Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2002 Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2002 Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2002 Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2002 Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso (2002)

114 real MOT outcomes analysed • 4.8% first-time pass rate

2002 Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso

CarHunch analysed 114 real MOT records for the 2002 Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

This 2002 Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso is a serious reliability concern: just 4.8% pass first time against the UK average of 80%, and every petrol example in this sample failed its MOT. While dangerous defects are thankfully absent from the data, the near-universal failure rate suggests systemic issues with this specific variant that go well beyond normal aging.

At an average mileage of 102,660 miles for a 22-year-old car, these vehicles are well-used, and the minimal advisories recorded suggest testers aren't flagging minor wear items—they're finding actual failures. If you're considering buying one, have a pre-purchase inspection done by an Alfa specialist, because whatever is causing these wholesale MOT failures is likely to be expensive to fix.

Below average reliability 75.2% below UK average

4.8%

pass MOT first time

UK average: ~80%

ever had a dangerous defect

recorded at any MOT

0.14

avg MOT failures per car

over 1.2 tests on record

What to check before buying a 2002 Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso

Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.

📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.

Before you buy a Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso

MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.

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Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (91%)	104	0%	0
Other (9%)	10	54.6%	1.6

MOT History Averages

1.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.14

Avg failures per vehicle

Avg advisories per vehicle

Found a specific Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.

Other model years — Alfa Romeo 147 T Spark Lusso:

2001