1986 Austin Metro 2.8L Petrol · C919 TMV
1986 Austin Metro (2.8L, petrol). First registered 26 Feb 1986. MOT valid until 03 May 2027. Currently declared SORN.
- Make & Model
- AUSTIN METRO
- Year / Origin
- 1986 · Cardiff
- Safety Recall
- Unknown
- MOT Status
- Valid until 03 May 2027
- Road Tax
- SORN (01 Nov 2026)
- Recorded Mileage
- —
- ULEZ Compliance
- Check Required (Pre-Euro 4 Petrol)
- Fuel & Engine
- Petrol · 2.8L
- Reliability Guide
- Common Faults
AI-generated interpretation of this vehicle’s MOT record — not an official statement and not a substitute for an independent inspection.
Thinking of buying this vehicle? Free MOT and tax checks do not cover legal ownership. If outstanding finance exists, finance companies have legal right to repossess without compensation.
C919 TMV Key Findings
- 15 MOT tests recorded
- Latest MOT passed on 05/05/2026
- 0 miles recorded at latest MOT
- 6 historical MOT failures
- No defects recorded at the latest MOT
- Recurring brakes items (5 mentions)
Derived directly from the recorded DVSA and DVLA data shown on this page.
C919 TMV MOT History
Interpretation generated from the recorded test data above — not an official DVSA statement and not a substitute for an independent inspection.
15 MOT tests are recorded for this 1986 Austin Metro (C919 TMV) between August 2007 and May 2026.
The record contains 9 passes and 6 failures.
The most recent test on 05 May 2026 was a pass, although the earlier record includes 6 failures that buyers may want to investigate.
Across all tests, the most frequently flagged areas are: Brakes (5 issues), Bodywork (3 issues), Exhaust & Emissions (3 issues), Windscreen (3 issues), Lighting (3 issues). Repeated mentions in one area can indicate an ongoing pattern worth checking in person.
In total 5 advisory notices are recorded. Advisories flag items that passed but may need attention before the next test; they are not evidence of how well the vehicle has been serviced.
Recorded failure items include: “Brake pedal has insufficient reserve travel foot brake (1.1.2 (a))”; “Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))”; “Offside Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))”.
C919 TMV Mileage History
- 09/08/200771,235 mi
- 14/08/200771,235 mi
- 29/08/200871,358 mi+123 mi
- 07/09/200871,358 mi
- 06/09/200971,370 mi+12 mi
- 12/09/200971,370 mi
- 12/09/201071,419 mi+49 mi
- 12/09/201071,419 mi
- 21/05/20240 mi-71,419 mi
- 28/04/20260 mi
- 05/05/20260 mi
Average of roughly -3,802 miles per year across 11 recorded odometer readings.
Recorded mileage decreased between one or more tests — a potential clocking indicator worth verifying before purchase.
Technical Specifications
Core Specifications
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Known faults for Austin Austin Metro
Our database tracks 5 specific mechanical faults and recurring failure patterns identified across UK MOT testing stations for this generation.
MOT Roadworthiness: Good
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.
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AUSTIN METRO Model Intelligence & Reliability
Verified MOT failure trends, buying advice, and technical directory specifications.
Owner-reported defects, recurring MOT failure points, and estimated repair costs.
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Historical MOT pass rates and DVLA records for 1986 model year cars.
- Rear subframe and mounting point rotSerious
Classic & Sports Car's Metro buying guide is blunt: rust is the killer, and the rear subframe and especially its mounting points are common areas that can be costly to strip and repair properly. British Classic Cars names sills, floors, subframe mounts, tailgates and screen surrounds as the weak structure of the Austin-era car, while Wikipedia records that many Metros were scrapped - particularly the pre-1990 Austin models - as a result of the bodyshell's vulnerability to rust. The Practical Classics restoration feature shows what that looks like in real UK use: on one Metro City, the seatbelt mounts were almost coming off in the owner's hand, and sills, rear panel, front wings and a very large piece of rear quarter were cut away, the offside much worse than the nearside. The subframe bolts to the floor via sheet-metal pockets that corrode from the inside, so a car that looks clean above may have lost its rear structure entirely. Buy the dry, garaged survivor, not the respray.
- Hydragas gas loss leaving a harsh, low rideModerate
The Metro used the Allegro's Hydragas system — displacers combining a nitrogen gas charge with hydraulic fluid — and the gas leaks away over decades whether the car is driven or not. The Hydragas and Hydrolastic Service specialists explain that a new charge was expected to last at most 15 years, there was no factory provision to top it up, most surviving units now sit so low on gas that ride quality is severely compromised and the chance of unit failure rises; pumping the car back to height makes the ride even harsher and shortens the displacers' remaining life, and second-hand or NOS units almost always disappoint because they too have lost gas. The fix is a specialist regas (the Telford firm offers it with a mobile UK fitment service) and C&SC agrees: Hydragas can lose pressure but is easily pumped, pipes can be repaired, but new units are unobtainable. Budget regassing both axles if the car sits low, knocks over bumps or has been driven deflated for years.
- Unleaded fuel eroding valve seats on pre-1989 A-Plus carsModerate
The A-Plus 998 and 1275 engines fitted to every Austin-badged Metro were built to run on leaded petrol, and the buyer guides warn about the consequences of modern fuel: C&SC notes that until mid-1989 A+ engines ran on leaded fuel and that after around 10,000 miles on unleaded the valve seats erode if the car is driven much over 3,000rpm, and Wikipedia's Metro history records the same problem, adding that when lead replacement petrol disappeared from UK pumps in 1997 many owners simply scrapped their cars rather than convert. The accepted cure is fitting hardened exhaust valve-seat inserts to the head — C&SC puts it at around £250 and many cars have had it done — or running lead substitute on the cheap ones. It matters most to any ex-motorway run, high-mileage A-Plus survivor; town cars with soft throttle settings are far less at risk.
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