1980 MG Midget 1500 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1980 MG Midget 1500 passed 79.9% of its 318 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 16.3% of the time, so this is 3.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.7%) and brakes (9.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are non catalyst emissions, service brake performance and stop lamp — non catalyst emissions alone was recorded 28 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1980 Midget 1500 fails 18.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 16.7% at 60-90k, a spread of only 1.9 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 22.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 24.5% in 2021 to 15.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.7% | 34 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.1% | 29 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 7.2% | 23 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.3% | 20 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.3% | 20 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.8% | 12 |
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 | 28 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 20 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 18 |
| 4 | Washers | 15 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 11 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 10 |
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 | 22.3% | 71 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 15.1% | 48 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.9% | 22 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.7% | 18 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.3% | 17 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.0% | 16 |
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 | 86 | 18.6% |
| 30-60k | 97 | 25.8% |
| 60-90k | 120 | 16.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 98 | 24.5% |
| 2022 | 71 | 21.1% |
| 2023 | 57 | 21.1% |
| 2024 | 48 | 12.5% |
| 2025 | 44 | 15.9% |
What to check before buying a 1980 Midget 1500
On a 1980 Midget 1500, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (10.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.1% 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 (7.2% 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 1980 MG Midget 1500s pass their MOT?
79.9% of the 318 1980 MG Midget 1500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1980 MG Midget 1500?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.7% of tests, followed by brakes (9.1%).
Does the 1980 Midget 1500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.6% in the 0-30k band to 16.7% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 318 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.