1999 Bentley Arnage — MOT failures & pass rate
750 MOT tests on the 1999 Bentley Arnage are in this dataset, and 86.0% of them passed. That is 12.0 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.1%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.2%) and lighting & signalling (6.1%) 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, rigid brake pipes and srs malfunction indicator lamp — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 40 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1999 Arnage fails 2.9% of the time in the 0-30k band and 6.1% at 120-150k, a spread of only 3.2 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 29.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 18.1% in 2021 to 12.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.2% | 54 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.1% | 46 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.0% | 45 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.7% | 20 |
| 5 | Tyres | 2.3% | 17 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.9% | 14 |
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 | 40 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 24 |
| 3 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 16 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 15 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 14 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 13 |
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 | 29.1% | 218 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.3% | 145 |
| 3 | Tyres | 13.1% | 98 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.7% | 58 |
| 5 | Other defects | 4.5% | 34 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.4% | 33 |
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 | 35 | 2.9% |
| 30-60k | 198 | 14.1% |
| 60-90k | 285 | 13.7% |
| 90-120k | 185 | 16.8% |
| 120-150k | 33 | 6.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 166 | 18.1% |
| 2022 | 147 | 12.2% |
| 2023 | 153 | 11.8% |
| 2024 | 150 | 14.7% |
| 2025 | 134 | 12.7% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Arnage
On a 1999 Arnage, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (7.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (6.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.0% 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
How many 1999 Bentley Arnages pass their MOT?
86.0% of the 750 1999 Bentley Arnage MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Bentley Arnage?
Suspension, recorded in 7.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.1%).
Does the 1999 Arnage get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 2.9% in the 0-30k band to 6.1% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 750 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.