1998 TVR Cerbera — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1998 TVR Cerbera passed 87.9% of its 538 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 25.6% of the time, so this is 13.5pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in emissions & environmental, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (6.9%) and lighting & signalling (5.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and washers — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 50 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1998 Cerbera fails 9.8% of the time in the 0-30k band and 12.7% at 60-90k, a spread of only 2.9 points.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 13.2% in 2021 to 9.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 6.9% | 37 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 32 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.7% | 25 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.9% | 21 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.0% | 16 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 7 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 50 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 20 |
| 3 | Washers | 20 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 16 |
| 5 | Emissions not tested | 15 |
| 6 | Wipers | 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 | Suspension | 6.7% | 36 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.7% | 36 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 4.7% | 25 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.5% | 19 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.8% | 15 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.2% | 12 |
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 | 61 | 9.8% |
| 30-60k | 337 | 11.9% |
| 60-90k | 126 | 12.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 121 | 13.2% |
| 2022 | 121 | 16.5% |
| 2023 | 103 | 8.7% |
| 2024 | 104 | 11.5% |
| 2025 | 89 | 9.0% |
What to check before buying a 1998 Cerbera
On a 1998 Cerbera, emissions & environmental is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Emissions & environmental (6.9% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (5.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.7% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 1998 TVR Cerberas pass their MOT?
87.9% of the 538 1998 TVR Cerbera MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 TVR Cerbera?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 6.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.9%).
Does the 1998 Cerbera get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.8% in the 0-30k band to 12.7% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 538 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.