The picture
Spyder: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 519 MOT tests, the Spyder returns 93.5% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is brake pads worn below 1.5 mm. Headlamp or light source missing and a torn suspension dust cover round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 13,065, 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 brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
5 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 02
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
4 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 03
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
4 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 04
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
4 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 05
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
4 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 06
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
2 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 07
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
2 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 08
A rear registration plate lamp throwing direct white light to the rear
2 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 09
Cable, rod or joint insecure
1 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 10
Warning device shows system malfunction
1 occurrences · 0.2% 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
£180–£560
If every one of this Spyder'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
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
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 Spyder?
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 Spyder 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.