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S97 MBL

1998 Rover Mini

Orange Petrol 1275cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Jan 2027
Tests29 (16 pass, 13 fail)
Pass rate55.2%

Mileage

44,206 mi
Last recorded44,206 miles
Recorded on13 Jan 2026
Typical for 1998 Rover Mini49,150 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Rover
Stolen
Finance
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationS97 MBL
MakeRover
ModelMini
Year1998
ColourOrange
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

16 pass 13 fail
Pass 13 Jan 2026 44,206 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 21 Nov 2024 43,656 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Front floor corroded

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

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

Oil leak, but not excessive selector shaft seal and other (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Dec 2023 43,012 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre uneven wear on inner edge

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Tyre uneven wear on inner edge

Fail 6 Dec 2023 43,012 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension component insecurely attached Ball joint (5.3.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Tyre uneven wear on inner edge

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Tyre uneven wear on inner edge

Pass 15 Dec 2022 42,547 miles

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

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

Fail 14 Dec 2022 42,547 miles

Front Brake pipe excessively corroded to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

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

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

Pass 4 Oct 2021 41,290 miles

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp does not illuminate (7.1.6 (a))

Fail 4 Oct 2021 41,290 miles

Headlamp aim too high both (4.1.2 (a))

Driver's seat insecure (6.2.5 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp does not illuminate (7.1.6 (a))

Pass 3 Oct 2020 41,099 miles

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

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 4 Oct 2019 40,723 miles

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Fail 4 Oct 2019 40,723 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

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

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

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Jul 2018 39,233 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Fail 23 Jul 2018 39,233 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

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

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

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

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

Pass 16 Jun 2017 39,016 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 2 Apr 2016 36,811 miles
Fail 31 Mar 2016 36,811 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Direction indicator incorrect colour both front (1.4.A.2f)

Driver's airbag missing (5.4.1)

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

Front front brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

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

Headlamp not working on main beam both (1.7.5a)

Horn not working missing (1.6.2a)

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

Offside Front Direction indicator adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.4.A.2h)

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

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

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Track rod end loose lock nut lose (2.2.B.1d)

Windscreen wiper blade missing both (8.2.2)

Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint both (2.5.B.1a)

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

both front discs excessively rusty

Pass 25 Jul 2012 31,400 miles

slight play in o/s of rack

Fail 18 Jun 2012 30,727 miles

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

Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

Fail 4 May 2012 38,130 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Pass 13 May 2011 20,547 miles
Pass 10 Jun 2010 12,944 miles
Fail 30 Mar 2010 10,812 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Nearside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

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

Offside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

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

Pass 6 Mar 2009 1,733 miles

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

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

n/s front outer sill corroded just outside seat belt prescribed area

slight corrosion to front lower valance

slight corrosion to o/s outer sill

Fail 4 Mar 2009 1,722 miles

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

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

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

n/s front outer sill corroded just outside seat belt prescribed area

slight corrosion to front lower valance

slight corrosion to o/s outer sill

Pass 31 Mar 2008 94,130 miles
Fail 29 Mar 2008 94,122 miles

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

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

both front tyres worn on inner edges.

slight play in both track rod ends.

Pass 2 Sep 2006 78,661 miles
Fail 30 Aug 2006 78,661 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

slight play in o/s front top ball joint

Fail 28 Jul 2006 78,336 miles

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

Front Exhaust mounting missing (7.1.1b)

Front Suspension has inadequate clearance with the bump stop (2.4.A.1a)

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

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

Offside Side repeater slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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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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.

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S97 MBL is a 1998 Rover Mini in Orange with a 1,275cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 55.2%.

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 S97 MBL, 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 S97 MBL?

You can check the full history of S97 MBL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S97 MBL registered?

S97 MBL is a 1998 Rover Mini, first registered on 29 September 1998.

Is S97 MBL safe to buy?

The MOT history for S97 MBL shows 29 tests with a 55.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S97 MBL 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 S97 MBL. 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.