Common MoT fails – Hillman Imp
Whether you MoT your Imp or not, we look at the common faults these cars regularly fail the MoT test on.
The Hillman Imp along with its Singer, Sunbeam and Commer Van derivatives always played second fiddle to the Mini and thankfully that includes the list of MoT failures. As good as the Mini was, it could generate an MoT failure list that Tolstoy would be proud of – you name it and it can rust or wear out.
The Imp was a better car than the Mini in many ways and despite its less that glowing early reputation, the list of issues – the pneumatic throttle and potential head gasket problems – were much less than the disaster area the early Mini was. They were also better made in the Rootes era and less prone to galloping body rot.
Even so, there are a few areas to check come MoT time. Of course, all Imps are old enough to forego the MoT but it’s still worth getting it done every year – think of it as an important stamp in the service book. You don’t have to service your car every year but if you don’t...