1995 TVR Chimaera — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1995 TVR Chimaera passed 86.8% of its 1,337 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (24.2% fail rate), the 1995 Chimaera comes out 11.1pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.0% of tests against 3.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and washers — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 87 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 5.7% once past 120-150k.
Emissions & environmental is the most common advisory, noted on 14.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 13.1% in 2021 to 11.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.0% | 120 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.7% | 50 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 3.7% | 49 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.6% | 48 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.7% | 36 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 16 |
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 | 87 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 51 |
| 3 | Washers | 34 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 32 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 29 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 29 |
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 | 14.8% | 198 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.6% | 128 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.8% | 104 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.5% | 87 |
| 5 | Other defects | 4.3% | 57 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.9% | 52 |
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 | 108 | 14.8% |
| 30-60k | 460 | 12.8% |
| 60-90k | 562 | 13.5% |
| 90-120k | 153 | 13.7% |
| 120-150k | 35 | 5.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 274 | 13.1% |
| 2022 | 271 | 12.2% |
| 2023 | 270 | 14.4% |
| 2024 | 259 | 14.7% |
| 2025 | 263 | 11.4% |
What to check before buying a 1995 Chimaera
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 9.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (9.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.7% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (3.7% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 1995 TVR Chimaeras pass their MOT?
86.8% of the 1,337 1995 TVR Chimaera MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1995 TVR Chimaera?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.0% of tests, followed by visibility (3.7%).
Does the 1995 Chimaera get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.8% in the 0-30k band to 5.7% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,337 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.