Vespa (douglas) Scooter MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 477 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 18.4%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Vespa (douglas) Scooter MOT Reliability Overview
The Vespa (douglas) Scooter is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 477 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 5 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 81.6% and a failure rate of 18.4%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Vespa (douglas) Scooter earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Vespa (douglas) Scooter presents for MOT with approximately 17,058 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 1990 models achieve the highest pass rate at 92.5%, while 1986 models have the lowest at 78.8%. This 13.7 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Vespa (douglas) Scooter is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 15.9% of all tests. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. The second most common issue is Motorcycle steering and suspension at 9.0%. Motorcycle brakes rounds out the top three at 5.7%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 17.8% | 85 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 9.0% | 43 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Brakes | 6.7% | 32 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 4.8% | 23 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 3.4% | 16 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 1.7% | 8 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 1.3% | 6 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 1.0% | 5 |
| 9 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.8% | 4 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Driving Controls | 0.8% | 4 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Audible Warning (Horn) | 0.4% | 2 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Steering | 0.2% | 1 |
| 13 | Items Not Tested | 0.2% | 1 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 17,058 miFor 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.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 10.45 | 17.8% | 85 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 5.28 | 9.0% | 43 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 3.93 | 6.7% | 32 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 2.83 | 4.8% | 23 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 1.97 | 3.4% | 16 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.98 | 1.7% | 8 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.74 | 1.3% | 6 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 0.61 | 1.0% | 5 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.49 | 0.8% | 4 |
| Motorcycle driving controls | 0.49 | 0.8% | 4 |
| Motorcycle audible warning (Horn) | 0.25 | 0.4% | 2 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.12 | 0.2% | 1 |
| Items Not Tested | 0.12 | 0.2% | 1 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Vespa (douglas) Scooter has 17,058 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Vespa (douglas) Scooter has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 10.79% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Vespa (douglas) Scooter MOT Data
The Vespa (douglas) Scooter is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 477 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 5 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 81.6% and a failure rate of 18.4%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Vespa (douglas) Scooter owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle lighting and signalling and motorcycle steering and suspension for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Scooter is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 15.9% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 15.9% of MOT failures on the Vespa (douglas) Scooter. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.
Motorcycle steering and suspension — 9.0% of failures
Motorcycle steering and suspension issues account for 9.0% of MOT failures on the Vespa (douglas) Scooter. 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: £200–500. 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.
Motorcycle brakes — 5.7% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 5.7% of MOT failures on the Vespa (douglas) Scooter. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — 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).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Vespa (douglas) Scooter?
Based on 477 MOT tests in our database, the Vespa (douglas) Scooter has an overall pass rate of 81.6% (18.4% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Vespa (douglas) Scooter?
The top 3 reasons a Vespa (douglas) Scooter fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (15.9%), 2. Motorcycle steering and suspension (9.0%), 3. Motorcycle brakes (5.7%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Vespa (douglas) Scooter reliable?
With a 18.4% MOT failure rate, the Scooter is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Vespa (douglas) Scooter?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (15.9%); Motorcycle steering and suspension (9.0%); Motorcycle brakes (5.7%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.