1971 Triumph Spitfire — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1971 perform at MOT as they age

55 years

Current Age

86.7%

Latest Pass Rate

7,585

Total Tests (All Years)

55,198 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 1971 Triumph Spitfire as it ages.

38 yrs62.7%

→ ↓0.4%

39 yrs62.3%

→ ↑1.6%

40 yrs63.9%

→ ↑0.2%

41 yrs64.1%

→ ↑0.3%

42 yrs64.4%

→ ↓2.0%

43 yrs62.4%

→ ↑0.9%

44 yrs63.3%

→ ↑7.0%

45 yrs70.3%

→ ↓0.2%

46 yrs70.1%

→ ↓2.6%

47 yrs67.5%

→ ↑8.8%

48 yrs76.3%

→ ↓4.0%

49 yrs72.3%

→ ↑0.6%

50 yrs72.9%

→ ↑2.1%

51 yrs75.0%

→ ↑1.2%

52 yrs76.2%

→ ↑10.5%

53 yrs86.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
38 yrs	62.7%	850
39 yrs	62.3%	796
40 yrs	63.9%	829
41 yrs	64.1%	760
42 yrs	64.4%	777
43 yrs	62.4%	776
44 yrs	63.3%	754
45 yrs	70.3%	707
46 yrs	70.1%	685
47 yrs	67.5%	240
48 yrs	76.3%	139
49 yrs	72.3%	101
50 yrs	72.9%	59
51 yrs	75.0%	40
52 yrs	76.2%	42
53 yrs	86.7%	30

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1971 Triumph Spitfire pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (53 yrs)	86.7%	30
2023 (52 yrs)	76.2%	42
2022 (51 yrs)	75%	40
2021 (50 yrs)	72.9%	59
2020 (49 yrs)	72.3%	101
2019 (48 yrs)	76.3%	139
2018 (47 yrs)	67.5%	240
2017 (46 yrs)	70.1%	685
2016 (45 yrs)	70.3%	707
2015 (44 yrs)	63.3%	754
2014 (43 yrs)	62.4%	776
2013 (42 yrs)	64.4%	777
2012 (41 yrs)	64.1%	760
2011 (40 yrs)	63.9%	829
2010 (39 yrs)	62.3%	796
2009 (38 yrs)	62.7%	850

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

62.7%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 850Avg Mileage 50,363Top Failure Brakes — 22.1%

2010High Fail Rate

62.3%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 796Avg Mileage 48,247Top Failure Brakes — 23.4%

2011High Fail Rate

63.9%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 829Avg Mileage 48,908Top Failure Brakes — 21.8%

2012High Fail Rate

64.1%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 760Avg Mileage 50,064Top Failure Brakes — 20.4%

2013High Fail Rate

64.4%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 777Avg Mileage 49,219Top Failure Brakes — 50.5%

2014High Fail Rate

62.4%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 776Avg Mileage 50,339Top Failure Brakes — 58.0%

2015High Fail Rate

63.3%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 754Avg Mileage 51,439Top Failure Brakes — 57.8%

2016

70.3%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 707Avg Mileage 49,385Top Failure Brakes — 37.6%

2017

70.1%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 685Avg Mileage 48,881Top Failure Brakes — 42.6%

2018

67.5%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 240Avg Mileage 48,944Top Failure Brakes — 49.6%

2019

76.3%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 139Avg Mileage 49,815Top Failure Brakes — 34.5%

2020

72.3%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 101Avg Mileage 51,132Top Failure Brakes — 50.5%

2021

72.9%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 59Avg Mileage 53,276Top Failure Brakes — 35.6%

2022

75.0%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 40Avg Mileage 53,718Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 32.5%

2023

76.2%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 42Avg Mileage 49,455Top Failure Brakes — 40.5%

2024

86.7%

Age (yrs) 53Tests 30Avg Mileage 55,198Top Failure Brakes — 26.7%

MOT results for 1971 Triumph Spitfire by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	38	62.7%	850	50,363	Brakes — 22.1%
2010	39	62.3%	796	48,247	Brakes — 23.4%
2011	40	63.9%	829	48,908	Brakes — 21.8%
2012	41	64.1%	760	50,064	Brakes — 20.4%
2013	42	64.4%	777	49,219	Brakes — 50.5%
2014	43	62.4%	776	50,339	Brakes — 58.0%
2015	44	63.3%	754	51,439	Brakes — 57.8%
2016	45	70.3%	707	49,385	Brakes — 37.6%
2017	46	70.1%	685	48,881	Brakes — 42.6%
2018	47	67.5%	240	48,944	Brakes — 49.6%
2019	48	76.3%	139	49,815	Brakes — 34.5%
2020	49	72.3%	101	51,132	Brakes — 50.5%
2021	50	72.9%	59	53,276	Brakes — 35.6%
2022	51	75.0%	40	53,718	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 32.5%
2023	52	76.2%	42	49,455	Brakes — 40.5%
2024	53	86.7%	30	55,198	Brakes — 26.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1971 Triumph Spitfire, with age trends.

Brakes

37.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

32.4%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

25.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

22.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Steering

12.2%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	17.1% (38 yrs)	10.0% (53 yrs)	-7.1%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	22.1% (38 yrs)	26.7% (53 yrs)	+4.6%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Triumph Spitfire page →

About This Data

This page shows how Triumph Spitfire cars manufactured in 1971 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 7,585 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.