2005 Smart Roadster Coupe 80 (Rhd) — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2005 Smart Roadster Coupe 80 (Rhd) passed 79.9% of its 383 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (27.6% fail rate), the 2005 Roadster Coupe 80 (Rhd) comes out 7.5pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 14.6% of all tests — 7.6 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are individual direction indicators, stop lamp and position lamp — individual direction indicators alone was recorded 17 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2005 Roadster Coupe 80 (Rhd) fails 18.7% of the time in the 30-60k band and 21.0% at 90-120k, a spread of only 2.3 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 31.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 22.7% in 2021 to 16.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.6% | 56 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.0% | 27 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.5% | 25 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.7% | 14 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.1% | 12 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 9 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Individual direction indicators | 17 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 15 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 14 |
| 4 | Wipers | 12 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 11 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 11 |
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 | 31.9% | 122 |
| 2 | Brakes | 30.8% | 118 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 18.3% | 70 |
| 4 | Tyres | 18.3% | 70 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 8.6% | 33 |
| 6 | Other defects | 6.8% | 26 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 107 | 18.7% |
| 60-90k | 141 | 22.0% |
| 90-120k | 100 | 21.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 97 | 22.7% |
| 2022 | 90 | 20.0% |
| 2023 | 79 | 17.7% |
| 2024 | 63 | 22.2% |
| 2025 | 54 | 16.7% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Roadster Coupe 80 (Rhd)
On a 2005 Roadster Coupe 80 (Rhd), lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (14.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.0% 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.
- Suspension (6.5% 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 2005 Smart Roadster Coupe 80 (Rhd)s pass their MOT?
79.9% of the 383 2005 Smart Roadster Coupe 80 (Rhd) MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Smart Roadster Coupe 80 (Rhd)?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.6% of tests, followed by brakes (7.0%).
Does the 2005 Roadster Coupe 80 (Rhd) get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.7% in the 30-60k band to 21.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 383 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.