The picture
Roadster: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 1,074 MOT tests, the Roadster returns 75.8% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a number-plate lamp out. Lamp emitted colour, position and a torn steering gaiter round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 75,220, 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
58 occurrences · 5.4% of tests
- 02
Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
33 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 03
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
32 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 04
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
32 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 05
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
26 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 06
Audible warning inoperative
23 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
- 07
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
21 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 08
Wiper blade defective
21 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 09
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
21 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 10
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
17 occurrences · 1.6% 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
£88–£275
If every one of this Roadster'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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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.
Buying or keeping a Roadster?
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 Roadster 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.