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XRB 499L

1972 Triumph Spitfire

Red Petrol 1493cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 May 2026
Tests14 (8 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate57.1%

Mileage

85,679 mi
Last recorded85,679 miles
Recorded on15 May 2025
Typical for 1972 Triumph Spitfire47,542 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationXRB 499L
MakeTriumph
ModelSpitfire
Year1972
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,493cc

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

8 pass 6 fail
Pass 15 May 2025 85,679 miles
Pass 14 Feb 2023 85,318 miles
Pass 29 Oct 2018 84,454 miles
Fail 22 Oct 2018 84,402 miles

All position lamps adversely affected by the operation of another lamp side lights go out when h/lamps switched on (4.2.3 (c))

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

Parking (secondary brake) on a single line braking system imbalanced across an axle Axle 1 (1.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 31 Jul 2017 83,925 miles

Advise slight play in N/S/F and O/S/F Lower king pin bushes

Fail 29 Jul 2017 83,925 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Direction indicator flashing less than 60 times a minute (1.4.A.2g)

Offside Rear Stop lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Advise slight play in N/S/F and O/S/F Lower king pin bushes

Fail 12 May 2017 83,925 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

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

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

Nearside Rear Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp emits other than a steady red light (1.2.1e)

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

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator flashing more than 120 times a minute (1.4.A.2g)

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

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

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

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

advise on head light aim n/s/f o/s/f

advise on washer and wipers inside switch

Pass 1 Oct 2015 83,386 miles

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

Fail 30 Sep 2015 83,378 miles

All position lamps not working with headlamps on. (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

crank pulley nut missing?

Pass 8 Jul 2014 83,204 miles
Fail 3 Jul 2014 83,204 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

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

Pass 19 Jun 2013 82,337 miles
Fail 19 Jun 2013 82,337 miles

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

Pass 29 Jun 2012 81,689 miles

How Reliable is the Triumph Spitfire?

Based on 69,541 MOT tests across 8,423 vehicles.

72.5%
Pass Rate
302
Miles/Year
63
Year Lifespan
8,423
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 4,320
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 2,718
brake binding 2,431
Stop lamp not working 2,126
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 1,894
Full Triumph Spitfire reliability report

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XRB 499L is a 1972 Triumph Spitfire in Red with a 1,493cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 57.1%.

Across all 1972 Triumph Spitfire models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.2% with a typical mileage of 47,542 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 Triumph Spitfire fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 4,320 recorded failures. If you're considering buying XRB 499L, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Triumph Spitfire typically stays on UK roads for around 63 years. At 54 years old, this Triumph Spitfire is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of XRB 499L?

You can check the full history of XRB 499L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was XRB 499L registered?

XRB 499L is a 1972 Triumph Spitfire, first registered on 29 August 1972.

Is XRB 499L safe to buy?

The MOT history for XRB 499L shows 14 tests with a 57.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does XRB 499L 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 XRB 499L. 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.