The picture
645: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 2,202 MOT tests, the 645 returns 74.5% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a broken or weak spring. A missing suspension dust cover and a corroded brake pipe round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 104,606, 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 spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
84 occurrences · 3.8% of tests
- 02
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
78 occurrences · 3.5% of tests
- 03
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
67 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 04
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
61 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 05
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
58 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 06
A tyre cords visible or damaged
57 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 07
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
56 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 08
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
55 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 09
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
54 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 10
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
51 occurrences · 2.3% 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 5 failures
£360–£1050
If every one of this 645'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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Buying or keeping a 645?
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 645 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.