The picture
Gt 125i: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 859 MOT tests, the Gt 125i returns 83.7% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is stiff steering bearings. A non-functioning shock absorber and a binding brake round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 3,345, 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
Steering head bearings excessively stiff, notchy, or with excessive wear or play
26 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 02
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
13 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 03
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
12 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 04
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
11 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 05
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
11 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 06
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
8 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 07
A headlamp missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
8 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 08
Reflector missing or reflecting white to the rear
7 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 09
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
7 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 10
A headlamp missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
5 occurrences · 0.6% 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
£160–£365
If every one of this GT 125i'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
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · 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
Buying or keeping a GT 125i?
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 GT 125i 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.