Alfa Romeo Gt MOT pass rate & common failures
13,266 MOT tests on the Alfa Romeo Gt (1983–2021) give it a 68.4% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (26.5% fail rate), the Gt comes out 5.1pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (16.9%) and suspension (16.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, component mounting prescribed areas and pins and bushes — headlamp aim alone was recorded 1,270 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 37.1% versus 14.5%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 28.8% fail against 33.5% for diesel, a 4.6-point gap across 13,266 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 34.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 32.4% in 2021 to 30.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Gt model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 923 | 70.8% | 29.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 1,739 | 69.6% | 30.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 1,755 | 67.1% | 32.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 3,455 | 67.5% | 32.5% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 3,687 | 67.5% | 32.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 926 | 70.8% | 29.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 662 | 69.9% | 30.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 69 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.9% | 2,235 |
| 2 | Suspension | 16.0% | 2,127 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.2% | 1,347 |
| 4 | Brakes | 9.4% | 1,254 |
| 5 | Visibility | 8.1% | 1,072 |
| 6 | Tyres | 7.1% | 937 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 6.3% | 831 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.6% | 615 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 1,270 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 1,227 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 1,183 |
| 4 | Washers | 919 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 875 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 641 |
| 7 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 571 |
| 8 | Rbt (sp) | 550 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 34.4% | 4,566 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.9% | 3,567 |
| 3 | Brakes | 25.5% | 3,382 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 20.2% | 2,677 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 12.1% | 1,602 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 9.0% | 1,194 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 117 | 14.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,140 | 23.1% |
| 60-90k | 3,667 | 29.4% |
| 90-120k | 4,612 | 32.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,641 | 35.2% |
| 150k+ | 1,086 | 37.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 7,921 | 33.5% |
| Petrol | 5,345 | 28.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,865 | 32.4% |
| 2022 | 3,198 | 31.2% |
| 2023 | 2,626 | 32.2% |
| 2024 | 1,992 | 30.5% |
| 2025 | 1,585 | 30.8% |
What to check before buying a Alfa Romeo Gt
- Lighting & signalling (16.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (16.0% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.2% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Alfa Romeo Gt?
68.4% of the 13,266 Alfa Romeo Gt MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 31.6% fail rate, across model years 1983–2021.
What does the Alfa Romeo Gt most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.9% of tests, then suspension (16.0%).
How much does mileage affect Gt MOT results?
Fail rates run at 14.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 37.1% for 150k+, a 22.6-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Gt more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 28.8% of the time against 33.5% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,266 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.