2008 Morgan 4/4 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2008 Morgan 4/4 passed 95.5% of its 268 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (26.3% fail rate), the 2008 4/4 comes out 21.8pp better. Failures cluster in visibility, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (3.4%) and lighting & signalling (3.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are washers, service brake performance and wipers — washers alone was recorded 6 times.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 8.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 1.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 5.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 3.4% | 9 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 8 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.5% | 4 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.1% | 3 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 2 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.4% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 6 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 4 |
| 3 | Wipers | 4 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 3 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 3 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 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 | Suspension | 8.6% | 23 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.5% | 12 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.4% | 9 |
| 4 | Steering | 2.6% | 7 |
| 5 | Other defects | 1.9% | 5 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 4 |
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 | 198 | 3.5% |
| 30-60k | 61 | 4.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 56 | 1.8% |
| 2022 | 52 | 3.9% |
| 2023 | 51 | 5.9% |
| 2024 | 52 | 5.8% |
| 2025 | 57 | 5.3% |
What to check before buying a 2008 4/4
On a 2008 4/4, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (3.4% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (3.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.5% 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 2008 Morgan 4/4s pass their MOT?
95.5% of the 268 2008 Morgan 4/4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 4.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 Morgan 4/4?
Visibility, recorded in 3.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.0%).
Does the 2008 4/4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.5% in the 0-30k band to 4.9% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 268 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.