2007 Bentley Continental — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 7,313 MOT tests, the 2007 Bentley Continental recorded a 92.0% pass rate. That is 13.6 percentage points better than coupes & convertibles of a similar age, which fail at 21.6%. Failures cluster in tyres, emissions & environmental and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.0%) and emissions & environmental (2.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are malfunction indicator lamp, pins and bushes and headlamp aim — malfunction indicator lamp alone was recorded 166 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 28.9% once past 150k — 5.3× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 13.7% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.0% | 218 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 2.5% | 183 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 179 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 155 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 96 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.7% | 51 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 166 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 93 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 75 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 65 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 56 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 50 |
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 | 13.7% | 998 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.8% | 786 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.4% | 392 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 190 |
| 5 | Other defects | 2.0% | 147 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.8% | 129 |
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 | 1,134 | 5.5% |
| 30-60k | 3,287 | 7.2% |
| 60-90k | 2,121 | 9.2% |
| 90-120k | 605 | 10.4% |
| 120-150k | 128 | 15.6% |
| 150k+ | 38 | 28.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,539 | 8.5% |
| 2022 | 1,518 | 7.9% |
| 2023 | 1,450 | 7.5% |
| 2024 | 1,417 | 8.8% |
| 2025 | 1,389 | 7.5% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Continental
On a 2007 Continental, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (3.0% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (2.5% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (2.5% 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 2007 Bentley Continentals pass their MOT?
92.0% of the 7,313 2007 Bentley Continental MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Bentley Continental?
Tyres, recorded in 3.0% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (2.5%).
Does the 2007 Continental get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.5% in the 0-30k band to 28.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,313 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.