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LEJ 978J

1971 Austin Healey Sprite

Red Petrol 1275cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires17 Mar 2026
Tests13 (10 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

20,751 mi
Last recorded20,751 miles
Recorded on18 Mar 2025
Typical for 1971 Austin Healey Sprite34,161 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Austin Healey
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationLEJ 978J
MakeAustin Healey
ModelSprite
Year1971
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,275cc

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MOT History

10 pass 3 fail
Pass 18 Mar 2025 20,751 miles
Pass 30 Aug 2019 20,726 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension component pin or bush slightly worn slight lift (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 25 May 2018 20,386 miles
Fail 5 Apr 2018 20,386 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush trunion (2.4.G.2)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Front Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush lift (2.5.A.3a)

Offside Front Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush lift (2.5.A.3a)

Pass 24 Apr 2017 19,697 miles
Pass 8 Apr 2016 19,455 miles
Pass 27 Aug 2013 19,287 miles

Footbrake has little reserve travel.

Fail 27 Aug 2013 19,285 miles

Brake pedal creeps down when held under pressure (3.3.B.1a)

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b) DANGEROUS

Pass 28 Aug 2012 19,030 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2011 18,745 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2010 17,715 miles
Pass 9 Sep 2009 16,548 miles
Fail 8 Sep 2009 16,548 miles

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is fractured (2.4.A.3)

How Reliable is the Austin Healey Sprite?

Based on 8,300 MOT tests across 969 vehicles.

80.0%
Pass Rate
246
Miles/Year
68
Year Lifespan
969
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 220
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 214
Stop lamp not working 192
Brakes imbalanced across an axle 149
brake binding 119
Full Austin Healey Sprite reliability report

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LEJ 978J is a 1971 Austin Healey Sprite in Red with a 1,275cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

Across all 1971 Austin Healey Sprite models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.8% with a typical mileage of 34,161 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 Healey Sprite fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 220 recorded failures. If you're considering buying LEJ 978J, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Austin Healey Sprite typically stays on UK roads for around 68 years. At 55 years old, this Austin Healey Sprite is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of LEJ 978J?

You can check the full history of LEJ 978J by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was LEJ 978J registered?

LEJ 978J is a 1971 Austin Healey Sprite, first registered on 2 April 1971.

Is LEJ 978J safe to buy?

The MOT history for LEJ 978J shows 13 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does LEJ 978J 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 LEJ 978J. 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.