Opel Rekord (1981)
1981 Opel Rekord
CarHunch has 251 1981 Opel Rekord vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.
No MOT data available for this vehicle type
The 1981 Opel Rekord 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 Opel vehicles below.
Got a specific Opel Rekord 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.
The 1981 Opel Rekord falls below the UK MOT average, with a first-time pass rate of 74.4% compared to 80%, suggesting these cars need a closer pre-purchase inspection than more modern stock. No dangerous defects were recorded across the 251 vehicles analysed, which is reassuring for a car now over 40 years old.
The median mileage of 57,115 miles is reasonable for the age, and the extremely low failure and advisory counts (0.03 and 0.1 per vehicle respectively) point to cars that are either well-maintained or used sparingly by enthusiasts. Before committing to one, have a full mechanical inspection by a specialist in classic vehicles, as MOT pass rate alone doesn't tell the story of hidden corrosion, fuel system integrity, or electrical gremlins common to cars of this era.
We have 251 1981 Opel Rekord 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
What tends to go wrong
Across 251 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.
Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1981.
Before you buy a 1981 Opel Rekord
Based on MOT data from 251 vehicles — here's what to check.
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Check the full MOT history.
0% 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. -
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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
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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 8,413 Opel Rekord vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.
Or browse all models: Opel →
Compare with another model
See how the 1981 Opel Rekord stacks up against a rival.