The picture
Gpz500s: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 472 MOT tests, the Gpz500s returns 80.1% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a binding brake. A stop-lamp out and a non-functioning shock absorber round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 25,875, 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
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
10 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
- 02
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
8 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 03
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
7 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 04
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
6 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 05
Rear registration plate lamp does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps
6 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 06
A tyre valve seriously damaged or misaligned likely which could cause sudden deflation of the tyre
6 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 07
Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution
5 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 08
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
5 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 09
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
5 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 10
A lamp missing or inoperative
4 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 3 failures
£96–£230
If every one of this Gpz500s'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
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 Gpz500s?
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 Gpz500s 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.