2001 Alfa Romeo Spider — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2001 Alfa Romeo Spider passed 77.1% of its 1,586 recorded MOT tests. That is 4.2 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.1%. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
Brakes dominates the failure mix at 11.8% of all tests — 4.2 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), service brake performance and wipers — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 136 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2001 Spider fails 23.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 25.8% at 120-150k, a spread of only 2.5 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 30.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 25.5% in 2021 to 19.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 11.8% | 188 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.6% | 121 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 111 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.7% | 106 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.0% | 80 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.9% | 77 |
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) | 136 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 60 |
| 3 | Wipers | 59 |
| 4 | Joints | 58 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 55 |
| 6 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 49 |
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 | 30.4% | 483 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.1% | 430 |
| 3 | Tyres | 17.4% | 276 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.9% | 268 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 14.9% | 237 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.5% | 88 |
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 | 90 | 23.3% |
| 30-60k | 318 | 18.9% |
| 60-90k | 650 | 21.2% |
| 90-120k | 366 | 26.8% |
| 120-150k | 120 | 25.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 369 | 25.5% |
| 2022 | 341 | 24.1% |
| 2023 | 323 | 22.9% |
| 2024 | 292 | 21.2% |
| 2025 | 261 | 19.5% |
What to check before buying a 2001 Spider
On a 2001 Spider, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 11.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (11.8% 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 (7.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (7.0% 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 2001 Alfa Romeo Spiders pass their MOT?
77.1% of the 1,586 2001 Alfa Romeo Spider MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2001 Alfa Romeo Spider?
Brakes, recorded in 11.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.6%).
Does the 2001 Spider get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.3% in the 0-30k band to 25.8% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,586 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.