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R122 VBW

1997 Rover Mini

Multi-colour Petrol 1275cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Jul 2027
Tests26 (17 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate65.4%

Mileage

91,087 mi
Last recorded91,087 miles
Recorded on2 Jul 2026
Typical for 1997 Rover Mini51,557 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR122 VBW
MakeRover
ModelMini
Year1997
ColourMulti-colour
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

17 pass 9 fail
Pass 2 Jul 2026 91,087 miles
Pass 17 Jul 2025 91,066 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2021 91,047 miles
Pass 17 Jun 2020 90,651 miles

Nearside Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 29 May 2019 90,616 miles
Pass 11 May 2018 90,378 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2017 89,971 miles

Nearside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Offside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Oil leak

underbody serves corrosion

Pass 6 May 2016 89,070 miles
Fail 15 Apr 2016 89,060 miles

Nearside Front Sub-frame attachment bracket/mounting insecure (2.4.G.1)

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

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Pass 25 Apr 2015 88,117 miles

Oil leak

both rear shock absorbers worn

steering rack noisey on lock to lock check

Fail 18 Apr 2015 88,109 miles

Nearside Front Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Oil leak

both rear shock absorbers worn

steering rack noisey on lock to lock check

Pass 28 Jan 2014 87,142 miles
Fail 27 Jan 2014 87,142 miles

Exhaust engine idle speed too high (7.3.D.1)

Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

ADVISED both front floor pans rusty

Pass 25 Jul 2012 53,157 miles

Front Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Oil leak

Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Fail 24 Jul 2012 53,157 miles

Centre Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Front Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Oil leak

Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Pass 1 Aug 2011 76,488 miles
Fail 29 Jul 2011 76,488 miles

Front Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Nearside Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

ADVISED front brake discs rusty.cracks in n/s/r tyre

Pass 27 Jul 2009 74,739 miles
Fail 23 Jul 2009 74,739 miles

Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 22 Jul 2008 71,556 miles
Fail 21 Jul 2008 71,554 miles

Nearside Front brake disc excessively scored (3.5.1h)

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Front Lower Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front brake disc excessively scored (3.5.1h)

Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

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

Pass 10 Jul 2007 64,915 miles
Fail 10 Jul 2007 64,915 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users (1.8.A.1a)

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 7 Aug 2006 57,924 miles
Pass 24 Feb 2006 57,849 miles

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Fail 22 Feb 2006 57,831 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

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

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

How Reliable is the Rover Mini?

Based on 519,169 MOT tests across 45,631 vehicles.

66.8%
Pass Rate
876
Miles/Year
47
Year Lifespan
45,631
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 32,036
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 24,016
Steering rack gaiter split 21,375
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 18,460
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 18,348
Full Rover Mini reliability report

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R122 VBW is a 1997 Rover Mini in Multi-colour with a 1,275cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.4%.

Across all 1997 Rover Mini models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.4% with a typical mileage of 51,557 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 Rover Mini fails its MOT is subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 32,036 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R122 VBW, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Rover Mini typically stays on UK roads for around 47 years. At 29 years old, this Rover Mini is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R122 VBW?

You can check the full history of R122 VBW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R122 VBW registered?

R122 VBW is a 1997 Rover Mini, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R122 VBW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R122 VBW shows 26 tests with a 65.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R122 VBW 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 R122 VBW. 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.