Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1989 Fiat Tipo?

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 1989 Fiat Tipo?

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 1989 Fiat Tipo?

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.

What are common problems with the 1989 Fiat Tipo?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1989 Fiat Tipo are: Oil leak (15.1% of vehicles), Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (13.4% of vehicles), Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (11.8% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 1989 Fiat Tipo?

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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Fiat Tipo (1989)

6,200 real MOT outcomes analysed

1989 Fiat Tipo

CarHunch has 6,200 1989 Fiat Tipo vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.

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Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Colour Breakdown Compare Models

No MOT data available for this vehicle type

The 1989 Fiat Tipo doesn't appear in DVLA light-vehicle MOT records — it may be exempt, registered as a different vehicle class, or an import not subject to UK MOT testing. We don't have reliability stats for this specific model, but you can browse other Fiat vehicles below.

Browse all Fiat models →

No MOT data — worth knowing

Got a specific Fiat Tipo you're checking out?

The real detail is in the individual vehicle report — MOT history, AI Hunches, mileage timeline, and defect patterns for that specific reg.

MOT statistics not available

We have 6,200 1989 Fiat Tipo vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.

There are a few reasons this can happen:

Heavy commercial vehicle — trucks, buses and coaches over 3.5 tonnes are tested under the DVSA annual HGV/PSV regime, which uses a separate database not included in our data source
Imported vehicles — vehicles registered abroad and recently brought to the UK may have no UK MOT history yet
MOT-exempt — vehicles manufactured before 1986 qualify under the 40-year rolling exemption; some specialist and agricultural vehicles are also exempt
Never used on public roads — some vehicles are registered but kept off-road and have never required an MOT

Check on the official DVSA service →

What tends to go wrong

Across 6,200 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Other issues 15.1%

Oil leak

Brake wear 13.4%

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements · Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated · Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Tyre wear 11.1%

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Exhaust & emissions 8.7%

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive · Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases

Wipers & washers 6.3%

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1989.

Before you buy a 1989 Fiat Tipo

Based on MOT data from 6,200 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 0.8% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Colour Breakdown

Based on 31,878 Fiat Tipo vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Blue 24%

7,640

White 23.6%

7,536

Red 18.7%

5,966

Silver 9.2%

2,932

Grey 9.1%

2,906

Black 7.7%

2,458

Green 6.2%

1,975

Bronze 0.9%

271

Beige 0.2%

Maroon 0.1%

Purple 0.1%

Turquoise 0.1%

Other model years — Fiat Tipo: All Tipo years → Which year to buy? →

1988 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Or browse all models: Fiat →

Compare with another model

See how the 1989 Fiat Tipo stacks up against a rival.