1978 MG B — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1978 perform at MOT as they age

48 years

Current Age

86.5%

Latest Pass Rate

8,479

Total Tests (All Years)

48,880 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 1978 MG B as it ages.

31 yrs65.2%

→ ↓1.0%

32 yrs64.2%

→ ↑0.1%

33 yrs64.3%

→ ↑1.4%

34 yrs65.7%

→ ↑2.4%

35 yrs68.1%

→ ↓1.3%

36 yrs66.8%

→ ↑3.2%

37 yrs70.0%

→ ↓1.0%

38 yrs69.0%

→ ↑1.8%

39 yrs70.8%

→ ↑0.6%

40 yrs71.4%

→ ↓3.3%

41 yrs68.1%

→ ↑0.5%

42 yrs68.6%

→ ↑5.2%

43 yrs73.8%

→ ↑3.5%

44 yrs77.3%

→ ↓1.3%

45 yrs76.0%

→ ↑10.5%

46 yrs86.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
31 yrs	65.2%	814
32 yrs	64.2%	784
33 yrs	64.3%	751
34 yrs	65.7%	728
35 yrs	68.1%	743
36 yrs	66.8%	730
37 yrs	70.0%	727
38 yrs	69.0%	741
39 yrs	70.8%	744
40 yrs	71.4%	476
41 yrs	68.1%	260
42 yrs	68.6%	191
43 yrs	73.8%	233
44 yrs	77.3%	203
45 yrs	76.0%	183
46 yrs	86.5%	171

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1978 MG B pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (46 yrs)	86.5%	171
2023 (45 yrs)	76%	183
2022 (44 yrs)	77.3%	203
2021 (43 yrs)	73.8%	233
2020 (42 yrs)	68.6%	191
2019 (41 yrs)	68.1%	260
2018 (40 yrs)	71.4%	476
2017 (39 yrs)	70.8%	744
2016 (38 yrs)	69%	741
2015 (37 yrs)	70%	727
2014 (36 yrs)	66.8%	730
2013 (35 yrs)	68.1%	743
2012 (34 yrs)	65.7%	728
2011 (33 yrs)	64.3%	751
2010 (32 yrs)	64.2%	784
2009 (31 yrs)	65.2%	814

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

65.2%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 814Avg Mileage 50,363Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.1%

2010High Fail Rate

64.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 784Avg Mileage 49,334Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.5%

2011High Fail Rate

64.3%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 751Avg Mileage 49,853Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.4%

2012

65.7%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 728Avg Mileage 50,108Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.9%

2013

68.1%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 743Avg Mileage 48,872Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.6%

2014

66.8%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 730Avg Mileage 50,069Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.1%

2015

70.0%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 727Avg Mileage 48,930Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.3%

2016

69.0%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 741Avg Mileage 47,559Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.6%

2017

70.8%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 744Avg Mileage 48,634Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.8%

2018

71.4%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 476Avg Mileage 48,842Top Failure Suspension — 23.9%

2019

68.1%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 260Avg Mileage 49,410Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 26.9%

2020

68.6%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 191Avg Mileage 51,817Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 19.9%

2021

73.8%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 233Avg Mileage 53,230Top Failure Brakes — 18.0%

2022

77.3%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 203Avg Mileage 51,689Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 26.1%

2023

76.0%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 183Avg Mileage 48,814Top Failure Suspension — 27.3%

2024

86.5%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 171Avg Mileage 48,880Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 12.3%

MOT results for 1978 MG B by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	31	65.2%	814	50,363	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.1%
2010	32	64.2%	784	49,334	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.5%
2011	33	64.3%	751	49,853	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.4%
2012	34	65.7%	728	50,108	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.9%
2013	35	68.1%	743	48,872	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.6%
2014	36	66.8%	730	50,069	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.1%
2015	37	70.0%	727	48,930	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.3%
2016	38	69.0%	741	47,559	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.6%
2017	39	70.8%	744	48,634	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.8%
2018	40	71.4%	476	48,842	Suspension — 23.9%
2019	41	68.1%	260	49,410	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 26.9%
2020	42	68.6%	191	51,817	Noise, emissions and leaks — 19.9%
2021	43	73.8%	233	53,230	Brakes — 18.0%
2022	44	77.3%	203	51,689	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 26.1%
2023	45	76.0%	183	48,814	Suspension — 27.3%
2024	46	86.5%	171	48,880	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 12.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1978 MG B, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

26.1%

— Consistent

Suspension

20.9%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

18.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

17.9%

— Consistent

Noise, emissions and leaks

14.9%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	13.3% (31 yrs)	6.4% (46 yrs)	-6.9%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982

← Back to MG B overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the MG B page →

About This Data

This page shows how MG B cars manufactured in 1978 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 8,479 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.