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Pass Your MOT

1989 Rover 216 MOT Pass Rate

Pass rate for 216 models manufactured in 1989, based on 476 real MOT test results.

55.5%
Pass Rate
44.5%
Fail Rate
476
Total Tests
77,355
Avg Mileage

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

This page shows all 216 cars tested in 1989. Want to see how cars built in 1989 hold up over time?

View 1989 Rover 216 vintage page โ†’ (57.1% current pass rate)

1989 Rover 216 MOT Analysis

The 1989 Rover 216 has an MOT pass rate of 55.5% based on 476 tests โ€” slightly below the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 77,355 miles on the odometer. With a 44.5% failure rate, the 1989 216 is rated as "Below Average" for MOT reliability.

The leading cause of MOT failure for the 1989 Rover 216 is Suspension, responsible for 2.9% of failures. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs range from ยฃ200โ€“500. Brakes is the second most common issue at 1.7%. Visibility follows at 1.3%.

Top failures specific to 1989 models only. The overall 216 page may show different rankings.

What Fails Most

Suspension 2.9%
Brakes 1.7%
Visibility 1.3%

What Fails on This Car?

Click a category to see specific failure items.

View as table
MOT failure categories ranked by failure rate
RankFailure CategoryRate (%)Count
1Suspension2.9%14
2Brakes1.7%8
3Visibility1.3%6
4Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment1.3%6
5Noise, Emissions And Leaks1.3%6
6Non-component Advisories0.8%4
7Body, Chassis, Structure0.4%2

Failures per 10,000 Miles

avg. 77,355 mi

For every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.

Suspension0.38% per 10K miBrakes0.22% per 10K miVisibility0.16% per 10K miLamps & Electrical0.16% per 10K miNoise, emissions and leaks0.16% per 10K miNon-component advisories0.11% per 10K miBody & Structure0.05% per 10K mi
View as table
Mileage-normalised failure rates by category
CategoryRate / 10K miRaw %Count
Suspension0.382.9%14
Brakes0.221.7%8
Visibility0.161.3%6
Lamps & Electrical0.161.3%6
Noise, emissions and leaks0.161.3%6
Non-component advisories0.110.8%4
Body & Structure0.050.4%2

Mileage Statistics

77,355
Mean
69,920
Median
40,149
25th Percentile
105,602
75th Percentile
5.75% failures per 10K miles

Mileage-adjusted failure rate โ€” accounts for how much this model year is typically driven.

About This Data

The 1989 Rover 216 has an MOT pass rate of 55.5% based on 476 tests โ€” slightly below the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 77,355 miles on the odometer. With a 44.5% failure rate, the 1989 216 is rated as "Below Average" for MOT reliability.

If you own or are considering buying a 1989 Rover 216, budget for potential repairs before each MOT. Before your MOT, pay particular attention to suspension: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks. At 77,355 average miles, these vehicles are in the mid-range where component wear starts to become a factor.

Suspension โ€” 2.9% of failures

Suspension issues account for 2.9% of MOT failures on 1989 Rover 216 models. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: ยฃ200โ€“500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.

Brakes โ€” 1.7% of failures

Brakes issues account for 1.7% of MOT failures on 1989 Rover 216 models. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components โ€” any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: ยฃ150โ€“400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel โ€” if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).

Visibility โ€” 1.3% of failures

Visibility issues account for 1.3% of MOT failures on 1989 Rover 216 models. Visibility failures relate to the windscreen, wipers, washers, mirrors, and view-obstructing damage. Cracks in the windscreen swept area, ineffective wipers, or empty washer bottles are common causes. Typical repair costs: ยฃ10โ€“300. Pre-MOT check: Check the windscreen for chips and cracks โ€” damage larger than 10mm in the driver's swept area or 40mm elsewhere will fail. Test washers and wipers. Ensure both door mirrors are intact and adjustable.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005โ€“2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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