Aston Martin V8 Vantage MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 43 model years and 16,861 tests, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage passes its MOT 92.3% of the time. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 20.7% of the time, so this is 13.0pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.4%) and emissions & environmental (1.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, malfunction indicator lamp and wipers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 322 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 10.2% once past 120-150k.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 13.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 8.7% in 2021 to 6.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every V8 Vantage model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 31 | 100.0% | 0.0% | - |
| 1988 | 55 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 66 | 89.4% | 10.6% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1996 | 36 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2000 | 35 | 97.1% | 2.9% | Brakes |
| 2005 | 365 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 4,896 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 3,882 | 92.1% | 7.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 2,547 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 1,901 | 94.1% | 5.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 1,101 | 93.0% | 7.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 916 | 92.3% | 7.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 661 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 112 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 30 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 31 | 96.8% | 3.2% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 575 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 307 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.8% | 299 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.4% | 243 |
| 5 | Tyres | 1.4% | 229 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.2% | 204 |
| 7 | Other defects | 0.5% | 90 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.3% | 43 |
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 | 322 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 220 |
| 3 | Wipers | 201 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 176 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 158 |
| 6 | Washers | 153 |
| 7 | Registration plates | 132 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 114 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 13.2% | 2,227 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.6% | 1,789 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.1% | 685 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.6% | 440 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 364 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 354 |
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 | 5,027 | 5.7% |
| 30-60k | 8,935 | 7.8% |
| 60-90k | 2,454 | 10.3% |
| 90-120k | 350 | 16.3% |
| 120-150k | 59 | 10.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,513 | 8.7% |
| 2022 | 3,406 | 7.8% |
| 2023 | 3,414 | 8.2% |
| 2024 | 3,274 | 7.1% |
| 2025 | 3,254 | 6.7% |
What to check before buying a Aston Martin V8 Vantage
- Lighting & signalling (3.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (1.8% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Visibility (1.8% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 Aston Martin V8 Vantage?
92.3% of the 16,861 Aston Martin V8 Vantage MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 7.7% fail rate, across model years 1980–2022.
What does the Aston Martin V8 Vantage most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.4% of tests, then emissions & environmental (1.8%).
How much does mileage affect V8 Vantage MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 10.2% for 120-150k, a 4.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 16,861 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.