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R103 VES

1997 Rover 820

Red Petrol 1994cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 May 2027
Tests22 (17 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate77.3%

Mileage

80,205 mi
Last recorded80,205 miles
Recorded on29 May 2026
Typical for 1997 Rover 82093,602 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR103 VES
MakeRover
Model820
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,994cc

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

17 pass 5 fail
Pass 29 May 2026 80,205 miles
Pass 14 May 2025 79,185 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2022 75,561 miles
Pass 5 Nov 2021 70,055 miles
Pass 2 Oct 2020 67,317 miles
Pass 9 Jul 2019 63,691 miles
Pass 27 Jun 2018 60,297 miles
Fail 26 Jun 2018 60,297 miles

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

Fail 19 May 2018 60,282 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

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

Pass 11 Dec 2015 57,843 miles
Pass 13 Oct 2014 57,462 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Pass 10 Oct 2013 56,383 miles
Pass 24 Sep 2012 55,352 miles
Pass 10 Oct 2011 54,654 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

o/s windscreen wiper slightly smearing

Fail 10 Oct 2011 54,654 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

o/s windscreen wiper slightly smearing

Pass 26 Aug 2010 54,597 miles
Fail 26 Aug 2010 54,597 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a) DANGEROUS

Footbrake pedal creeps down slightly when held uder pressure

Pass 4 Sep 2009 50,379 miles
Pass 3 Sep 2008 45,664 miles
Fail 3 Sep 2008 45,664 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Pass 22 Aug 2007 41,870 miles
Pass 21 Aug 2006 38,506 miles

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

How Reliable is the Rover 820?

Based on 92,659 MOT tests across 19,658 vehicles.

63.9%
Pass Rate
4,012
Miles/Year
36
Year Lifespan
19,658
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 9,076
constant velocity joint gaiter split 6,826
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 5,771
Brake pipe excessively corroded 4,216
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 4,025
Full Rover 820 reliability report

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R103 VES is a 1997 Rover 820 in Red with a 1,994cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.3%.

Across all 1997 Rover 820 models, the average MOT pass rate is 64.8% with a typical mileage of 93,602 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Rover 820 fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 9,076 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R103 VES, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Rover 820 typically stays on UK roads for around 36 years. At 29 years old, this Rover 820 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R103 VES?

You can check the full history of R103 VES by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R103 VES registered?

R103 VES is a 1997 Rover 820, first registered on 22 December 1997.

Is R103 VES safe to buy?

The MOT history for R103 VES shows 22 tests with a 77.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R103 VES 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 R103 VES. 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.