1990 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 490 MOT tests, the 1990 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit recorded an 84.5% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (21.8% fail rate), the 1990 Silver Spirit comes out 6.3pp better. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (10.0%) and lighting & signalling (7.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), washers and wipers — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 31 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 25.6% versus 12.5%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: emissions & environmental was flagged on 22.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 19.8% in 2021 to 13.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 10.0% | 49 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.3% | 36 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.1% | 25 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.9% | 14 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.0% | 10 |
| 6 | Tyres | 2.0% | 10 |
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) | 31 |
| 2 | Washers | 11 |
| 3 | Wipers | 9 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 9 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 9 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 8 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 22.4% | 110 |
| 2 | Suspension | 21.2% | 104 |
| 3 | Tyres | 12.7% | 62 |
| 4 | Brakes | 11.4% | 56 |
| 5 | Steering | 10.2% | 50 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 6.5% | 32 |
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 | 48 | 12.5% |
| 30-60k | 110 | 16.4% |
| 60-90k | 156 | 10.3% |
| 90-120k | 129 | 18.6% |
| 120-150k | 39 | 25.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 106 | 19.8% |
| 2022 | 104 | 12.5% |
| 2023 | 106 | 17.0% |
| 2024 | 93 | 14.0% |
| 2025 | 81 | 13.6% |
What to check before buying a 1990 Silver Spirit
On a 1990 Silver Spirit, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (10.0% 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 (7.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (5.1% 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 1990 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirits pass their MOT?
84.5% of the 490 1990 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1990 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit?
Brakes, recorded in 10.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.3%).
Does the 1990 Silver Spirit get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.5% in the 0-30k band to 25.6% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 490 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.