MOT cost .
Saab 9 3
MOT 2023
Wikimedia

Saab

9 3

55,368 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where 9 3s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.

That's 5.9 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,988 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.

Pass

69.8%

Pass-after-fix

4.2%

Fail

25.3%

Avg miles

115,494

Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%

The picture

9-3: a below-average pass rate worth digging into

Across 55,368 MOT tests, the 9-3 returns 69.8% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a broken or weak spring. Windscreen damage and a number-plate lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 115,494, 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.

  1. 01

    A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

    3,514 occurrences · 6.3% of tests

  2. 02

    Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

    2,176 occurrences · 3.9% of tests

  3. 03

    A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

    1,951 occurrences · 3.5% of tests

  4. 04

    Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective

    1,672 occurrences · 3.0% of tests

  5. 05

    A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated

    1,556 occurrences · 2.8% of tests

  6. 06

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    1,326 occurrences · 2.4% of tests

  7. 07

    A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

    1,289 occurrences · 2.3% of tests

  8. 08

    a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

    1,218 occurrences · 2.2% of tests

  9. 09

    A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated

    1,215 occurrences · 2.2% of tests

  10. 10

    Exhaust system leaking or insecure

    1,015 occurrences · 1.8% 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

£178–£595

If every one of this 9 3'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 →

Try the calculator

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

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

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

Owner reports · Honest John

What owners actually report.

Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.

What's good

Launched at Geneva Motor Show. Aimed at people with active outdoor lifestyles who don’t want a large crossover. Latest Saab XWD technology combined with all-round performance. Versatile Sport Wagon body, higher stance and advanced all-wheel drive technology, the 9-3X also offers excellent fuel efficiency and functional storage.

Buying or keeping a 9 3?

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 9 3 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.