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S388 VAO

1998 Rover Mini

Blue Petrol 1275cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Sep 2026
Tests24 (14 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate58.3%

Mileage

43,171 mi
Last recorded43,171 miles
Recorded on21 Aug 2025
Typical for 1998 Rover Mini49,150 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationS388 VAO
MakeRover
ModelMini
Year1998
ColourBlue
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

14 pass 10 fail
Pass 21 Aug 2025 43,171 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

Nearside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced inner wheel arch (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement radius arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Rear Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

wear on exhaust flexi

Pass 13 Sep 2024 42,393 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

wear on exhaust flexi

Fail 13 Sep 2024 42,393 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

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

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

wear on exhaust flexi

Fail 2 Aug 2024 42,299 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords deep cracks (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords deep cracks (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

wear on exhaust flexi

Pass 19 Jul 2023 40,885 miles

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

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

slight damage on exhaust flexi

Pass 20 Jul 2022 39,965 miles

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

Offside Rear Upper Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced wheel arch (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

slight wear on exhaust flexi

Pass 7 Jul 2021 38,830 miles

Offside Rear Upper Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced wheel arch (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

slight damage on exhaust flexi

stone chip on screen

Fail 6 Jul 2021 38,783 miles

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

Offside Rear Upper Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced wheel arch (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

slight damage on exhaust flexi

stone chip on screen

Fail 9 Feb 2021 38,708 miles

Nearside Front Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Offside Front Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

stone chip on screen

wear on exhaust flexi

Pass 18 Apr 2019 37,369 miles
Pass 13 Nov 2017 36,165 miles
Pass 14 Nov 2016 35,522 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt upper and lower (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt upper and lower (2.4.G.2)

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

Fail 9 Nov 2016 35,516 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt upper and lower (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt upper and lower (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 11 Nov 2015 34,750 miles

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

Pass 8 Oct 2013 34,486 miles
Fail 7 Oct 2013 34,486 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 16 May 2011 34,275 miles
Pass 20 Feb 2009 33,439 miles

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

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

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

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 17 Feb 2009 33,437 miles

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

Offside Front Direction indicators incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

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

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

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 11 Sep 2007 28,964 miles
Fail 5 Sep 2007 28,964 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)

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

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

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

front lower engine mount bolt missing

rear battery box corroded

rear sub frame corroding

Pass 2 Dec 2006 27,795 miles
Fail 2 Dec 2006 27,795 miles

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

Fail 18 Nov 2006 27,745 miles

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Front Headlamp not in good working order (not working) (1.2.4a)

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

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

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

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

rear fuel pipe correding.

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

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

S388 VAO is a 1998 Rover Mini in Blue with a 1,275cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 58.3%.

Across all 1998 Rover Mini models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.0% with a typical mileage of 49,150 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 S388 VAO, 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 28 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 S388 VAO?

You can check the full history of S388 VAO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S388 VAO registered?

S388 VAO is a 1998 Rover Mini, first registered on 1 August 1998.

Is S388 VAO safe to buy?

The MOT history for S388 VAO shows 24 tests with a 58.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S388 VAO 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 S388 VAO. 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.