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L400 MGB

1998 Ford Escort

Green Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires17 Oct 2026
Tests20 (14 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

87,261 mi
Last recorded87,261 miles
Recorded on18 Oct 2025
Typical for 1998 Ford Escort63,332 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationL400 MGB
MakeFord
ModelEscort
Year1998
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

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

14 pass 6 fail
Pass 18 Oct 2025 87,261 miles
Pass 12 Feb 2025 86,666 miles

Rear Sills corroded

Pass 5 Feb 2024 84,666 miles

corrosion under vehicle

Pass 8 Feb 2023 84,620 miles
Fail 17 Jul 2017 84,465 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded sill marked yellow (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt drop link (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (2.5.C.1a)

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 22 Nov 2014 82,718 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Pass 5 Nov 2013 82,252 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Pass 8 Oct 2012 77,285 miles

sill covers fitted to nearside and offside {unable to check outer sills}

Fail 8 Oct 2012 77,285 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

sill covers fitted to nearside and offside {unable to check outer sills}

Fail 20 Aug 2012 77,019 miles

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

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

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

Offside Outer 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)

N/S FRONT LOWER SWIVAL JOINT GAITER STARTING TO SPLIT

N/S FRONT TYRE INNER EDGE STARTING TO WEAR

N/S REAR INNER AND OUTER SILLS CORRODING

N/S REAR VALVE STEM PERISHING

O/S FRONT REAR INNER WISHBONE BUSH STARTING TO SEPERATE

O/S FRONT TYRE INNER EDGE GETTING LOW

O/S REAR FOOT/HANDBRAKE EFFORTS LOW

Fail 15 Aug 2011 72,964 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Front Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Nearside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Nearside Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Nearside Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

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

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

front discs in poor condition

Pass 15 Aug 2011 72,964 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Front Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Nearside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Nearside Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Nearside Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

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

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Offside Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

front discs in poor condition

Pass 23 Aug 2010 69,481 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Pass 1 Sep 2009 65,655 miles
Fail 24 Aug 2009 65,554 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Pass 26 Aug 2008 61,693 miles

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 20 Aug 2007 57,681 miles
Pass 21 Aug 2006 53,574 miles
Fail 21 Aug 2006 53,574 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 30 Aug 2005 49,208 miles

How Reliable is the Ford Escort?

Based on 4,961,191 MOT tests across 821,553 vehicles.

63.1%
Pass Rate
4,830
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
821,553
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 465,333
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 447,459
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 433,778
Brake pipe excessively corroded 419,450
constant velocity joint gaiter split 203,602
Full Ford Escort reliability report

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L400 MGB is a 1998 Ford Escort in Green with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

Across all 1998 Ford Escort models, the average MOT pass rate is 61.6% with a typical mileage of 63,332 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Ford Escort fails its MOT is suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 465,333 recorded failures. If you're considering buying L400 MGB, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Ford Escort typically stays on UK roads for around 38 years. At 28 years old, this Ford Escort is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of L400 MGB?

You can check the full history of L400 MGB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L400 MGB registered?

L400 MGB is a 1998 Ford Escort, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is L400 MGB safe to buy?

The MOT history for L400 MGB shows 20 tests with a 70% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L400 MGB 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 L400 MGB. 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.