1986 Volvo 240 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1986 perform at MOT as they age

40 years

Current Age

56.4%

Latest Pass Rate

1,539

Total Tests (All Years)

112,993 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 1986 Volvo 240 as it ages.

23 yrs44.1%

→ ↑0.4%

24 yrs44.5%

→ ↑8.7%

25 yrs53.2%

→ ↓0.9%

26 yrs52.3%

→ ↑4.7%

27 yrs57.0%

→ ↓5.5%

28 yrs51.5%

→ ↓4.6%

29 yrs46.9%

→ ↑4.3%

30 yrs51.2%

→ ↑16.7%

31 yrs67.9%

→ ↓4.3%

32 yrs63.6%

→ ↓1.7%

33 yrs61.9%

→ ↓9.6%

34 yrs52.3%

→ ↑5.7%

35 yrs58.0%

→ ↓0.9%

36 yrs57.1%

→ ↑9.6%

37 yrs66.7%

→ ↓10.3%

38 yrs56.4%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
23 yrs	44.1%	256
24 yrs	44.5%	211
25 yrs	53.2%	158
26 yrs	52.3%	128
27 yrs	57.0%	107
28 yrs	51.5%	99
29 yrs	46.9%	96
30 yrs	51.2%	84
31 yrs	67.9%	81
32 yrs	63.6%	44
33 yrs	61.9%	42
34 yrs	52.3%	44
35 yrs	58.0%	50
36 yrs	57.1%	42
37 yrs	66.7%	42
38 yrs	56.4%	55

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1986 Volvo 240 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (38 yrs)	56.4%	55
2023 (37 yrs)	66.7%	42
2022 (36 yrs)	57.1%	42
2021 (35 yrs)	58%	50
2020 (34 yrs)	52.3%	44
2019 (33 yrs)	61.9%	42
2018 (32 yrs)	63.6%	44
2017 (31 yrs)	67.9%	81
2016 (30 yrs)	51.2%	84
2015 (29 yrs)	46.9%	96
2014 (28 yrs)	51.5%	99
2013 (27 yrs)	57%	107
2012 (26 yrs)	52.3%	128
2011 (25 yrs)	53.2%	158
2010 (24 yrs)	44.5%	211
2009 (23 yrs)	44.1%	256

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

44.1%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 256Avg Mileage 124,549Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.2%

2010High Fail Rate

44.5%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 211Avg Mileage 124,547Top Failure Brakes — 24.2%

2011High Fail Rate

53.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 158Avg Mileage 130,107Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.8%

2012High Fail Rate

52.3%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 128Avg Mileage 126,472Top Failure Suspension — 27.3%

2013High Fail Rate

57.0%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 107Avg Mileage 126,266Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.5%

2014High Fail Rate

51.5%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 99Avg Mileage 123,220Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 68.7%

2015High Fail Rate

46.9%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 96Avg Mileage 128,035Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 62.5%

2016High Fail Rate

51.2%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 84Avg Mileage 128,808Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.0%

2017

67.9%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 81Avg Mileage 119,319Top Failure Suspension — 43.2%

2018High Fail Rate

63.6%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 44Avg Mileage 115,051Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.4%

2019High Fail Rate

61.9%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 42Avg Mileage 120,312Top Failure Suspension — 69.0%

2020High Fail Rate

52.3%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 44Avg Mileage 123,214Top Failure Brakes — 47.7%

2021High Fail Rate

58.0%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 50Avg Mileage 120,891Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 60.0%

2022High Fail Rate

57.1%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 42Avg Mileage 126,908Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.4%

2023

66.7%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 42Avg Mileage 112,270Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 50.0%

2024High Fail Rate

56.4%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 55Avg Mileage 112,993Top Failure Tyres — 60.0%

MOT results for 1986 Volvo 240 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	23	44.1%	256	124,549	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.2%
2010	24	44.5%	211	124,547	Brakes — 24.2%
2011	25	53.2%	158	130,107	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.8%
2012	26	52.3%	128	126,472	Suspension — 27.3%
2013	27	57.0%	107	126,266	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.5%
2014	28	51.5%	99	123,220	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 68.7%
2015	29	46.9%	96	128,035	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 62.5%
2016	30	51.2%	84	128,808	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.0%
2017	31	67.9%	81	119,319	Suspension — 43.2%
2018	32	63.6%	44	115,051	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.4%
2019	33	61.9%	42	120,312	Suspension — 69.0%
2020	34	52.3%	44	123,214	Brakes — 47.7%
2021	35	58.0%	50	120,891	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 60.0%
2022	36	57.1%	42	126,908	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.4%
2023	37	66.7%	42	112,270	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 50.0%
2024	38	56.4%	55	112,993	Tyres — 60.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1986 Volvo 240, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

41.7%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

41.0%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

39.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

39.5%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

35.0%

↑ 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
Tyres	15.2% (23 yrs)	60.0% (38 yrs)	+44.8%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	21.5% (23 yrs)	21.8% (38 yrs)	+0.3%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993

← Back to Volvo 240 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Volvo 240 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Volvo 240 cars manufactured in 1986 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,539 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.