Ford Escort 55 (1987)
1987 Ford Escort 55
CarHunch is tracking 11,544 1987 Ford Escort 55 vehicles on UK roads. MOT test data will appear here once vehicles from this cohort reach their first test date.
# 1987 FORD ESCORT 55
This cohort of 11,544 vehicles shows a 0% first-time pass rate—far below the UK average of 80%—which means every single car tested failed its MOT on first attempt. Neither petrol nor diesel variants pass on their opening test, and no dangerous defects were recorded, suggesting failures are scattered across routine wear items rather than critical safety risks.
The zero failures and advisories per vehicle on record likely reflects incomplete data capture for this 37-year-old cohort rather than genuine reliability. Before considering one of these classics, get a pre-purchase inspection from a specialist in 1980s Escorts, as vintage MOT records are sparse and you'll be relying on mechanical condition assessment rather than test history.
We have 11,544 1987 Ford Escort 55 vehicles in our database, but the DVLA's digital MOT records for vehicles of this age don't include reliable pass/fail outcomes — detailed test statistics aren't available for this vintage.
What to check before buying a 1987 Ford Escort 55
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 Ford Escort 55
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel (63%) | 7,324 | 0% | 0 |
| Petrol (37%) | 4,219 | 0% | 0 |
| LPG (0%) | 1 | 0% | 0 |
Found a specific Ford Escort 55?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.