1998 Caterham Seven (s3) — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

94.9%

Latest Pass Rate

1,669

Total Tests (All Years)

23,673 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 1998 Caterham Seven (s3) as it ages.

11 yrs85.2%

→ ↓1.0%

12 yrs84.2%

→ ↑2.1%

13 yrs86.3%

→ ↓2.1%

14 yrs84.2%

→ ↑2.1%

15 yrs86.3%

→ ↓4.8%

16 yrs81.5%

→ ↑3.6%

17 yrs85.1%

→ ↑0.2%

18 yrs85.3%

→ ↑4.2%

19 yrs89.5%

→ ↓7.4%

20 yrs82.1%

→ ↑2.5%

21 yrs84.6%

→ ↑3.5%

22 yrs88.1%

→ ↓9.3%

23 yrs78.8%

→ ↑3.9%

24 yrs82.7%

→ ↑4.1%

25 yrs86.8%

→ ↑8.1%

26 yrs94.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	85.2%	142
12 yrs	84.2%	146
13 yrs	86.3%	124
14 yrs	84.2%	120
15 yrs	86.3%	117
16 yrs	81.5%	108
17 yrs	85.1%	114
18 yrs	85.3%	102
19 yrs	89.5%	105
20 yrs	82.1%	67
21 yrs	84.6%	78
22 yrs	88.1%	59
23 yrs	78.8%	85
24 yrs	82.7%	75
25 yrs	86.8%	91
26 yrs	94.9%	136

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 Caterham Seven (s3) pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (26 yrs)	94.9%	136
2023 (25 yrs)	86.8%	91
2022 (24 yrs)	82.7%	75
2021 (23 yrs)	78.8%	85
2020 (22 yrs)	88.1%	59
2019 (21 yrs)	84.6%	78
2018 (20 yrs)	82.1%	67
2017 (19 yrs)	89.5%	105
2016 (18 yrs)	85.3%	102
2015 (17 yrs)	85.1%	114
2014 (16 yrs)	81.5%	108
2013 (15 yrs)	86.3%	117
2012 (14 yrs)	84.2%	120
2011 (13 yrs)	86.3%	124
2010 (12 yrs)	84.2%	146
2009 (11 yrs)	85.2%	142

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

85.2%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 142Avg Mileage 17,163Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.6%

2010

84.2%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 146Avg Mileage 19,358Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 8.9%

2011

86.3%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 124Avg Mileage 18,733Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.5%

2012

84.2%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 120Avg Mileage 18,638Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.0%

2013

86.3%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 117Avg Mileage 19,917Top Failure Suspension — 9.4%

2014

81.5%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 108Avg Mileage 20,784Top Failure Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions — 15.7%

2015

85.1%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 114Avg Mileage 22,396Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.8%

2016

85.3%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 102Avg Mileage 21,398Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.7%

2017

89.5%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 105Avg Mileage 21,573Top Failure Steering — 6.7%

2018

82.1%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 67Avg Mileage 21,974Top Failure Brakes — 13.4%

2019

84.6%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 78Avg Mileage 22,257Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 14.1%

2020

88.1%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 59Avg Mileage 24,072Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 8.5%

2021

78.8%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 85Avg Mileage 23,704Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.2%

2022

82.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 75Avg Mileage 24,962Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 17.3%

2023

86.8%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 91Avg Mileage 23,764Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 8.8%

2024

94.9%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 136Avg Mileage 23,673Top Failure Suspension — 2.9%

MOT results for 1998 Caterham Seven (s3) by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	85.2%	142	17,163	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.6%
2010	12	84.2%	146	19,358	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 8.9%
2011	13	86.3%	124	18,733	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.5%
2012	14	84.2%	120	18,638	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.0%
2013	15	86.3%	117	19,917	Suspension — 9.4%
2014	16	81.5%	108	20,784	Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions — 15.7%
2015	17	85.1%	114	22,396	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.8%
2016	18	85.3%	102	21,398	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.7%
2017	19	89.5%	105	21,573	Steering — 6.7%
2018	20	82.1%	67	21,974	Brakes — 13.4%
2019	21	84.6%	78	22,257	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 14.1%
2020	22	88.1%	59	24,072	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 8.5%
2021	23	78.8%	85	23,704	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.2%
2022	24	82.7%	75	24,962	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 17.3%
2023	25	86.8%	91	23,764	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 8.8%
2024	26	94.9%	136	23,673	Suspension — 2.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 Caterham Seven (s3), with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

12.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

9.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

8.2%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

6.8%

— Consistent

Brakes

6.6%

↑ 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	4.9% (11 yrs)	1.5% (26 yrs)	-3.4%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	3.5% (11 yrs)	2.9% (26 yrs)	-0.6%	⚪ —

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,669 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.