The picture
80: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 1,179 MOT tests, the 80 returns 71.0% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a split CV-joint boot. A missing CV-joint boot and a number-plate lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 133,816, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
71 occurrences · 6.0% of tests
- 02
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
44 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 03
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
43 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
- 04
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
41 occurrences · 3.5% of tests
- 05
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
40 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
- 06
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
38 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 07
An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
37 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 08
Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits
26 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 09
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
24 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 10
A battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier
23 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£88–£275
If every one of this 80's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a 80?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 80 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.