The picture
Cooper Sd: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 2,682 MOT tests, the Cooper Sd returns 76.7% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a number-plate lamp out. A lamp out and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 82,891, 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 rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
161 occurrences · 6.0% of tests
- 02
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
112 occurrences · 4.2% of tests
- 03
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
111 occurrences · 4.1% of tests
- 04
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
90 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
- 05
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
66 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 06
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
52 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 07
Stop lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
38 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 08
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
38 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 09
A tyre cords visible or damaged
36 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 10
A tyre seriously damaged
29 occurrences · 1.1% 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 Cooper SD'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 Cooper SD?
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 Cooper SD 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.