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LJ53 DBU

2003 Smart (mcc) City Coupe

Black Petrol 698cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires26 Mar 2026
Tests24 (19 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate79.2%

Mileage

108,459 mi
Last recorded108,459 miles
Recorded on27 Mar 2025
Typical for 2003 Smart (mcc) City Coupe47,556 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Smart (mcc)
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationLJ53 DBU
MakeSmart (mcc)
ModelCity Coupe
Year2003
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine698cc

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 27 Mar 2025 108,459 miles

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 12 Feb 2024 105,288 miles

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 31 Jan 2024 105,288 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Side repeater incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Pass 28 Feb 2023 101,283 miles

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 21 Feb 2023 101,272 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted outer rim (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 25 Feb 2022 97,952 miles

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 19 Feb 2021 97,553 miles

Nearside Rear Outer Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Pass 16 Jan 2020 93,449 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 2 Feb 2019 91,416 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 26 Jan 2018 88,948 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2017 87,869 miles
Pass 13 Jan 2016 85,894 miles
Fail 12 Jan 2016 85,894 miles

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 9 Jan 2015 81,009 miles
Pass 20 Feb 2014 77,336 miles
Fail 13 Feb 2014 77,204 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen has damage to the swept area in excess of a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 7 Feb 2013 72,458 miles

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

Pass 3 Feb 2012 66,953 miles
Pass 26 Jan 2011 61,747 miles
Pass 20 Jan 2010 49,904 miles
Pass 2 Oct 2008 40,870 miles

Nail in offside rear tyre

n/s/f tyre is worn on inner edge

n/s/r tyre close to wear bars

o/s/f tyre becoming out of shape

Pass 4 Sep 2007 35,092 miles
Pass 13 Dec 2006 31,402 miles
Fail 13 Dec 2006 31,402 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

How Reliable is the Smart (mcc) City Coupe?

Based on 282,294 MOT tests across 17,380 vehicles.

71.5%
Pass Rate
3,273
Miles/Year
27
Year Lifespan
17,380
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Stop lamp not working 9,153
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 8,215
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 5,697
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 5,268
Headlamp aim too low 5,252
Full Smart (mcc) City Coupe reliability report

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LJ53 DBU is a 2003 Smart (mcc) City Coupe in Black with a 698cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 79.2%.

Across all 2003 Smart (mcc) City Coupe models, the average MOT pass rate is 71.9% with a typical mileage of 47,556 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Smart (mcc) City Coupe fails its MOT is stop lamp not working, accounting for 9,153 recorded failures. If you're considering buying LJ53 DBU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Smart (mcc) City Coupe typically stays on UK roads for around 27 years. At 23 years old, this Smart (mcc) City Coupe is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of LJ53 DBU?

You can check the full history of LJ53 DBU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was LJ53 DBU registered?

LJ53 DBU is a 2003 Smart (mcc) City Coupe, first registered on 23 October 2003.

Is LJ53 DBU safe to buy?

The MOT history for LJ53 DBU 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 LJ53 DBU 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 LJ53 DBU. 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.