2003 Aston Martin Vanquish — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2003 Aston Martin Vanquish passed 90.4% of its 469 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (27.6% fail rate), the 2003 Vanquish comes out 18.0pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (4.5%) and brakes (4.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, linkage ball joint dust cover and track rod end — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 36 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 5.7% versus 11.2%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 10.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 5.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 4.5% | 21 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.3% | 20 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.2% | 15 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 11 |
| 5 | Steering | 2.1% | 10 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.6% | 3 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 36 |
| 2 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 23 |
| 3 | Track rod end | 13 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 11 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 10 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 9 |
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 | 10.0% | 47 |
| 2 | Tyres | 7.2% | 34 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.1% | 24 |
| 4 | Steering | 3.0% | 14 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 10 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 5 |
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 | 205 | 11.2% |
| 30-60k | 219 | 7.8% |
| 60-90k | 35 | 5.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 91 | 5.5% |
| 2022 | 91 | 9.9% |
| 2023 | 100 | 12.0% |
| 2024 | 93 | 9.7% |
| 2025 | 94 | 10.6% |
What to check before buying a 2003 Vanquish
On a 2003 Vanquish, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (4.5% 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.
- Brakes (4.3% 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 (3.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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
How many 2003 Aston Martin Vanquishs pass their MOT?
90.4% of the 469 2003 Aston Martin Vanquish MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Aston Martin Vanquish?
Suspension, recorded in 4.5% of tests, followed by brakes (4.3%).
Does the 2003 Vanquish get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.2% in the 0-30k band to 5.7% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 469 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.