2000 Alfa Romeo Spider — MOT failures & pass rate
1,166 MOT tests on the 2000 Alfa Romeo Spider are in this dataset, and 70.8% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (26.6% fail rate), the 2000 Spider comes out 2.6pp worse. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: brakes, recorded in 18.3% of tests against 9.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), service brake performance and catalyst emissions — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 127 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 24.0% in the 30-60k band and 45.0% in the 150k+ band, a 21.0-point spread.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 35.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 32.1% in 2021 to 29.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 18.3% | 213 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.0% | 105 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.8% | 103 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.5% | 99 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.0% | 81 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 6.3% | 74 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 127 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 109 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 109 |
| 4 | Joints | 67 |
| 5 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 63 |
| 6 | Wipers | 59 |
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 | 35.3% | 411 |
| 2 | Brakes | 30.4% | 354 |
| 3 | Tyres | 23.2% | 270 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 20.0% | 233 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.7% | 171 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.4% | 98 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 221 | 24.0% |
| 60-90k | 455 | 28.1% |
| 90-120k | 275 | 30.6% |
| 120-150k | 133 | 34.6% |
| 150k+ | 40 | 45.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 287 | 32.1% |
| 2022 | 250 | 25.6% |
| 2023 | 230 | 29.6% |
| 2024 | 207 | 29.0% |
| 2025 | 192 | 29.7% |
What to check before buying a 2000 Spider
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 18.3% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (18.3% 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 (9.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (8.8% 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
How many 2000 Alfa Romeo Spiders pass their MOT?
70.8% of the 1,166 2000 Alfa Romeo Spider MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2000 Alfa Romeo Spider?
Brakes, recorded in 18.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.0%).
Does the 2000 Spider get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 24.0% in the 30-60k band to 45.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,166 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.