CarVerify

Free Car Check

R618 MDA

1997 Rover 218

Grey Petrol 1796cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires18 Mar 2026
Tests25 (16 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate64%

Mileage

129,415 mi
Last recorded129,415 miles
Recorded on14 Mar 2025
Typical for 1997 Rover 21887,270 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Rover
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

RegistrationR618 MDA
MakeRover
Model218
Year1997
ColourGrey
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

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

16 pass 9 fail
Pass 14 Mar 2025 129,415 miles
Fail 13 Mar 2025 129,415 miles

Nearside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (6.1.7 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (6.1.7 (g) (ii))

Pass 19 Mar 2024 123,393 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material corroded. (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Outer Drive shaft gaiter perished.

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Corroded. (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Outer Drive shaft gaiter perished.

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Fail 27 Feb 2024 123,381 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Outer Driveshaft gaiter perishing.

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Offside Front Outer Driveshaft gaiter perishing.

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Pass 2 Mar 2023 117,927 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Slight corrosion. (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Outer Driveshaft rubber boot perished.

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Slight corrosion. (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Outer Driveshaft rubber boot perished.

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

Fail 2 Mar 2023 117,926 miles

Brake lever has insufficient reserve travel (1.1.2 (a))

Stop lamp(s) remains on when the brakes are released (4.3.2 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Slight corrosion. (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Outer Driveshaft rubber boot perished.

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Slight corrosion. (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Outer Driveshaft rubber boot perished.

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

Pass 24 Feb 2022 113,021 miles

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

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

Fail 24 Feb 2022 113,021 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

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

Pass 5 Mar 2021 108,651 miles
Fail 1 Mar 2021 108,651 miles

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

Nearside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Offside Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Pass 21 Feb 2020 104,802 miles

Nearside Parking brake only just met minimum requirements

Offside sill corroded

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

Fail 13 Feb 2020 104,679 miles

Emissions not tested Emissions not tested due to exhaust leak. (8.2.1.2 (d))

Front Exhaust emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak Exhaust front pipe blowing. (8.2.1.1 (b))

Nearside Outer Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced N/S outer seal panel corroded Front to back (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Central Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view Chip in screen (3.2 (a) (i))

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

Pass 18 Feb 2019 100,041 miles
Fail 16 Jan 2019 100,025 miles

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

Coolant leak ()

Offside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 12 Mar 2018 95,085 miles

Nearside front sill is holed

Pass 29 Mar 2017 85,332 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 15 Mar 2016 73,466 miles
Pass 1 Apr 2015 62,728 miles

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 27 Mar 2015 62,728 miles

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b)

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

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 Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Body or chassis 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)

rear parking (secondary) brakes imbalanced (3.7.B.6b)

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

all brake discs very rusty

Pass 22 Jan 2010 60,882 miles
Pass 16 Jan 2009 52,467 miles
Fail 16 Jan 2009 52,466 miles

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 6 Feb 2008 41,420 miles
Pass 5 Feb 2007 37,303 miles
Pass 15 Feb 2006 33,121 miles

How Reliable is the Rover 218?

Based on 106,618 MOT tests across 21,767 vehicles.

64.5%
Pass Rate
5,299
Miles/Year
34
Year Lifespan
21,767
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 9,334
constant velocity joint gaiter split 8,429
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 6,994
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 5,620
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 4,026
Full Rover 218 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

R618 MDA is a 1997 Rover 218 in Grey with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64%.

Across all 1997 Rover 218 models, the average MOT pass rate is 64.7% with a typical mileage of 87,270 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 218 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 9,334 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R618 MDA, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Rover 218 typically stays on UK roads for around 34 years. At 29 years old, this Rover 218 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R618 MDA?

You can check the full history of R618 MDA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R618 MDA registered?

R618 MDA is a 1997 Rover 218, first registered on 15 August 1997.

Is R618 MDA safe to buy?

The MOT history for R618 MDA shows 25 tests with a 64% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R618 MDA 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 R618 MDA. 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.