CarVerify

Free Car Check

R385 BLA

1998 Tvr Chimaera

Green Petrol 3952cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Jun 2027
Tests25 (17 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate68%

Mileage

66,998 mi
Last recorded66,998 miles
Recorded on13 May 2026
Typical for 1998 Tvr Chimaera46,225 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Tvr
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £14.99

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

RegistrationR385 BLA
MakeTvr
ModelChimaera
Year1998
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,952cc

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 8 fail
Pass 13 May 2026 66,998 miles

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

Pass 9 May 2025 66,301 miles

Coil spring corroded all four coil springs corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened front and rear upper and lower suspension arms corroded both sides (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced various ares of corrosion also partially undersealed (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view cracked (3.2 (a) (i))

exhaust system corroded

Fail 1 May 2025 66,295 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Coil spring corroded all four coil springs corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened front and rear upper and lower suspension arms corroded both sides (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced various ares of corrosion also partially undersealed (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view cracked (3.2 (a) (i))

exhaust system corroded

Pass 11 May 2024 64,693 miles

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

Rear Coil spring corroded Both sides (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Upper Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened Both sides (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 11 May 2024 64,668 miles

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

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

Rear Coil spring corroded Both sides (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Upper Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened Both sides (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 25 May 2023 63,931 miles

Front Underside corroded

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Rear Underside corroded

Pass 6 Jun 2022 63,887 miles

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

Oil leak, but not excessive rear axle hub seals (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

underside poor and rusty and painted in thick underseal

Pass 19 Aug 2020 63,822 miles
Pass 5 Jun 2017 63,799 miles
Pass 17 Feb 2016 63,714 miles
Pass 19 Mar 2015 63,684 miles
Fail 18 Mar 2014 63,609 miles

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

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 18 Mar 2014 63,609 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Feb 2013 63,127 miles
Pass 6 Mar 2012 62,975 miles
Pass 24 Mar 2011 62,745 miles

Offside Front front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

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

front brake discs pitted both sides

Fail 15 Nov 2010 62,630 miles

Brake performance not tested (3.7.A.1)

Nearside Sub-frame corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Offside Sub-frame corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

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

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

Pass 8 Jun 2009 62,403 miles

underside of the vehicle showing signs of corrosion

Fail 4 Jun 2009 62,400 miles

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

Offside Vehicle structure has an unsatisfactory modification, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

Oil leak

general underbody surface corrosion

Pass 7 May 2008 62,308 miles
Fail 30 Apr 2008 62,308 miles

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

Pass 7 Dec 2006 58,229 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

chassis corroded

Fail 4 Dec 2006 58,229 miles

Nearside Front Lower Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

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

o/s n/s chassis corroded

Pass 29 Nov 2005 48,420 miles
Fail 23 Nov 2005 48,416 miles

Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

surface corrosion to chassie

How Reliable is the Tvr Chimaera?

Based on 74,906 MOT tests across 4,721 vehicles.

81.6%
Pass Rate
855
Miles/Year
33
Year Lifespan
4,721
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 1,285
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 1,258
Steering rack gaiter split 1,113
Headlamp aim too high 1,041
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 977
Full Tvr Chimaera 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

R385 BLA is a 1998 Tvr Chimaera in Green with a 3,952cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68%.

Across all 1998 Tvr Chimaera models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.8% with a typical mileage of 46,225 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 Tvr Chimaera fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 1,285 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R385 BLA, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Tvr Chimaera typically stays on UK roads for around 33 years. At 28 years old, this Tvr Chimaera is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R385 BLA?

You can check the full history of R385 BLA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R385 BLA registered?

R385 BLA is a 1998 Tvr Chimaera, first registered on 17 June 1998.

Is R385 BLA safe to buy?

The MOT history for R385 BLA shows 25 tests with a 68% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R385 BLA 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 R385 BLA. 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.