2017 Bentley Flying Spur — MOT failures & pass rate
462 MOT tests on the 2017 Bentley Flying Spur are in this dataset, and 94.4% of them passed. That is 5.9 percentage points better than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 11.6%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.4%) and lighting & signalling (1.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp levelling device, headlamp aim and pins and bushes — headlamp levelling device alone was recorded 5 times.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 10.8% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.4% | 11 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 9 |
| 3 | Brakes | 0.9% | 4 |
| 4 | Suspension | 0.7% | 3 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.4% | 2 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp levelling device | 5 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 4 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 3 |
| 4 | Washers | 2 |
| 5 | Parking brake performance | 2 |
| 6 | Attachment | 1 |
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 | 10.8% | 50 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.8% | 13 |
| 3 | Other defects | 2.6% | 12 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.4% | 11 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.1% | 5 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.4% | 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 | 315 | 5.7% |
| 30-60k | 134 | 4.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 91 | 2.2% |
| 2022 | 98 | 8.2% |
| 2023 | 96 | 7.3% |
| 2024 | 87 | 6.9% |
| 2025 | 90 | 3.3% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Flying Spur
On a 2017 Flying Spur, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 2.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (2.4% 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 (1.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (0.9% 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 2017 Bentley Flying Spurs pass their MOT?
94.4% of the 462 2017 Bentley Flying Spur MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Bentley Flying Spur?
Tyres, recorded in 2.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.9%).
Does the 2017 Flying Spur get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.7% in the 0-30k band to 4.5% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 462 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.