MOT cost .
Saab 9 5
MOT 2023
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Saab

9 5

11,522 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where 9 5s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.

That's 5.3 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

70.5%

Pass-after-fix

5.1%

Fail

23.6%

Avg miles

123,900

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

The picture

9-5: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass

Across 11,522 MOT tests, the 9-5 returns 70.5% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A lamp out and a defective headlamp lens round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 123,900, 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

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

    485 occurrences · 4.2% of tests

  2. 02

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

    461 occurrences · 4.0% of tests

  3. 03

    Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective

    412 occurrences · 3.6% of tests

  4. 04

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

    308 occurrences · 2.7% of tests

  5. 05

    Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction

    303 occurrences · 2.6% of tests

  6. 06

    The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired

    296 occurrences · 2.6% of tests

  7. 07

    Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded

    282 occurrences · 2.4% of tests

  8. 08

    The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements

    277 occurrences · 2.4% of tests

  9. 09

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    254 occurrences · 2.2% of tests

  10. 10

    A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated

    250 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 2 failures

£18–£115

If every one of this 9 5'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

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

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 9 5?

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 5 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.