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E154 TCL

1988 Austin Montego L

Blue Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 Mar 2027
Tests22 (15 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate68.2%

Mileage

356,191 mi
Last recorded356,191 miles
Recorded on26 Feb 2026
Typical for 1988 Austin Montego L84,720 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationE154 TCL
MakeAustin
ModelMontego L
Year1988
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,598cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

15 pass 7 fail
Pass 26 Feb 2026 356,191 miles

Front Lower Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both sides (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Inner Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced under sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 3 Mar 2025 350,806 miles

Coil spring corroded allo 4 springs corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

whole underbody has undeseal and general corrosion

Pass 24 Jul 2018 349,434 miles

Brake pedal wearing smooth (1.1.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

offside rear lower wheel arch corroded

Pass 11 Jul 2017 349,422 miles

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak ()

offside rear lower wing-wheel arch corroded

offside rear tyre has has cracks around sidewalls

Fail 11 Jul 2017 349,422 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure inner sidewall (4.1.D.1b)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak ()

offside rear lower wing-wheel arch corroded

offside rear tyre has has cracks around sidewalls

Pass 8 Jun 2016 349,409 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive outer sill (2.4.A.3)

Oil leak ()

offside rear shock absorber has a negligible damping effect

Fail 8 Jun 2016 349,409 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive outer sill (2.4.A.3)

Oil leak ()

offside rear shock absorber has a negligible damping effect

Pass 22 Jun 2015 347,824 miles

Oil leak

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

offside rear lower wheel arch corroded

rear tyres have cracks around sidewalls

Fail 19 Jun 2015 347,821 miles

Exhaust engine idle speed too high (7.3.A.2a)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp switch faulty (1.3.1a)

Oil leak

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

offside rear lower wheel arch corroded

rear tyres have cracks around sidewalls

Pass 20 Jun 2014 345,637 miles

Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

fuel cap sealing ring started to split

offside rear wheel arch corroded also temporary tape repair

rear tyres both sides have age related cracking to side walls

Fail 17 Jun 2014 345,567 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

fuel cap sealing ring started to split

offside rear wheel arch corroded also temporary tape repair

rear tyres both sides have age related cracking to side walls

Pass 27 Jun 2013 339,444 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

offside rear wheel arch corroded

tyres side wall perished rear

Fail 20 Jun 2013 339,327 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Brake cable has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

offside front tyre uneven wear

offside wheel arch rusty

tyre side walls perished rear

Pass 25 Jun 2012 331,917 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.5.C.1a)

Fail 23 Jun 2011 324,373 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Front Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

slight noise nearside front wheel

Pass 23 Jun 2011 324,373 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Front Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

slight noise nearside front wheel

Pass 16 Jun 2010 317,433 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Suspension joint nearside lower dust cover split/missing

Pass 16 Jun 2009 308,485 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2008 297,435 miles
Pass 18 Jun 2007 284,367 miles
Pass 22 Dec 2005 271,284 miles

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Fail 20 Dec 2005 271,283 miles

Front Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is above 850mm from the ground (1.6.B3)

Offside Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

How Reliable is the Austin Montego L?

Based on 1,348 MOT tests across 318 vehicles.

68.8%
Pass Rate
886
Miles/Year
42
Year Lifespan
318
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 228
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 108
constant velocity joint gaiter split 48
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive 48
Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 44
Full Austin Montego L reliability report

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E154 TCL is a 1988 Austin Montego L in Blue with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.2%.

Across all 1988 Austin Montego L models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.3% with a typical mileage of 84,720 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Austin Montego L fails its MOT is suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 228 recorded failures. If you're considering buying E154 TCL, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Austin Montego L typically stays on UK roads for around 42 years. At 38 years old, this Austin Montego L is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of E154 TCL?

You can check the full history of E154 TCL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E154 TCL registered?

E154 TCL is a 1988 Austin Montego L, first registered on 25 April 1988.

Is E154 TCL safe to buy?

The MOT history for E154 TCL shows 22 tests with a 68.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E154 TCL have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on E154 TCL. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.