The picture
V8 Vantage: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 3,438 MOT tests, the V8 Vantage returns 89.9% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a defective wiper blade. A number-plate lamp out and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 42,465, 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 defective
43 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
42 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 03
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
37 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 04
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
37 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 05
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
33 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 06
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
32 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 07
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
29 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 08
A tyre seriously damaged
29 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 09
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
26 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 10
A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
24 occurrences · 0.7% 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
£108–£320
If every one of this V8 Vantage'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.
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 V8 Vantage?
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 V8 Vantage 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.