1981 MG B — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age

45 years

Current Age

86.4%

Latest Pass Rate

4,526

Total Tests (All Years)

55,795 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 MG B as it ages.

28 yrs67.5%

→ ↓0.0%

29 yrs67.5%

→ ↑3.8%

30 yrs71.3%

→ ↓4.9%

31 yrs66.4%

→ ↑1.8%

32 yrs68.2%

→ ↑2.1%

33 yrs70.3%

→ ↓1.2%

34 yrs69.1%

→ ↑0.1%

35 yrs69.2%

→ ↑3.7%

36 yrs72.9%

→ ↑0.8%

37 yrs73.7%

→ ↑2.3%

38 yrs76.0%

→ ↓4.4%

39 yrs71.6%

→ ↑2.3%

40 yrs73.9%

→ ↑0.3%

41 yrs74.2%

→ ↑4.5%

42 yrs78.7%

→ ↑7.7%

43 yrs86.4%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
28 yrs	67.5%	369
29 yrs	67.5%	366
30 yrs	71.3%	366
31 yrs	66.4%	354
32 yrs	68.2%	340
33 yrs	70.3%	343
34 yrs	69.1%	333
35 yrs	69.2%	334
36 yrs	72.9%	350
37 yrs	73.7%	251
38 yrs	76.0%	271
39 yrs	71.6%	232
40 yrs	73.9%	238
41 yrs	74.2%	132
42 yrs	78.7%	122
43 yrs	86.4%	125

Pass Rate Trend

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

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (43 yrs)	86.4%	125
2023 (42 yrs)	78.7%	122
2022 (41 yrs)	74.2%	132
2021 (40 yrs)	73.9%	238
2020 (39 yrs)	71.6%	232
2019 (38 yrs)	76%	271
2018 (37 yrs)	73.7%	251
2017 (36 yrs)	72.9%	350
2016 (35 yrs)	69.2%	334
2015 (34 yrs)	69.1%	333
2014 (33 yrs)	70.3%	343
2013 (32 yrs)	68.2%	340
2012 (31 yrs)	66.4%	354
2011 (30 yrs)	71.3%	366
2010 (29 yrs)	67.5%	366
2009 (28 yrs)	67.5%	369

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

67.5%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 369Avg Mileage 53,194Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.4%

2010

67.5%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 366Avg Mileage 52,081Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.1%

2011

71.3%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 366Avg Mileage 52,990Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.8%

2012

66.4%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 354Avg Mileage 52,100Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.5%

2013

68.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 340Avg Mileage 51,926Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 31.5%

2014

70.3%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 343Avg Mileage 51,624Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.7%

2015

69.1%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 333Avg Mileage 50,042Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.0%

2016

69.2%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 334Avg Mileage 51,305Top Failure Brakes — 33.5%

2017

72.9%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 350Avg Mileage 51,063Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.6%

2018

73.7%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 251Avg Mileage 50,747Top Failure Brakes — 23.9%

2019

76.0%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 271Avg Mileage 50,759Top Failure Suspension — 25.1%

2020

71.6%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 232Avg Mileage 50,733Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 26.3%

2021

73.9%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 238Avg Mileage 52,928Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.7%

2022

74.2%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 132Avg Mileage 49,793Top Failure Suspension — 27.3%

2023

78.7%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 122Avg Mileage 49,039Top Failure Brakes — 29.5%

2024

86.4%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 125Avg Mileage 55,795Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 10.4%

MOT results for 1981 MG B by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	28	67.5%	369	53,194	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.4%
2010	29	67.5%	366	52,081	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.1%
2011	30	71.3%	366	52,990	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.8%
2012	31	66.4%	354	52,100	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.5%
2013	32	68.2%	340	51,926	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 31.5%
2014	33	70.3%	343	51,624	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.7%
2015	34	69.1%	333	50,042	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.0%
2016	35	69.2%	334	51,305	Brakes — 33.5%
2017	36	72.9%	350	51,063	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.6%
2018	37	73.7%	251	50,747	Brakes — 23.9%
2019	38	76.0%	271	50,759	Suspension — 25.1%
2020	39	71.6%	232	50,733	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 26.3%
2021	40	73.9%	238	52,928	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.7%
2022	41	74.2%	132	49,793	Suspension — 27.3%
2023	42	78.7%	122	49,039	Brakes — 29.5%
2024	43	86.4%	125	55,795	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 10.4%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1981 MG B, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

25.4%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

20.2%

— Consistent

Brakes

19.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

19.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

15.2%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	11.9% (28 yrs)	8.8% (43 yrs)	-3.1%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

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

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About This Data

This page shows how MG B cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 4,526 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.