1981 Ford Capri — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age

45 years

Current Age

82.7%

Latest Pass Rate

2,270

Total Tests (All Years)

57,039 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 1981 Ford Capri as it ages.

28 yrs60.1%

→ ↑2.3%

29 yrs62.4%

→ ↓2.5%

30 yrs59.9%

→ ↑2.7%

31 yrs62.6%

→ ↑4.9%

32 yrs67.5%

→ ↓1.0%

33 yrs66.5%

→ ↑3.4%

34 yrs69.9%

→ ↑4.0%

35 yrs73.9%

→ ↓1.7%

36 yrs72.2%

→ ↑7.8%

37 yrs80.0%

→ ↓3.5%

38 yrs76.5%

→ ↑8.8%

39 yrs85.3%

→ ↓3.5%

40 yrs81.8%

→ ↑4.3%

41 yrs86.1%

→ ↓1.4%

42 yrs84.7%

→ ↓2.0%

43 yrs82.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
28 yrs	60.1%	193
29 yrs	62.4%	181
30 yrs	59.9%	172
31 yrs	62.6%	171
32 yrs	67.5%	163
33 yrs	66.5%	179
34 yrs	69.9%	173
35 yrs	73.9%	180
36 yrs	72.2%	169
37 yrs	80.0%	115
38 yrs	76.5%	132
39 yrs	85.3%	109
40 yrs	81.8%	121
41 yrs	86.1%	72
42 yrs	84.7%	59
43 yrs	82.7%	81

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1981 Ford Capri pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (43 yrs)	82.7%	81
2023 (42 yrs)	84.7%	59
2022 (41 yrs)	86.1%	72
2021 (40 yrs)	81.8%	121
2020 (39 yrs)	85.3%	109
2019 (38 yrs)	76.5%	132
2018 (37 yrs)	80%	115
2017 (36 yrs)	72.2%	169
2016 (35 yrs)	73.9%	180
2015 (34 yrs)	69.9%	173
2014 (33 yrs)	66.5%	179
2013 (32 yrs)	67.5%	163
2012 (31 yrs)	62.6%	171
2011 (30 yrs)	59.9%	172
2010 (29 yrs)	62.4%	181
2009 (28 yrs)	60.1%	193

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

60.1%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 193Avg Mileage 52,290Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.4%

2010High Fail Rate

62.4%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 181Avg Mileage 52,906Top Failure Suspension — 23.2%

2011High Fail Rate

59.9%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 172Avg Mileage 51,966Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.7%

2012High Fail Rate

62.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 171Avg Mileage 56,069Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.0%

2013

67.5%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 163Avg Mileage 59,419Top Failure Suspension — 41.7%

2014

66.5%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 179Avg Mileage 54,889Top Failure Brakes — 44.7%

2015

69.9%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 173Avg Mileage 54,342Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.8%

2016

73.9%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 180Avg Mileage 55,064Top Failure Brakes — 33.9%

2017

72.2%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 169Avg Mileage 54,851Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.3%

2018

80.0%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 115Avg Mileage 56,672Top Failure Brakes — 23.5%

2019

76.5%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 132Avg Mileage 50,917Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.6%

2020

85.3%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 109Avg Mileage 48,107Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 15.6%

2021

81.8%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 121Avg Mileage 50,890Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 18.2%

2022

86.1%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 72Avg Mileage 54,502Top Failure Brakes — 18.1%

2023

84.7%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 59Avg Mileage 50,625Top Failure Brakes — 11.9%

2024

82.7%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 81Avg Mileage 57,039Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.2%

MOT results for 1981 Ford Capri by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	28	60.1%	193	52,290	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.4%
2010	29	62.4%	181	52,906	Suspension — 23.2%
2011	30	59.9%	172	51,966	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.7%
2012	31	62.6%	171	56,069	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.0%
2013	32	67.5%	163	59,419	Suspension — 41.7%
2014	33	66.5%	179	54,889	Brakes — 44.7%
2015	34	69.9%	173	54,342	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.8%
2016	35	73.9%	180	55,064	Brakes — 33.9%
2017	36	72.2%	169	54,851	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.3%
2018	37	80.0%	115	56,672	Brakes — 23.5%
2019	38	76.5%	132	50,917	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.6%
2020	39	85.3%	109	48,107	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 15.6%
2021	40	81.8%	121	50,890	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 18.2%
2022	41	86.1%	72	54,502	Brakes — 18.1%
2023	42	84.7%	59	50,625	Brakes — 11.9%
2024	43	82.7%	81	57,039	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.2%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1981 Ford Capri, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

29.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

22.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

22.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

19.2%

↑ Increases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

13.7%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	22.8% (28 yrs)	4.9% (43 yrs)	-17.9%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	22.8% (28 yrs)	9.9% (43 yrs)	-12.9%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Ford Capri page →

About This Data

This page shows how Ford Capri cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,270 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.