1988 Porsche 924 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1988 Porsche 924 passed 79.6% of its 471 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail at 20.9%, so the 1988 924 sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 15.5% of all tests — 6.2 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, headlamp aim and washers — service brake performance alone was recorded 34 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1988 924 fails 18.4% of the time in the 0-30k band and 17.9% at 90-120k, a spread of only 0.5 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 29.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 22.8% in 2021 to 17.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.5% | 73 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.3% | 44 |
| 3 | Visibility | 6.8% | 32 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 25 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.4% | 16 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.2% | 15 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 34 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 33 |
| 3 | Washers | 27 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 21 |
| 5 | Non catalyst emissions | 16 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 14 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 29.5% | 139 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 16.1% | 76 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.1% | 71 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.7% | 55 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.4% | 49 |
| 6 | Tyres | 9.8% | 46 |
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 | 125 | 18.4% |
| 30-60k | 139 | 23.7% |
| 60-90k | 139 | 20.1% |
| 90-120k | 67 | 17.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 101 | 22.8% |
| 2022 | 92 | 19.6% |
| 2023 | 92 | 19.6% |
| 2024 | 94 | 22.3% |
| 2025 | 92 | 17.4% |
What to check before buying a 1988 924
On a 1988 924, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (15.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.3% 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.
- Visibility (6.8% 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.
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 Porsche 924s pass their MOT?
79.6% of the 471 1988 Porsche 924 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1988 Porsche 924?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.5% of tests, followed by brakes (9.3%).
Does the 1988 924 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.4% in the 0-30k band to 17.9% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 471 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.