1999 Alfa Romeo Spider — MOT failures & pass rate
1,538 MOT tests on the 1999 Alfa Romeo Spider are in this dataset, and 72.5% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 26.1% of the time, so this is 1.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, emissions & environmental and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: brakes, recorded in 16.4% of tests against 8.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, rbt (sp) and service brake performance — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 203 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 14.9% in the 0-30k band and 45.5% in the 150k+ band, a 30.6-point spread — more than double.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 35.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.2% in 2021 to 25.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 16.4% | 253 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 8.9% | 137 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.4% | 129 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 7.9% | 121 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 108 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.4% | 83 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 203 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 169 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 148 |
| 4 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 63 |
| 5 | Wipers | 60 |
| 6 | Joints | 58 |
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 | 35.7% | 549 |
| 2 | Brakes | 25.9% | 398 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 19.1% | 293 |
| 4 | Tyres | 17.6% | 271 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.9% | 260 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 7.3% | 113 |
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 | 255 | 24.3% |
| 60-90k | 551 | 25.6% |
| 90-120k | 477 | 30.4% |
| 120-150k | 162 | 29.0% |
| 150k+ | 33 | 45.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 331 | 27.2% |
| 2022 | 324 | 28.1% |
| 2023 | 338 | 30.8% |
| 2024 | 273 | 25.3% |
| 2025 | 272 | 25.4% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Spider
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 16.4% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (16.4% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (8.9% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Suspension (8.4% 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.
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 1999 Alfa Romeo Spiders pass their MOT?
72.5% of the 1,538 1999 Alfa Romeo Spider MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Alfa Romeo Spider?
Brakes, recorded in 16.4% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (8.9%).
Does the 1999 Spider get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.9% in the 0-30k band to 45.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,538 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.