1989 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1989 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit passed 88.5% of its 436 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 21.3% of the time, so this is 9.8pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (7.3%) and lighting & signalling (6.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), headlamp aim and headlamp — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 24 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 3.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 15.2% once past 90-120k — 4.3× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 20.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 10.4% in 2021 to 5.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 7.3% | 32 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.2% | 27 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.4% | 15 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 13 |
| 5 | Tyres | 1.8% | 8 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.6% | 7 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 24 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 15 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 11 |
| 4 | Non catalyst emissions | 11 |
| 5 | Parking brake performance | 10 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 9 |
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 | 20.4% | 89 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 15.4% | 67 |
| 3 | Steering | 8.3% | 36 |
| 4 | Brakes | 8.0% | 35 |
| 5 | Tyres | 7.6% | 33 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 27 |
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 | 57 | 3.5% |
| 30-60k | 107 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 153 | 13.1% |
| 90-120k | 99 | 15.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 96 | 10.4% |
| 2022 | 90 | 11.1% |
| 2023 | 86 | 15.1% |
| 2024 | 88 | 14.8% |
| 2025 | 76 | 5.3% |
What to check before buying a 1989 Silver Spirit
On a 1989 Silver Spirit, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (7.3% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (6.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (3.4% 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 1989 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirits pass their MOT?
88.5% of the 436 1989 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1989 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit?
Brakes, recorded in 7.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.2%).
Does the 1989 Silver Spirit get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.5% in the 0-30k band to 15.2% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 436 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.