2014 Porsche Cayman — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Porsche Cayman passed 93.9% of its 6,339 recorded MOT tests. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 13.2% of the time, so this is 7.1pp 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, washers and rigid brake pipes — tread depth alone was recorded 88 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 9.7% versus 3.3%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 13.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 7.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.6% | 166 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 88 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.4% | 87 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.1% | 69 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.0% | 64 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.4% | 28 |
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 | 88 |
| 2 | Washers | 64 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 60 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 59 |
| 5 | Registration plates | 48 |
| 6 | Wipers | 33 |
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 | 13.8% | 875 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.0% | 758 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.2% | 205 |
| 4 | Other defects | 2.3% | 147 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.8% | 117 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 93 |
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 | 1,844 | 3.3% |
| 30-60k | 3,368 | 6.7% |
| 60-90k | 962 | 8.7% |
| 90-120k | 134 | 9.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,249 | 5.1% |
| 2022 | 1,284 | 4.9% |
| 2023 | 1,285 | 6.5% |
| 2024 | 1,257 | 6.8% |
| 2025 | 1,264 | 7.0% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Cayman
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 2.6% of tests. Start there.
- 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 (1.4% 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.
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 2014 Porsche Caymans pass their MOT?
93.9% of the 6,339 2014 Porsche Cayman MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Porsche Cayman?
Tyres, recorded in 2.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.4%).
Does the 2014 Cayman get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.3% in the 0-30k band to 9.7% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,339 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.