1996 Caterham Seven (s3) — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

92.4%

Latest Pass Rate

1,047

Total Tests (All Years)

33,086 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1996 Caterham Seven (s3) as it ages.

13 yrs88.2%

→ ↓4.6%

14 yrs83.6%

→ ↓1.8%

15 yrs81.8%

→ ↓4.0%

16 yrs77.8%

→ ↑4.1%

17 yrs81.9%

→ ↓5.5%

18 yrs76.4%

→ ↑2.8%

19 yrs79.2%

→ ↓4.9%

20 yrs74.3%

→ ↑8.6%

21 yrs82.9%

→ ↑3.5%

22 yrs86.4%

→ ↑2.5%

23 yrs88.9%

→ ↑8.5%

24 yrs97.4%

→ ↓14.3%

25 yrs83.1%

→ ↑8.6%

26 yrs91.7%

→ ↓2.0%

27 yrs89.7%

→ ↑2.7%

28 yrs92.4%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	88.2%	85
14 yrs	83.6%	73
15 yrs	81.8%	77
16 yrs	77.8%	72
17 yrs	81.9%	72
18 yrs	76.4%	72
19 yrs	79.2%	72
20 yrs	74.3%	70
21 yrs	82.9%	70
22 yrs	86.4%	44
23 yrs	88.9%	45
24 yrs	97.4%	38
25 yrs	83.1%	59
26 yrs	91.7%	48
27 yrs	89.7%	58
28 yrs	92.4%	92

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 Caterham Seven (s3) pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (28 yrs)	92.4%	92
2023 (27 yrs)	89.7%	58
2022 (26 yrs)	91.7%	48
2021 (25 yrs)	83.1%	59
2020 (24 yrs)	97.4%	38
2019 (23 yrs)	88.9%	45
2018 (22 yrs)	86.4%	44
2017 (21 yrs)	82.9%	70
2016 (20 yrs)	74.3%	70
2015 (19 yrs)	79.2%	72
2014 (18 yrs)	76.4%	72
2013 (17 yrs)	81.9%	72
2012 (16 yrs)	77.8%	72
2011 (15 yrs)	81.8%	77
2010 (14 yrs)	83.6%	73
2009 (13 yrs)	88.2%	85

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

88.2%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 85Avg Mileage 21,226Top Failure Brakes — 5.9%

2010

83.6%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 73Avg Mileage 23,170Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.3%

2011

81.8%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 77Avg Mileage 23,298Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.1%

2012

77.8%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 72Avg Mileage 25,430Top Failure Brakes — 11.1%

2013

81.9%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 72Avg Mileage 26,098Top Failure Registration Plates and VIN — 13.9%

2014

76.4%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 72Avg Mileage 26,869Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.6%

2015

79.2%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 72Avg Mileage 27,534Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.2%

2016

74.3%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 70Avg Mileage 28,495Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.0%

2017

82.9%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 70Avg Mileage 30,135Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.3%

2018

86.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 44Avg Mileage 31,468Top Failure Brakes — 13.6%

2019

88.9%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 45Avg Mileage 30,293Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 11.1%

2020

97.4%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 38Avg Mileage 34,607Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 2.6%

2021

83.1%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 59Avg Mileage 32,462Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 11.9%

2022

91.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 48Avg Mileage 31,700Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 8.3%

2023

89.7%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 58Avg Mileage 36,257Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 15.5%

2024

92.4%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 92Avg Mileage 33,086Top Failure Steering — 6.5%

MOT results for 1996 Caterham Seven (s3) by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	88.2%	85	21,226	Brakes — 5.9%
2010	14	83.6%	73	23,170	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.3%
2011	15	81.8%	77	23,298	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.1%
2012	16	77.8%	72	25,430	Brakes — 11.1%
2013	17	81.9%	72	26,098	Registration Plates and VIN — 13.9%
2014	18	76.4%	72	26,869	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.6%
2015	19	79.2%	72	27,534	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.2%
2016	20	74.3%	70	28,495	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.0%
2017	21	82.9%	70	30,135	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.3%
2018	22	86.4%	44	31,468	Brakes — 13.6%
2019	23	88.9%	45	30,293	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 11.1%
2020	24	97.4%	38	34,607	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 2.6%
2021	25	83.1%	59	32,462	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 11.9%
2022	26	91.7%	48	31,700	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 8.3%
2023	27	89.7%	58	36,257	Noise, emissions and leaks — 15.5%
2024	28	92.4%	92	33,086	Steering — 6.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 Caterham Seven (s3), with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

14.3%

— Consistent

Registration Plates and VIN

11.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

8.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

7.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

7.4%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	5.9% (13 yrs)	2.2% (28 yrs)	-3.7%	🟢 ↓
Steering	3.5% (13 yrs)	6.5% (28 yrs)	+3.0%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	1.2% (13 yrs)	2.2% (28 yrs)	+1.0%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Caterham Seven (s3) page →

About This Data

This page shows how Caterham Seven (s3) cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,047 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.