1997 FORD FIESTA1.2L Petrol
1997 FORD FIESTA — Petrol, 1242cc. This vehicle has 61,006 miles on record. MOT status: no valid MOT. Tax: not taxed. Review the complete history and specs.
- Fuel Type
- Petrol
- Year
- 1997
- Engine
- 1242cc
MOT Roadworthiness: Below Average
This rating reflects historical MOT pass rates and recurring advisory wear patterns from official DVSA test logs. Note that roadworthiness does not verify outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen records.
Verify lender finance agreements, insurance write-offs, police stolen registers, and mileage rollback.
Technical Specifications
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Full MOT History
Checking the history for this 1997 Ford Fiesta (R473 DMA), we found 4 MOT results in the period of October 2021 to September 2023.
Across its entire MOT history, this Ford has a 75% success rate (3 passes and 1 fails). The pass rate is roughly in line with national averages for vehicles of this age.
The most commonly flagged areas across all MOT tests are: Bodywork (1 issue). These areas are worth paying attention to when inspecting this vehicle.
A total of 1 failure item has been recorded across all tests. Recent failure items include: “Offside Outer Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))”.
Buyer's Guide & Inspection Advisory
Expert automotive synthesis from historical MOT defect records and market benchmarks.
Our Verdict
Proceed with extreme caution unless you are a specialist comfortable with significant structural restoration. While the mileage is low for the age, the history of severe structural corrosion and multiple welding repairs makes this a high-risk purchase.
The primary focus for any buyer must be a thorough structural underside inspection. The MOT history explicitly mentions 'substantial amounts of welding' and multiple major failures related to sills and body mounts. You must have a professional welder or structural specialist to determine if the previous repairs are sound or if the rust is currently returning.
Check the condition of the seat belt anchorages specifically, as this failed a major test in 2021 and 2018. Given the age of the car, also verify that the service history exists to ensure the mechanical components have been maintained as well as the body has been patched, as low mileage can sometimes mask mechanical neglect in older cars that sit frequently.
Reviewed by the IsItAGoodCar editorial team — Verified automotive analysis synthesized from official vehicle registries.
Data Sources
DVSA
Official MOT test logs & failure reasons
DVLA
Tax, registration & powertrain specs
Experian
Finance, stolen markers & total loss
AI Analysis
Historical fault & advisory patterns
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