Porsche Carrera Coupe MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 22 model years and 709 tests, the Porsche Carrera Coupe passes its MOT 88.0% of the time. That is 10.1 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.1%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 9.2% of all tests — 5.6 points clear of visibility, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, washers and rear fog lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 28 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Carrera Coupe fails 13.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 11.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.7 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 11.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 15.9% in 2021 to 10.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Carrera Coupe model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 88 | 89.8% | 10.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 293 | 88.4% | 11.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 158 | 87.3% | 12.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 89 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.2% | 65 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.5% | 25 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 24 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.2% | 23 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.1% | 15 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.1% | 15 |
| 7 | Tyres | 1.3% | 9 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.9% | 6 |
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 | 28 |
| 2 | Washers | 23 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 20 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 17 |
| 5 | Joints | 16 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 14 |
| 7 | Headlamp | 13 |
| 8 | Non catalyst emissions | 13 |
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 | 11.0% | 78 |
| 2 | Tyres | 9.6% | 68 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.2% | 58 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.2% | 44 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.8% | 41 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 28 |
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 | 74 | 13.5% |
| 30-60k | 72 | 8.3% |
| 60-90k | 182 | 12.6% |
| 90-120k | 187 | 11.8% |
| 120-150k | 101 | 12.9% |
| 150k+ | 93 | 11.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 157 | 15.9% |
| 2022 | 139 | 13.0% |
| 2023 | 133 | 9.0% |
| 2024 | 140 | 11.4% |
| 2025 | 140 | 10.0% |
What to check before buying a Porsche Carrera Coupe
- Lighting & signalling (9.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.5% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (3.4% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Porsche Carrera Coupe?
88.0% of the 709 Porsche Carrera Coupe MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 12.0% fail rate, across model years 1984–2005.
What does the Porsche Carrera Coupe most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.2% of tests, then visibility (3.5%).
How much does mileage affect Carrera Coupe MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 11.8% for 150k+, a 1.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 709 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.