DVLA verified

1991 ROVER 2161.6L Petrol

J705 ESL

Vehicle Insight Summary

With 125,931 miles recorded, this Red 1991 ROVER 216 runs on Petrol with a 1590cc engine. MOT is not on record and tax is unpaid.

MOT
Expired
Expires 14/11/2022
Tax
No data
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£8.99
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Fuel
Petrol
Year
1991
Engine
1590cc
Expert AI · Mechanic's Insight
The most recent MOT test on 17 October 2022 recorded a failure at 125,931 miles, with no defects listed by the tester. Prior to that, the vehicle passed cleanly on 18 October 2021 at 125,870 miles. The maintenance trend cannot be called stable or worsening with confidence because the failure carries no advisory or defect detail, but the sudden fail after a clean pass suggests an undocumented fault or administrative issue at the last test. The Rover has not been tested since October 2022, leaving it off-road and unroadworthy for nearly four years as of July 2026. The odometer shows only 61 miles accrued between the 2021 and 2022 tests, and total recorded mileage sits at 125,931 over roughly 35 years. That equates to about 3,600 miles per year, which is low for a 1991 car. Such limited use often means long stationary periods. The sparse record shows no advisories across either entry, so we cannot chart wear on consumables or mechanical items from the data alone. A buyer must treat the 2022 failure as a red flag despite the blank defect field. DVSA systems require a reason for failure, so the absence here points to either a data recording gap or a non-mechanical reject such as documentation. Given the age, the Rover needs a physical inspection for structural corrosion on sills, subframes, and suspension mounts, plus checks on perished rubber bushes, brake calipers, and fuel lines that degrade with time rather than miles. Verify why the car failed in 2022 and confirm whether it has been stored under cover. The low mileage hides the risk of dried seals and rust from inactivity. Arrange a fresh MOT before purchase, as the expired test leaves road legality unproven since late 2022.

AI insights are experimental and can be incorrect. All claims should be manually verified.

Free vehicle health score

45
/ 100 · Below Average

Public record health check: Below Average.

Based on free DVLA & DVSA signals. Premium checks for stolen/finance/write-off history are locked below.

✗ MOT Expired or Failed
! Tax Status Unknown
! Average MOT pass rate (50%)
! Older vehicle
A score of 45 doesn't mean it's safe to buy. Private markers don't appear in public data.
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Full History Report

Official provenance and safety check for J705ESL

Data provided by Experian
Stolen
Locked
Finance
Locked
Write-off
Locked
Salvage
Locked
Imported
Locked
Exported
Locked
Scrapped
Locked
Destruction
Locked
V5C Logbook
Locked
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Technical Specifications

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Full MOT History

Live data last synced with DVSA: 15 Apr 2026, 17:56
Expert AI · Mechanic's Insight
The most recent MOT test on 17 October 2022 recorded a failure at 125,931 miles, with no defects listed by the tester. Prior to that, the vehicle passed cleanly on 18 October 2021 at 125,870 miles. The maintenance trend cannot be called stable or worsening with confidence because the failure carries no advisory or defect detail, but the sudden fail after a clean pass suggests an undocumented fault or administrative issue at the last test. The Rover has not been tested since October 2022, leaving it off-road and unroadworthy for nearly four years as of July 2026. The odometer shows only 61 miles accrued between the 2021 and 2022 tests, and total recorded mileage sits at 125,931 over roughly 35 years. That equates to about 3,600 miles per year, which is low for a 1991 car. Such limited use often means long stationary periods. The sparse record shows no advisories across either entry, so we cannot chart wear on consumables or mechanical items from the data alone. A buyer must treat the 2022 failure as a red flag despite the blank defect field. DVSA systems require a reason for failure, so the absence here points to either a data recording gap or a non-mechanical reject such as documentation. Given the age, the Rover needs a physical inspection for structural corrosion on sills, subframes, and suspension mounts, plus checks on perished rubber bushes, brake calipers, and fuel lines that degrade with time rather than miles. Verify why the car failed in 2022 and confirm whether it has been stored under cover. The low mileage hides the risk of dried seals and rust from inactivity. Arrange a fresh MOT before purchase, as the expired test leaves road legality unproven since late 2022.

AI insights are experimental and can be incorrect. All claims should be manually verified.

AI Analysis · MOT Narrative

Our records for this Rover 216 (J705 ESL) from 1991 show a total of 2 MOT tests between October 2021 and October 2022.

With 1 passes and 1 failures, the lifetime MOT pass rate stands at 50%. This pass rate is below average and potential buyers should investigate the failure history carefully.

AI insights are experimental and can be incorrect. All claims should be manually verified.

PASS
FAIL
ADVISORY