Reliant Rialto Saloon Hse (1989)
1989 Reliant Rialto Saloon Hse
CarHunch analysed 275 real MOT records for the 1989 Reliant Rialto Saloon Hse. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
Only 8.1% of these 1989 Reliants pass their MOT first time—a catastrophic 71.9 percentage points below the UK average of 80%—making this one of the most unreliable cars ever tested. The dangerous defect rate of 0.7% is mercifully low, so safety isn't the primary concern; instead, these cars are simply falling apart from old age and poor build quality.
With a median mileage of just 54,907 miles for a 35-year-old car, these survivors are low-mileage examples, yet they still average 0.13 failures and 0.2 advisories each, revealing fundamental durability problems rather than wear-and-tear issues. If you're considering a Rialto, expect serious remedial work before and after every test—treat any asking price as a floor, not a ceiling, and budget for extensive repairs before committing.
What to check before buying a 1989 Reliant Rialto Saloon Hse
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 Reliant Rialto Saloon Hse
MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.
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Mileage Distribution
Most 1989 Reliant Rialto Saloon Hse vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.
Half of all 1989 Reliant Rialto Saloon Hse vehicles fall between 38,737 and 67,066 miles.
MOT History Averages
Found a specific Reliant Rialto Saloon Hse?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.