972
ColourOrange
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,275cc

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

6 pass 5 fail
Pass 20 Nov 2025 31,158 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive chassis area corroded adjacent to rear axle support strap (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 12 Dec 2024 30,097 miles
Fail 28 Nov 2024 30,097 miles

Nearside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Nearside Rear Brake drum contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

Nearside Rear Brake lining(s) contaminated (1.1.13 (b))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 19 Dec 2023 29,141 miles
Fail 19 Dec 2023 29,141 miles

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 2 Oct 2007 28,470 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

front valance rusty

slight play in nearside front suspention

underside rusty

Pass 5 Oct 2006 28,170 miles

corrosion not through all skins through out vehicle + front suspension components + steering components

exhaust front pipe corroding

front brake flexi hose ferrules corroding

heavy engine oil leak

some play in front king pins

some play top steering column mount

Fail 11 Sep 2006 28,169 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Steering column top bearing excessively worn (2.1.2c)

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b) DANGEROUS

exhaust front pipe corroding

front brake flexi hose ferrules corroding

front coil springs corroding

heavy engine oil leak

some play front king pins

Fail 23 May 2006 28,162 miles

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

Offside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Offside Rear Leaf spring deteriorated and seriously weakened (2.4.B.1a)

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Slight play in nearside front suspension.

Pass 26 Jul 2005 27,023 miles

front no. plate cracked

front to rear floorplans (both sides) have heavy surface corrosion

heavy surface corrosion to all front suspension components

heavy surface corrosion to rear suspension components

o/s door mirror has movement

steering column has horizontal play

Fail 28 Jun 2005 27,023 miles

Nearside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

front no. plate cracked

front to rear floorpans (both sides) have heavy surface corrosion

heavy surface corrosion to all front suspension components

o/s door mirror has movement

slight play in o/s/f kingpin

steering column has horizontal play

How Reliable is the MG Midget?

Based on 84,419 MOT tests across 9,949 vehicles.

76.7%
Pass Rate
286
Miles/Year
63
Year Lifespan
9,949
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 2,648
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 2,284
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 2,239
Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 2,079
Stop lamp not working 2,058
Full MG Midget reliability report

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FOW 597L is a 1972 MG Midget in Orange with a 1,275cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 11 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 54.5%.

Across all 1972 MG Midget models, the average MOT pass rate is 77.5% with a typical mileage of 33,792 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 MG Midget fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 2,648 recorded failures. If you're considering buying FOW 597L, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The MG Midget typically stays on UK roads for around 63 years. At 54 years old, this MG Midget is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of FOW 597L?

You can check the full history of FOW 597L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was FOW 597L registered?

FOW 597L is a 1972 MG Midget, first registered on 15 November 1972.

Is FOW 597L safe to buy?

The MOT history for FOW 597L shows 11 tests with a 54.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does FOW 597L 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 FOW 597L. 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.