The picture
Unclassified: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 470 MOT tests, the Unclassified returns 87.2% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a non-conforming number plate. A stop-lamp out and wheel bearing with excessive play round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 18,042, 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
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
5 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 02
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
5 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 03
A wheel bearing with excessive play
5 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 04
Reflector missing or reflecting white to the rear
4 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 05
A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released
4 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 06
A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
3 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 07
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
3 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 08
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
3 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 09
Braking effort not recording at a wheel
2 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 10
Number plate showing an incorrect registration
2 occurrences · 0.4% 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
£31–£105
If every one of this Unclassified'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
MOT-spec replacement number plate
Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.
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 Unclassified?
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 Unclassified 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.