1988 Talbot Express 2.0L Petrol · F501 DKK
1988 Talbot Express (2.0L, petrol). First registered 17 Aug 1988. Recorded mileage 50,379 miles. MOT expired on 20 Feb 2024.
- Make & Model
- TALBOT EXPRESS
- Year / Origin
- 1988 · Nottingham
- Safety Recall
- Unknown
- MOT Status
- Expired on 20 Feb 2024
- Road Tax
- —
- Recorded Mileage
- 50,379 mi
- ULEZ Compliance
- Check Required (Pre-Euro 4 Petrol)
- Fuel & Engine
- Petrol · 2.0L
- Reliability Guide
- Common Faults
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.
F501 DKK Key Findings
- 22 MOT tests recorded
- Latest MOT passed on 21/02/2023
- 50,379 miles recorded at latest MOT
- 7 historical MOT failures
- 2 defects noted at the latest MOT
- Recurring lighting items (15 mentions)
Derived directly from the recorded DVSA and DVLA data shown on this page.
F501 DKK MOT History
Interpretation generated from the recorded test data above — not an official DVSA statement and not a substitute for an independent inspection.
22 MOT tests are recorded for this 1988 Talbot Express (F501 DKK) between May 2006 and February 2023.
The record contains 15 passes and 7 failures.
The most recent test on 21 February 2023 was a pass, although the earlier record includes 7 failures that buyers may want to investigate.
Across all tests, the most frequently flagged areas are: Lighting (15 issues), Brakes (15 issues), Suspension (9 issues), Windscreen (4 issues), Exhaust & Emissions (4 issues). Repeated mentions in one area can indicate an ongoing pattern worth checking in person.
In total 33 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: “Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view (3.3 (b) (ii))”; “Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural stren”; “All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))”.
F501 DKK Mileage History
- 20/05/200638,352 mi
- 17/05/200739,241 mi+889 mi
- 19/05/200839,890 mi+649 mi
- 21/05/200940,172 mi+282 mi
- 21/05/200940,172 mi
- 13/05/201041,068 mi+896 mi
- 13/05/201041,068 mi
- 21/05/201143,031 mi+1,963 mi
- 12/06/201245,140 mi+2,109 mi
- 15/06/201245,140 mi
- 16/07/201346,460 mi+1,320 mi
- 16/07/201447,100 mi+640 mi
- 27/03/201549,340 mi+2,240 mi
- 27/03/201549,340 mi
- 17/08/201850,022 mi+682 mi
- 09/08/201950,044 mi+22 mi
- 22/08/202050,119 mi+75 mi
- 27/08/202050,119 mi
- 31/01/202250,339 mi+220 mi
- 05/02/202250,340 mi+1 mi
- 07/02/202350,378 mi+38 mi
- 21/02/202350,379 mi+1 mi
Average of roughly 718 miles per year across 22 recorded odometer readings.
Technical Specifications
Core Specifications
Identification & Status
Dimensions & Weights
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Known faults for Talbot Talbot Express
Our database tracks 4 specific mechanical faults and recurring failure patterns identified across UK MOT testing stations for this generation.
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.
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TALBOT EXPRESS Model Intelligence & Reliability
Verified MOT failure trends, buying advice, and technical directory specifications.
Owner-reported defects, recurring MOT failure points, and estimated repair costs.
Browse production generations, registration statistics, and trim variants.
Historical MOT pass rates and DVLA records for 1988 model year cars.
- Fifth gear lubrication starvation and gear strippingSerious
On five-speed manual Talbot Express gearboxes, fifth gear was incorporated within an auxiliary end-casing located high above the main sump oil level. When gearbox fluid drops slightly through weeping drive seals or neglected maintenance, fifth gear experiences severe lubrication starvation. Sustained motorway driving under the heavy load of a coachbuilt motorhome causes the gear teeth to overheat, whine, and eventually strip completely, leaving the driver unable to engage top gear or causing catastrophic gear lockup.
- Rear engine mount deterioration and gear linkage misalignmentModerate
The transverse powertrain of the Talbot Express relies heavily on a lower rear engine mount to support the mass of the engine and transmission under torque. Over time, heat and oil contamination degrade the rubber bush, allowing the engine to rock excessively under acceleration and braking. This displacement distorts the complex right-hand-drive selector linkage rods and selector shaft bushes, making gears exceedingly stiff or impossible to select, and causing the gear lever to bang against the lower dashboard.
- Structural cab step, sills, and windscreen surround corrosionSerious
The SEVEL cab structure was manufactured with inadequate rust protection for wet British operating conditions. Rainwater draining from the scuttle area traps behind the windscreen rubber seals and pools inside the cab door steps and lower structural sills. Left unaddressed, moisture rots the front wheel arches, inner wing gussets, and cab floor pans, compromising structural crash integrity and resulting in immediate MOT failures that necessitate bespoke sheet metal fabrication.
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