DVLA verified
MOT valid

ROVER 8001997 · 2.5L PETROL

P488 NLD

Vehicle Insight Summary

1997 ROVER 800 — PETROL, 2497cc. This vehicle has 138,406 miles on record. MOT status: valid. Tax: not taxed. Review the complete history and specs.

MOT
Valid
Expires 23/07/2026
Tax
SORN
Statutory Off Road Notification
Fuel
PETROL
Year
1997
Engine
2497cc
Expert AI · Mechanic's Insight
The most recent MOT from July 2025 was a pass, but it noted an oil leak and corrosion on the rear suspension arm. While the vehicle is currently roadworthy, these advisories point toward ongoing issues with fluid containment and structural integrity. A clear pattern of age-related degradation is evident in the history. There is a recurring issue with oil leaks, appearing in the 2025, 2023, and 2022 records. The vehicle also shows a history of corrosion and wear affecting the brakes, exhaust, and suspension components. Although the significant exhaust leak and emissions failure from early 2023 were addressed, the emergence of suspension arm corrosion in 2025 suggests that the vehicle's condition is trending toward increased maintenance needs due to material aging. With approximately 138,406 miles covered over 29 years, the vehicle has been driven relatively low distances, averaging about 4,773 miles per year. This low mileage may explain the presence of pitted brake discs, rusty exhaust components, and deteriorated rubber dust covers, as these are common symptoms of a vehicle that has spent significant time standing rather than being driven regularly. Before purchasing, you should inspect the underside of the car very carefully to assess the severity of the rust on the sills, wheel arches, and brake pipes. You should also check the engine bay to identify the source of the oil leak and examine the suspension components to ensure the corrosion is not more advanced than the MOT suggests.

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

Free vehicle health score

80
/ 100 · Good

Public record health check: Good.

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

✓ Valid MOT
! Tax Status Unknown
✓ Good MOT pass rate (80%)
! Older vehicle
A score of 80 doesn't mean it's safe to buy. Private markers don't appear in public data.
Verified Experian Data

Full History Report

Official provenance and safety check for P488NLD

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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

Expert AI · Mechanic's Insight
The most recent MOT from July 2025 was a pass, but it noted an oil leak and corrosion on the rear suspension arm. While the vehicle is currently roadworthy, these advisories point toward ongoing issues with fluid containment and structural integrity. A clear pattern of age-related degradation is evident in the history. There is a recurring issue with oil leaks, appearing in the 2025, 2023, and 2022 records. The vehicle also shows a history of corrosion and wear affecting the brakes, exhaust, and suspension components. Although the significant exhaust leak and emissions failure from early 2023 were addressed, the emergence of suspension arm corrosion in 2025 suggests that the vehicle's condition is trending toward increased maintenance needs due to material aging. With approximately 138,406 miles covered over 29 years, the vehicle has been driven relatively low distances, averaging about 4,773 miles per year. This low mileage may explain the presence of pitted brake discs, rusty exhaust components, and deteriorated rubber dust covers, as these are common symptoms of a vehicle that has spent significant time standing rather than being driven regularly. Before purchasing, you should inspect the underside of the car very carefully to assess the severity of the rust on the sills, wheel arches, and brake pipes. You should also check the engine bay to identify the source of the oil leak and examine the suspension components to ensure the corrosion is not more advanced than the MOT suggests.

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

AI Analysis · MOT Narrative

Our records for this Rover 800 (P488 NLD) from 1997 show a total of 5 MOT tests between March 2022 and July 2025.

The vehicle has achieved an overall 80% pass rate, with 4 passes and 1 failure recorded. This consistent performance at MOT centers suggests this vehicle has been kept in good order.

The most commonly flagged areas across all MOT tests are: Brakes (5 issues), Lighting (4 issues), Suspension (3 issues), Bodywork (2 issues), Exhaust & Emissions (2 issues). These areas are worth paying attention to when inspecting this vehicle.

There are 14 advisory notices in the MOT history. Advisories are not failures but indicate areas that may need attention in the future.

A total of 5 failure items have been recorded across all tests. Recent failure items include: “Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))”; “Nearside Front Suspension component ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))”; “Nearside Rear Stop lamp(s) emits other than a steady red light (4.3.3 (a) (ii))”.

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

PASS
FAIL
ADVISORY