The picture
Bailey: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 1,250 MOT tests, the Bailey returns 89.2% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is wipers that don't clear the screen. A defective wiper blade and a number-plate lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 14,372, 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
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
24 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 02
Wiper blade defective
22 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 03
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
13 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 04
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
13 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 05
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
10 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 06
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
8 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 07
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
7 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 08
A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
6 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
- 09
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
5 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 10
A lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
5 occurrences · 0.4% 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
£48–£125
If every one of this Bailey'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
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · 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
Buying or keeping a Bailey?
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 Bailey 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.