1993 Talbot Express# — MOT failures & pass rate
5,187 MOT tests on the 1993 Talbot Express# are in this dataset, and 68.4% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (23.4% fail rate), the 1993 Express# comes out 8.2pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 23.8% of tests against 15.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, headlamp and headlamp aim — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 635 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1993 Express# fails 27.0% of the time in the 0-30k band and 27.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.8 points.
The diesel cars hold up better: 30.4% fail against 32.9% for petrol, a 2.5-point gap across 5,187 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 36.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 30.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 32.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 23.8% | 1,235 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.4% | 799 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.8% | 714 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.8% | 507 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.5% | 390 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.7% | 244 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 635 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 606 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 495 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 453 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 379 |
| 6 | Joints | 354 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 36.8% | 1,910 |
| 2 | Suspension | 36.6% | 1,897 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 28.2% | 1,461 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 18.9% | 983 |
| 5 | Tyres | 14.0% | 727 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 13.9% | 722 |
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 | 63 | 27.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,150 | 28.0% |
| 60-90k | 2,361 | 31.7% |
| 90-120k | 1,205 | 33.4% |
| 120-150k | 370 | 37.0% |
| 150k+ | 36 | 27.8% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,806 | 30.4% |
| Petrol | 2,381 | 32.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,130 | 30.2% |
| 2022 | 1,106 | 31.6% |
| 2023 | 1,053 | 31.3% |
| 2024 | 992 | 32.6% |
| 2025 | 906 | 32.5% |
What to check before buying a 1993 Express#
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 23.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (23.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (15.4% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Brakes (13.8% 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.
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 1993 Talbot Express#s pass their MOT?
68.4% of the 5,187 1993 Talbot Express# MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1993 Talbot Express#?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 23.8% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (15.4%).
Does the 1993 Express# get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 27.0% in the 0-30k band to 27.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,187 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.