The picture
130: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 1,068 MOT tests, the 130 returns 77.8% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A number-plate lamp out and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 111,342, 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
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
58 occurrences · 5.4% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
40 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 03
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
40 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 04
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
28 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 05
Flexible brake hose slightly damaged, chafed or twisted
20 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 06
A tyre cords visible or damaged
17 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 07
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
16 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 08
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
15 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 09
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
14 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 10
A tyre seriously damaged
14 occurrences · 1.3% 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
£68–£130
If every one of this 130'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 →
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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.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a 130?
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 130 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.