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WTO 280S

1978 Ford Escort

Yellow Petrol 1993cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 Jun 2027
Tests13 (10 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

42,483 mi
Last recorded42,483 miles
Recorded on26 May 2026
Typical for 1978 Ford Escort49,614 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationWTO 280S
MakeFord
ModelEscort
Year1978
ColourYellow
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,993cc

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

10 pass 3 fail
Pass 26 May 2026 42,483 miles
Pass 31 May 2025 42,321 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 6 Jun 2024 41,740 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 7 Jun 2023 41,207 miles

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge all tyres (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 28 May 2022 40,591 miles

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

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge all (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 28 May 2022 40,591 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge all (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 1 Jun 2021 40,038 miles

Central Front Lower Oil leak, but not excessive engine oil (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge centre area (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 19 May 2021 39,684 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting rear axle mounting support stay . (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Central Front Lower Oil leak, but not excessive engine oil (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge centre area (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 26 May 2020 39,684 miles

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

speedo same reading as previous mot indicating not working

Fail 22 May 2020 39,684 miles

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

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Offside Front Steering linkage likely to become detached bolt on track rod end mounting insecure (2.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

speedo same reading as previous mot indicating not working

Pass 20 May 2019 39,684 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2008 39,373 miles

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

o/s/f chassis slight corrosion

Pass 3 Jul 2007 38,268 miles

Offside Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

vehicle has had large amount of welding

How Reliable is the Ford Escort?

Based on 4,961,191 MOT tests across 821,553 vehicles.

63.1%
Pass Rate
4,830
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
821,553
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 465,333
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 447,459
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 433,778
Brake pipe excessively corroded 419,450
constant velocity joint gaiter split 203,602
Full Ford Escort reliability report

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WTO 280S is a 1978 Ford Escort in Yellow with a 1,993cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

Across all 1978 Ford Escort models, the average MOT pass rate is 85.0% with a typical mileage of 49,614 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 Ford Escort fails its MOT is suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 465,333 recorded failures. If you're considering buying WTO 280S, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Ford Escort typically stays on UK roads for around 38 years. At 48 years old, this Ford Escort is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of WTO 280S?

You can check the full history of WTO 280S by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was WTO 280S registered?

WTO 280S is a 1978 Ford Escort, first registered on 1 March 1978.

Is WTO 280S safe to buy?

The MOT history for WTO 280S shows 13 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does WTO 280S 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 WTO 280S. 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.