The lady selling it (the registered keeper) is in her 60’s so not sure if she knows. How would I check if it’s a 135?
I have found the document which translates engine number into something meaningful to us mortals:
@ MGTF
120PS 1.6 mpi 16K4Fxyy xxxxxx
135PS 1.8 mpi 18K4Fxyy xxxxxx
160PS 1.8 VVC 18K4Kxyy xxxxxx
So if the engine number on the V5C has that extra K in it, it's a 160 VVC.
As someone else has pointed out, if you open the "boot", the top of the engine should look like this if it is a TF135:
If it is a VVC. the inlet manifold (Grey metal casting across most of the width of the picture) will have the letters VVC on it and I think it is painted.
There is just a slim chance that someone has stealthily put a VVC engine in , NOT recorded it on the V5C, and used a plain manifold to hide the VVC ness, but this is not a n easy swap, as the wiring loom is different and the ECU has to be changed.