2005 Caterham Seven (s3) — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2005 perform at MOT as they age

21 years

Current Age

83.8%

Latest Pass Rate

1,051

Total Tests (All Years)

28,732 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 19

This car: 83.8%

Average: 55.4%

✅ 28.4% above average (7550 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 2005 Caterham Seven (s3) as it ages.

4 yrs87.0%

→ ↑3.4%

5 yrs90.4%

→ ↓7.5%

6 yrs82.9%

→ ↑7.5%

7 yrs90.4%

→ ↓1.4%

8 yrs89.0%

→ ↓14.4%

9 yrs74.6%

→ ↑11.9%

10 yrs86.5%

→ ↑3.8%

11 yrs90.3%

→ ↑0.7%

12 yrs91.0%

→ ↑4.5%

13 yrs95.5%

→ ↓4.9%

14 yrs90.6%

→ ↓17.4%

15 yrs73.2%

→ ↑14.5%

16 yrs87.7%

→ ↑0.1%

17 yrs87.8%

→ ↓5.3%

18 yrs82.5%

→ ↑1.3%

19 yrs83.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
4 yrs	87.0%	77
5 yrs	90.4%	83
6 yrs	82.9%	76
7 yrs	90.4%	83
8 yrs	89.0%	73
9 yrs	74.6%	71
10 yrs	86.5%	74
11 yrs	90.3%	72
12 yrs	91.0%	67
13 yrs	95.5%	44
14 yrs	90.6%	53
15 yrs	73.2%	41
16 yrs	87.7%	57
17 yrs	87.8%	49
18 yrs	82.5%	57
19 yrs	83.8%	74

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2005 Caterham Seven (s3) pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (19 yrs)	83.8%	74
2023 (18 yrs)	82.5%	57
2022 (17 yrs)	87.8%	49
2021 (16 yrs)	87.7%	57
2020 (15 yrs)	73.2%	41
2019 (14 yrs)	90.6%	53
2018 (13 yrs)	95.5%	44
2017 (12 yrs)	91%	67
2016 (11 yrs)	90.3%	72
2015 (10 yrs)	86.5%	74
2014 (9 yrs)	74.6%	71
2013 (8 yrs)	89%	73
2012 (7 yrs)	90.4%	83
2011 (6 yrs)	82.9%	76
2010 (5 yrs)	90.4%	83
2009 (4 yrs)	87%	77

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

87.0%

Age (yrs) 4Tests 77Avg Mileage 8,549Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.7%

2010

90.4%

Age (yrs) 5Tests 83Avg Mileage 10,979Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.6%

2011

82.9%

Age (yrs) 6Tests 76Avg Mileage 12,697Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.2%

2012

90.4%

Age (yrs) 7Tests 83Avg Mileage 13,074Top Failure Suspension — 6.0%

2013

89.0%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 73Avg Mileage 15,677Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.8%

2014

74.6%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 71Avg Mileage 16,135Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.0%

2015

86.5%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 74Avg Mileage 16,801Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.0%

2016

90.3%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 72Avg Mileage 19,013Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.7%

2017

91.0%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 67Avg Mileage 19,986Top Failure Suspension — 10.4%

2018

95.5%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 44Avg Mileage 22,569Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 4.5%

2019

90.6%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 53Avg Mileage 24,064Top Failure Suspension — 5.7%

2020

73.2%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 41Avg Mileage 26,108Top Failure Tyres — 24.4%

2021

87.7%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 57Avg Mileage 23,291Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 7.0%

2022

87.8%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 49Avg Mileage 27,926Top Failure Suspension — 16.3%

2023

82.5%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 57Avg Mileage 25,037Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 12.3%

2024

83.8%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 74Avg Mileage 28,732Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 13.5%

MOT results for 2005 Caterham Seven (s3) by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	4	87.0%	77	8,549	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.7%
2010	5	90.4%	83	10,979	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.6%
2011	6	82.9%	76	12,697	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.2%
2012	7	90.4%	83	13,074	Suspension — 6.0%
2013	8	89.0%	73	15,677	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.8%
2014	9	74.6%	71	16,135	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.0%
2015	10	86.5%	74	16,801	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.0%
2016	11	90.3%	72	19,013	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.7%
2017	12	91.0%	67	19,986	Suspension — 10.4%
2018	13	95.5%	44	22,569	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 4.5%
2019	14	90.6%	53	24,064	Suspension — 5.7%
2020	15	73.2%	41	26,108	Tyres — 24.4%
2021	16	87.7%	57	23,291	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 7.0%
2022	17	87.8%	49	27,926	Suspension — 16.3%
2023	18	82.5%	57	25,037	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 12.3%
2024	19	83.8%	74	28,732	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 13.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2005 Caterham Seven (s3), with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

13.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

12.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

6.9%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

6.5%

— Consistent

Brakes

4.7%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	1.3% (4 yrs)	6.8% (19 yrs)	+5.5%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	2.6% (4 yrs)	2.7% (19 yrs)	+0.1%	⚪ —

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 2005 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,051 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.