The picture
350 Z: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 6,658 MOT tests, the 350 Z returns 75.5% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a defective headlamp lens. A torn suspension dust cover and a corroded brake pipe round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 83,184, 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
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
296 occurrences · 4.4% of tests
- 02
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
252 occurrences · 3.8% of tests
- 03
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
199 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 04
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
190 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 05
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
188 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 06
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
181 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 07
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
172 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 08
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
172 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 09
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
151 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 10
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
147 occurrences · 2.2% 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
£210–£650
If every one of this 350 Z'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.
Buying or keeping a 350 Z?
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 350 Z 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.