1998 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1998 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph passed 90.1% of its 484 recorded MOT tests. That is 15.6 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 25.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.5%) and brakes (3.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, srs malfunction indicator lamp and rbt (sp) — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 14 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 14.6% versus 7.2%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 14.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 17 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.1% | 15 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.1% | 15 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.3% | 11 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 9 |
| 6 | Tyres | 1.5% | 7 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 14 |
| 2 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 11 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 8 |
| 4 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 7 |
| 5 | Lever | 5 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 5 |
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 | 14.5% | 70 |
| 2 | Tyres | 12.2% | 59 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.7% | 42 |
| 4 | Steering | 3.3% | 16 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.7% | 13 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 8 |
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 | 83 | 7.2% |
| 30-60k | 224 | 9.4% |
| 60-90k | 136 | 11.0% |
| 90-120k | 41 | 14.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 101 | 8.9% |
| 2022 | 96 | 8.3% |
| 2023 | 107 | 11.2% |
| 2024 | 93 | 7.5% |
| 2025 | 87 | 13.8% |
What to check before buying a 1998 Silver Seraph
On a 1998 Silver Seraph, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (3.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.1% 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.
- Suspension (3.1% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 1998 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraphs pass their MOT?
90.1% of the 484 1998 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.5% of tests, followed by brakes (3.1%).
Does the 1998 Silver Seraph get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.2% in the 0-30k band to 14.6% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 484 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.