The picture
75: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 12,279 MOT tests, the 75 returns 66.1% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is the strength or continuity of the load bearing. A number-plate lamp out and a defective headlamp lens round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 106,122, 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
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
965 occurrences · 7.9% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
813 occurrences · 6.6% of tests
- 03
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
804 occurrences · 6.5% of tests
- 04
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
679 occurrences · 5.5% of tests
- 05
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
620 occurrences · 5.0% of tests
- 06
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
600 occurrences · 4.9% of tests
- 07
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
467 occurrences · 3.8% of tests
- 08
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
432 occurrences · 3.5% of tests
- 09
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
410 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 10
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
390 occurrences · 3.2% 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 4 failures
£108–£435
If every one of this 75'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 →
Try the calculator
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
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a 75?
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 75 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.