Skip to main content
Pass Your MOT

1997 Caterham Seven — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years
Current Age
81.3%
Latest Pass Rate
226
Total Tests (All Years)
28,670 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 as it ages.

12 yrs83.9%
13 yrs87.5%
14 yrs81.3%
16 yrs89.2%
18 yrs93.5%
19 yrs83.9%
27 yrs81.3%

Bar chart showing pass rate by car age from 12 to 27 years

Fail Rate %
📊 View as table
AgePass RateTests
12 yrs83.9%31
13 yrs87.5%32
14 yrs81.3%32
16 yrs89.2%37
18 yrs93.5%31
19 yrs83.9%31
27 yrs81.3%32

Pass Rate Trend

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

Trend shows declining over 7 years

Pass Rate %
📊 View as table
BuiltPass RateTests
2024 (27 yrs)81.3%32
2016 (19 yrs)83.9%31
2015 (18 yrs)93.5%31
2013 (16 yrs)89.2%37
2011 (14 yrs)81.3%32
2010 (13 yrs)87.5%32
2009 (12 yrs)83.9%31

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009
83.9%
Age (yrs) 12Tests 31Avg Mileage 20,924Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.7%
2010
87.5%
Age (yrs) 13Tests 32Avg Mileage 20,503Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.4%
2011
81.3%
Age (yrs) 14Tests 32Avg Mileage 21,900Top Failure Tyres — 6.3%
2013
89.2%
Age (yrs) 16Tests 37Avg Mileage 23,493Top Failure Brakes — 13.5%
2015
93.5%
Age (yrs) 18Tests 31Avg Mileage 26,758Top Failure Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions — 9.7%
2016
83.9%
Age (yrs) 19Tests 31Avg Mileage 27,073Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.4%
2024
81.3%
Age (yrs) 27Tests 32Avg Mileage 28,670Top Failure Brakes — 25.0%

Common MOT Failures

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

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
12.5%
— Consistent
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment
10.4%
↑ Increases with age
Driver's View of the Road
9.7%
— Consistent
Brakes
9.2%
↑ Increases with age
Steering
6.5%
— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

CategoryAt YoungestAt OldestChangeTrend
Brakes6.5% (12 yrs)25.0% (27 yrs)
+18.5%
🔴 ↑
Suspension6.5% (12 yrs)6.3% (27 yrs)
-0.2%
⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

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

About This Data

This page shows how Caterham Seven cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 226 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.

Share via WhatsApp Share on Facebook Report Issue