1998 TVR Griffith 500 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 385 MOT tests, the 1998 TVR Griffith 500 recorded a 90.1% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (25.5% fail rate), the 1998 Griffith 500 comes out 15.6pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.7%) and emissions & environmental (3.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, washers and headlamp — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 21 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1998 Griffith 500 fails 12.9% of the time in the 0-30k band and 11.8% at 60-90k, a spread of only 1.1 points.
Emissions & environmental is the most common advisory, noted on 9.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 15.8% in 2021 to 6.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 22 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 13 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.9% | 11 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.9% | 11 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.6% | 6 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.8% | 3 |
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 | 21 |
| 2 | Washers | 9 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 9 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 7 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 7 |
| 6 | Wipers | 5 |
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 | 9.1% | 35 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.3% | 28 |
| 3 | Steering | 5.5% | 21 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.4% | 17 |
| 5 | Other defects | 3.1% | 12 |
| 6 | Tyres | 2.9% | 11 |
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 | 93 | 12.9% |
| 30-60k | 230 | 7.8% |
| 60-90k | 51 | 11.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 82 | 15.8% |
| 2022 | 77 | 7.8% |
| 2023 | 73 | 6.9% |
| 2024 | 78 | 11.5% |
| 2025 | 75 | 6.7% |
What to check before buying a 1998 Griffith 500
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (3.4% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Visibility (2.9% 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 Griffith 500s pass their MOT?
90.1% of the 385 1998 TVR Griffith 500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 TVR Griffith 500?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (3.4%).
Does the 1998 Griffith 500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.9% in the 0-30k band to 11.8% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 385 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.