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R823 MCW

1997 Rover 218

Black Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 Mar 2027
Tests14 (7 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

104,067 mi
Last recorded104,067 miles
Recorded on16 Feb 2026
Typical for 1997 Rover 21887,270 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR823 MCW
MakeRover
Model218
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

7 pass 7 fail
Pass 16 Feb 2026 104,067 miles

BLACK COATIN IS APPLIED UNDER THECAR PREVENTING FULL INSPECTOIN

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

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

Rear Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 16 Feb 2026 104,067 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust emissions - engine idle speed too high (8.2.1.2 (e))

BLACK COATIN IS APPLIED UNDER THECAR PREVENTING FULL INSPECTOIN

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

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

Rear Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 26 Feb 2025 102,815 miles

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

Fail 26 Feb 2025 102,811 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust emissions - engine idle speed too high (8.2.1.2 (e))

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

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

Pass 12 Mar 2024 102,042 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2011 92,217 miles
Fail 1 Sep 2011 92,217 miles

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

Pass 18 Mar 2010 89,612 miles
Fail 12 Mar 2010 89,612 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Pass 11 Mar 2009 83,327 miles

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Fail 25 Feb 2009 83,327 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Fail 20 Mar 2008 83,310 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

rear brake juddering severely (3.7.A.5b)

Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nail in offside front tyre

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

handbrake travel long

rear wiper blade split

Pass 28 Jun 2006 81,531 miles
Fail 23 Jun 2006 81,530 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

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R823 MCW is a 1997 Rover 218 in Black with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

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 R823 MCW, 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 R823 MCW?

You can check the full history of R823 MCW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R823 MCW registered?

R823 MCW is a 1997 Rover 218, first registered on 29 September 1997.

Is R823 MCW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R823 MCW shows 14 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R823 MCW 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 R823 MCW. 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.