Rolls-Royce Silver Spur MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 42 model years and 1,392 tests, the Rolls-Royce Silver Spur passes its MOT 87.4% of the time. Against all cars of a similar age (22.0% fail rate), the Silver Spur comes out 9.4pp better. Its most common failure areas are brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (7.8%) and lighting & signalling (6.6%) 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 headlamp — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 78 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.4% versus 8.6%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 17.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 13.5% in 2021 to 10.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Silver Spur model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 48 | 85.4% | 14.6% | Brakes |
| 1982 | 55 | 87.3% | 12.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1985 | 69 | 89.9% | 10.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 95 | 88.4% | 11.6% | Brakes |
| 1987 | 99 | 79.8% | 20.2% | Brakes |
| 1988 | 99 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Brakes |
| 1989 | 89 | 87.6% | 12.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 92 | 83.7% | 16.3% | Brakes |
| 1991 | 101 | 86.1% | 13.9% | Brakes |
| 1992 | 33 | 97.0% | 3.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 39 | 82.0% | 17.9% | Brakes |
| 1994 | 121 | 86.0% | 14.1% | Suspension |
| 1995 | 139 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 100 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 96 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 7.8% | 108 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 92 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.4% | 61 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 53 |
| 5 | Tyres | 2.5% | 35 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.1% | 29 |
| 7 | Steering | 1.9% | 26 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 19 |
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) | 78 |
| 2 | Washers | 39 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 34 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 32 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 28 |
| 6 | Wipers | 27 |
| 7 | Parking brake performance | 24 |
| 8 | Rigid brake pipes | 17 |
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 | 17.9% | 249 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 17.4% | 242 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.5% | 188 |
| 4 | Tyres | 10.3% | 144 |
| 5 | Steering | 6.6% | 92 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.8% | 67 |
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 | 185 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 442 | 10.9% |
| 60-90k | 341 | 13.5% |
| 90-120k | 249 | 13.3% |
| 120-150k | 125 | 16.8% |
| 150k+ | 49 | 20.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 297 | 13.5% |
| 2022 | 302 | 13.9% |
| 2023 | 269 | 10.8% |
| 2024 | 285 | 14.0% |
| 2025 | 239 | 10.0% |
What to check before buying a Rolls-Royce Silver Spur
- Brakes (7.8% 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 (6.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (4.4% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Rolls-Royce Silver Spur?
87.4% of the 1,392 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 12.6% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the Rolls-Royce Silver Spur most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 7.8% of tests, then lighting & signalling (6.6%).
How much does mileage affect Silver Spur MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 20.4% for 150k+, a 11.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,392 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.