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2009 Caterham Seven (s3) — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2009 perform at MOT as they age

17 years
Current Age
94.3%
Latest Pass Rate
308
Total Tests (All Years)
16,263 mi
Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 15

This car: 94.3%
Average: 52.4%

✅ 41.9% above average (11197 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 2009 Caterham Seven (s3) as it ages.

3 yrs71.8%
4 yrs75.6%
5 yrs79.4%
6 yrs76.5%
7 yrs86.5%
8 yrs78.9%
12 yrs78.1%
15 yrs94.3%

Bar chart showing pass rate by car age from 3 to 15 years

Fail Rate %
📊 View as table
AgePass RateTests
3 yrs71.8%39
4 yrs75.6%41
5 yrs79.4%34
6 yrs76.5%34
7 yrs86.5%37
8 yrs78.9%38
12 yrs78.1%32
15 yrs94.3%53

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2009 Caterham Seven (s3) pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

Trend shows improving over 8 years

Pass Rate %
📊 View as table
BuiltPass RateTests
2024 (15 yrs)94.3%53
2021 (12 yrs)78.1%32
2017 (8 yrs)78.9%38
2016 (7 yrs)86.5%37
2015 (6 yrs)76.5%34
2014 (5 yrs)79.4%34
2013 (4 yrs)75.6%41
2012 (3 yrs)71.8%39

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2012
71.8%
Age (yrs) 3Tests 39Avg Mileage 6,870Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.5%
2013
75.6%
Age (yrs) 4Tests 41Avg Mileage 7,185Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.3%
2014
79.4%
Age (yrs) 5Tests 34Avg Mileage 9,672Top Failure Tyres — 26.5%
2015
76.5%
Age (yrs) 6Tests 34Avg Mileage 10,286Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.6%
2016
86.5%
Age (yrs) 7Tests 37Avg Mileage 11,875Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.2%
2017
78.9%
Age (yrs) 8Tests 38Avg Mileage 14,334Top Failure Steering — 15.8%
2021
78.1%
Age (yrs) 12Tests 32Avg Mileage 17,626Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 18.8%
2024
94.3%
Age (yrs) 15Tests 53Avg Mileage 16,263Top Failure Tyres — 18.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2009 Caterham Seven (s3), with age trends.

Noise, emissions and leaks
18.8%
— Consistent
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment
18.6%
↓ Decreases with age
Tyres
14.2%
↑ Increases with age
Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions
10.3%
↓ Decreases with age
Suspension
9.5%
↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

CategoryAt YoungestAt OldestChangeTrend
Tyres5.1% (3 yrs)18.9% (15 yrs)
+13.8%
🔴 ↑
Brakes10.3% (3 yrs)7.5% (15 yrs)
-2.8%
🟢 ↓
Steering5.1% (3 yrs)7.5% (15 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 2009 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2012 to 2024, covering 308 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.

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