The picture
Vfr: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 4,001 MOT tests, the Vfr returns 92.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Brake pads worn below 1.0 mm and a non-functioning shock absorber round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 18,563, 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
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
48 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 02
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
38 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 03
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
26 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 04
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
22 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
- 05
Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution
13 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 06
Brake efficiency below minimum requirement
9 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 07
A wheel bearing with excessive play
9 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 08
Steering head bearings excessively stiff, notchy, or with excessive wear or play
8 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 09
A wheel bearing excessively rough
7 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 10
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
6 occurrences · 0.1% 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
£140–£255
If every one of this Vfr'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
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · 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
Buying or keeping a Vfr?
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 Vfr 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.