The picture
Transit Custom 290 Sport Eblue: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 741 MOT tests, the Transit Custom 290 Sport Eblue returns 86.0% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A split CV-joint boot and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 40,953, 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
40 occurrences · 5.4% of tests
- 02
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
30 occurrences · 4.0% of tests
- 03
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
26 occurrences · 3.5% of tests
- 04
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
19 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 05
A tyre seriously damaged
19 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 06
Wiper blade defective
14 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 07
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
14 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 08
A tyre cords visible or damaged
8 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 09
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
7 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 10
Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator
6 occurrences · 0.8% 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
£140–£255
If every one of this Transit Custom 290 Sport Eblue'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
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
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a Transit Custom 290 Sport Eblue?
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 Transit Custom 290 Sport Eblue 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.