Austin Mini Piccadilly MOT pass rate & common failures
The Austin Mini Piccadilly appears in 289 MOT tests spanning model years 1986–1989, and 75.1% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (20.4% fail rate), the Mini Piccadilly comes out 4.5pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.3% of tests against 11.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are non catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and ball joint — non catalyst emissions alone was recorded 27 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.2% versus 21.0%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 25.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 28.3% in 2021 to 22.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Mini Piccadilly model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 262 | 76.3% | 23.7% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.3% | 50 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.4% | 33 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.7% | 31 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 10.0% | 29 |
| 5 | Suspension | 8.6% | 25 |
| 6 | Steering | 6.2% | 18 |
| 7 | Visibility | 5.9% | 17 |
| 8 | Tyres | 1.7% | 5 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non catalyst emissions | 27 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 24 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 19 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 15 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 15 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 13 |
| 7 | Joints | 13 |
| 8 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 12 |
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 | 25.6% | 74 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 21.8% | 63 |
| 3 | Tyres | 13.5% | 39 |
| 4 | Brakes | 11.1% | 32 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.6% | 25 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.6% | 22 |
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 | 62 | 21.0% |
| 30-60k | 137 | 25.6% |
| 60-90k | 81 | 27.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 60 | 28.3% |
| 2022 | 61 | 27.9% |
| 2023 | 62 | 24.2% |
| 2024 | 56 | 21.4% |
| 2025 | 50 | 22.0% |
What to check before buying a Austin Mini Piccadilly
- Lighting & signalling (17.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (11.4% 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+.
- Brakes (10.7% 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.
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 Austin Mini Piccadilly?
75.1% of the 289 Austin Mini Piccadilly MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 24.9% fail rate, across model years 1986–1989.
What does the Austin Mini Piccadilly most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.3% of tests, then body, structure & corrosion (11.4%).
How much does mileage affect Mini Piccadilly MOT results?
Fail rates run at 21.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 27.2% for 60-90k, a 6.2-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 289 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.