1988 Ferrari 328 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1988 Ferrari 328 passed 97.0% of its 394 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (20.9% fail rate), the 1988 328 comes out 17.8pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (1.8%) and brakes (1.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and non catalyst emissions — headlamp aim alone was recorded 6 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1988 328 fails 3.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 1.8% at 60-90k, a spread of only 1.7 points.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 3.7% in 2021 to 1.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 7 |
| 2 | Brakes | 1.3% | 5 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 4 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.8% | 3 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.5% | 2 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.5% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 6 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 4 |
| 3 | Non catalyst emissions | 3 |
| 4 | Flexible brake hoses | 2 |
| 5 | Washers | 2 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 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 | Emissions & environmental | 4.8% | 19 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.1% | 16 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 10 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 8 |
| 5 | Other defects | 1.5% | 6 |
| 6 | Tyres | 1.3% | 5 |
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 | 168 | 3.6% |
| 30-60k | 172 | 2.9% |
| 60-90k | 54 | 1.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 81 | 3.7% |
| 2022 | 83 | 4.8% |
| 2023 | 72 | 1.4% |
| 2024 | 82 | 3.7% |
| 2025 | 76 | 1.3% |
What to check before buying a 1988 328
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 1.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (1.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.3% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (1.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 1988 Ferrari 328s pass their MOT?
97.0% of the 394 1988 Ferrari 328 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 3.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1988 Ferrari 328?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 1.8% of tests, followed by brakes (1.3%).
Does the 1988 328 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.6% in the 0-30k band to 1.8% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 394 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.