1997 Caterham Seven (s3) — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

84.6%

Latest Pass Rate

1,482

Total Tests (All Years)

27,574 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 1997 Caterham Seven (s3) as it ages.

12 yrs80.7%

→ ↑5.0%

13 yrs85.7%

→ ↓1.2%

14 yrs84.5%

→ ↑0.3%

15 yrs84.8%

→ ↓1.0%

16 yrs83.8%

→ ↑3.7%

17 yrs87.5%

→ ↓7.5%

18 yrs80.0%

→ ↑8.9%

19 yrs88.9%

→ ↑1.7%

20 yrs90.6%

→ ↓12.6%

21 yrs78.0%

→ ↑8.6%

22 yrs86.6%

→ ↑2.8%

23 yrs89.4%

→ ↓3.4%

24 yrs86.0%

→ ↑4.8%

25 yrs90.8%

→ ↓9.3%

26 yrs81.5%

→ ↑3.1%

27 yrs84.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	80.7%	119
13 yrs	85.7%	119
14 yrs	84.5%	116
15 yrs	84.8%	99
16 yrs	83.8%	99
17 yrs	87.5%	96
18 yrs	80.0%	100
19 yrs	88.9%	99
20 yrs	90.6%	96
21 yrs	78.0%	59
22 yrs	86.6%	67
23 yrs	89.4%	47
24 yrs	86.0%	86
25 yrs	90.8%	76
26 yrs	81.5%	81
27 yrs	84.6%	123

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Caterham Seven (s3) pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	84.6%	123
2023 (26 yrs)	81.5%	81
2022 (25 yrs)	90.8%	76
2021 (24 yrs)	86%	86
2020 (23 yrs)	89.4%	47
2019 (22 yrs)	86.6%	67
2018 (21 yrs)	78%	59
2017 (20 yrs)	90.6%	96
2016 (19 yrs)	88.9%	99
2015 (18 yrs)	80%	100
2014 (17 yrs)	87.5%	96
2013 (16 yrs)	83.8%	99
2012 (15 yrs)	84.8%	99
2011 (14 yrs)	84.5%	116
2010 (13 yrs)	85.7%	119
2009 (12 yrs)	80.7%	119

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

80.7%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 119Avg Mileage 19,315Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.8%

2010

85.7%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 119Avg Mileage 20,025Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 7.6%

2011

84.5%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 116Avg Mileage 21,213Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.5%

2012

84.8%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 99Avg Mileage 21,581Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.1%

2013

83.8%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 99Avg Mileage 22,453Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.2%

2014

87.5%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 96Avg Mileage 23,355Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.5%

2015

80.0%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 100Avg Mileage 22,852Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.0%

2016

88.9%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 99Avg Mileage 25,018Top Failure Suspension — 12.1%

2017

90.6%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 96Avg Mileage 24,971Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 8.3%

2018

78.0%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 59Avg Mileage 24,746Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 13.6%

2019

86.6%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 67Avg Mileage 24,548Top Failure Suspension — 11.9%

2020

89.4%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 47Avg Mileage 28,494Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 17.0%

2021

86.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 86Avg Mileage 27,047Top Failure Brakes — 16.3%

2022

90.8%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 76Avg Mileage 26,278Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 11.8%

2023

81.5%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 81Avg Mileage 28,534Top Failure Brakes — 16.0%

2024

84.6%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 123Avg Mileage 27,574Top Failure Tyres — 13.8%

MOT results for 1997 Caterham Seven (s3) by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	80.7%	119	19,315	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.8%
2010	13	85.7%	119	20,025	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 7.6%
2011	14	84.5%	116	21,213	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.5%
2012	15	84.8%	99	21,581	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.1%
2013	16	83.8%	99	22,453	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.2%
2014	17	87.5%	96	23,355	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.5%
2015	18	80.0%	100	22,852	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.0%
2016	19	88.9%	99	25,018	Suspension — 12.1%
2017	20	90.6%	96	24,971	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 8.3%
2018	21	78.0%	59	24,746	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 13.6%
2019	22	86.6%	67	24,548	Suspension — 11.9%
2020	23	89.4%	47	28,494	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 17.0%
2021	24	86.0%	86	27,047	Brakes — 16.3%
2022	25	90.8%	76	26,278	Noise, emissions and leaks — 11.8%
2023	26	81.5%	81	28,534	Brakes — 16.0%
2024	27	84.6%	123	27,574	Tyres — 13.8%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Caterham Seven (s3), with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

11.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

10.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

10.4%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

8.3%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

7.2%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Steering	7.6% (12 yrs)	3.3% (27 yrs)	-4.3%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	2.5% (12 yrs)	4.9% (27 yrs)	+2.4%	🔴 ↑

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 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,482 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.