2015 Porsche Boxster — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Porsche Boxster passed 94.9% of its 5,620 recorded MOT tests. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 11.9% of the time, so this is 6.8pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.6%) and lighting & signalling (1.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and washers — tread depth alone was recorded 80 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 3.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.0% once past 90-120k — 7.6× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 12.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 4.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 6.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.6% | 149 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 79 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.1% | 59 |
| 4 | Suspension | 0.8% | 46 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.6% | 36 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 20 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 80 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 71 |
| 3 | Washers | 37 |
| 4 | Wipers | 31 |
| 5 | Registration plates | 28 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 25 |
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 | 12.6% | 707 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.6% | 370 |
| 3 | Other defects | 2.3% | 129 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.2% | 123 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.4% | 79 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 65 |
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 | 2,854 | 3.3% |
| 30-60k | 2,326 | 6.2% |
| 60-90k | 373 | 9.7% |
| 90-120k | 64 | 25.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,137 | 4.8% |
| 2022 | 1,136 | 4.8% |
| 2023 | 1,118 | 4.4% |
| 2024 | 1,091 | 5.0% |
| 2025 | 1,138 | 6.9% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Boxster
On a 2015 Boxster, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 2.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (2.6% 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 (1.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.1% 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 2015 Porsche Boxsters pass their MOT?
94.9% of the 5,620 2015 Porsche Boxster MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Porsche Boxster?
Tyres, recorded in 2.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.4%).
Does the 2015 Boxster get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.3% in the 0-30k band to 25.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,620 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.