1987 Austin Mini 1000 City E — MOT failures & pass rate
842 MOT tests on the 1987 Austin Mini 1000 City E are in this dataset, and 75.5% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 20.6% of the time, so this is 3.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.6% of tests against 11.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are non catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and service brake performance — non catalyst emissions alone was recorded 91 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1987 Mini 1000 City E fails 25.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 22.3% at 60-90k, a spread of only 3.2 points.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 23.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 28.9% in 2021 to 20.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.6% | 140 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 11.5% | 97 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.5% | 80 |
| 4 | Brakes | 8.0% | 67 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.4% | 54 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.3% | 53 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non catalyst emissions | 91 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 62 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 58 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 48 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 43 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 42 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 23.2% | 195 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 16.9% | 142 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.5% | 105 |
| 4 | Brakes | 8.8% | 74 |
| 5 | Tyres | 8.3% | 70 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.2% | 61 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 223 | 25.6% |
| 30-60k | 314 | 26.1% |
| 60-90k | 273 | 22.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 180 | 28.9% |
| 2022 | 185 | 24.3% |
| 2023 | 169 | 22.5% |
| 2024 | 163 | 25.1% |
| 2025 | 145 | 20.7% |
What to check before buying a 1987 Mini 1000 City E
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 16.6% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (16.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (11.5% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Suspension (9.5% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1987 Austin Mini 1000 City Es pass their MOT?
75.5% of the 842 1987 Austin Mini 1000 City E MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1987 Austin Mini 1000 City E?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.6% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (11.5%).
Does the 1987 Mini 1000 City E get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 25.6% in the 0-30k band to 22.3% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 842 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.