CarVerify

Free Car Check

MUR 856L

1973 Ford Escort

Purple Petrol 1300cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires22 May 2026
Tests7 (5 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

43,519 mi
Last recorded43,519 miles
Recorded on23 May 2025
Typical for 1973 Ford Escort44,545 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Ford
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationMUR 856L
MakeFord
ModelEscort
Year1973
ColourPurple
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,300cc

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 23 May 2025 43,519 miles

Offside Front tyre badly perished 175/70/13

Pass 8 Jul 2022 40,224 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Fail 22 Jun 2022 40,179 miles

Central Rear Exhaust system insecure (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength inner wing chassis leg areas (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases flange joint area (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive diff area (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive engine oil filter housing areas (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 5 Sep 2020 38,171 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Fail 5 Aug 2020 38,171 miles

Battery insecure and likely to cause a short circuit (4.13 (a) (ii))

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Fuel pipe insecure at rear by tank (6.1.3 (a) (i))

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively damaged to brake caliper (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe likely to become detached or damaged and osr across rear axle (1.1.11 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake valve leaking or oil out of wheel (1.1.7 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre(s) of different sizes are fitted on the same axle. (5.2.3 (b))

Offside Rear Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Parking (secondary brake) on a single line braking system imbalanced across an axle Axle 1 (1.3.1 (b) (i))

Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment (1.1.6 (c))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 29 Mar 2017 37,331 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2016 37,014 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

MUR 856L is a 1973 Ford Escort in Purple with a 1,300cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 7 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

Across all 1973 Ford Escort models, the average MOT pass rate is 85.0% with a typical mileage of 44,545 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 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 MUR 856L, 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 53 years old, this Ford Escort is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of MUR 856L?

You can check the full history of MUR 856L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was MUR 856L registered?

MUR 856L is a 1973 Ford Escort, first registered on 13 April 1973.

Is MUR 856L safe to buy?

The MOT history for MUR 856L 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 MUR 856L 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 MUR 856L. 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.