2018 Aston Martin Vanquish — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Aston Martin Vanquish passed 98.2% of its 830 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 11.0% of the time, so this is 9.2pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and other defects.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (0.8%) and lighting & signalling (0.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are registration plates, headlamp aim and headlamp cleaning device — registration plates alone was recorded 6 times.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 3.3% in 2021 to 1.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 0.8% | 7 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 6 |
| 3 | Other defects | 0.6% | 5 |
| 4 | Suspension | 0.2% | 2 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.1% | 1 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.1% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registration plates | 6 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 4 |
| 3 | Headlamp cleaning device | 4 |
| 4 | Ball joint dust cover | 2 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 2 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 2 |
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 | 6.1% | 51 |
| 2 | Other defects | 1.0% | 8 |
| 3 | Brakes | 0.5% | 4 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.4% | 3 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.2% | 2 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.2% | 2 |
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 | 817 | 1.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 182 | 3.3% |
| 2022 | 162 | 0.6% |
| 2023 | 162 | 1.2% |
| 2024 | 156 | 2.6% |
| 2025 | 168 | 1.2% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Vanquish
On a 2018 Vanquish, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 0.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (0.8% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (0.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Other defects (0.6% of tests): Miscellaneous items not in the main categories. Typical repair: varies.
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 2018 Aston Martin Vanquishs pass their MOT?
98.2% of the 830 2018 Aston Martin Vanquish MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 1.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Aston Martin Vanquish?
Tyres, recorded in 0.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (0.7%).
Methodology & source. Based on 830 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.