1996 Alfa Romeo Spider — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1996 Alfa Romeo Spider passed 70.9% of its 683 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (24.7% fail rate), the 1996 Spider comes out 4.5pp worse. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Brakes dominates the failure mix at 17.0% of all tests — 5.3 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, catalyst emissions and rbt (sp) — service brake performance alone was recorded 78 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 40.9% versus 14.9%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 37.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 24.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 30.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 17.0% | 116 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.7% | 80 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 9.1% | 62 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.5% | 58 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.5% | 51 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.6% | 45 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 78 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 78 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 61 |
| 4 | Washers | 34 |
| 5 | Wipers | 32 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 30 |
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 | 37.2% | 254 |
| 2 | Brakes | 34.1% | 233 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.4% | 146 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 17.9% | 122 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.3% | 98 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.1% | 55 |
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 | 47 | 14.9% |
| 30-60k | 145 | 28.3% |
| 60-90k | 189 | 27.5% |
| 90-120k | 188 | 29.8% |
| 120-150k | 88 | 40.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 153 | 24.8% |
| 2022 | 148 | 33.1% |
| 2023 | 145 | 29.0% |
| 2024 | 125 | 28.8% |
| 2025 | 112 | 30.4% |
What to check before buying a 1996 Spider
On a 1996 Spider, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 17.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (17.0% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Lighting & signalling (11.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (9.1% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1996 Alfa Romeo Spiders pass their MOT?
70.9% of the 683 1996 Alfa Romeo Spider MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1996 Alfa Romeo Spider?
Brakes, recorded in 17.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (11.7%).
Does the 1996 Spider get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.9% in the 0-30k band to 40.9% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 683 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.