1999 Volkswagen Bora — MOT failures & pass rate
1,540 MOT tests on the 1999 Volkswagen Bora are in this dataset, and 70.3% of them passed. Small family cars of a similar age fail 27.4% of the time, so this is 2.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 16.5% of all tests — 3.6 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, catalyst emissions and headlamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 147 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1999 Bora fails 24.5% of the time in the 30-60k band and 28.4% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.9 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 39.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 28.3% in 2021 to 24.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.5% | 254 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.9% | 199 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.7% | 195 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.3% | 112 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.4% | 99 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.7% | 88 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 147 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 136 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 106 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 99 |
| 5 | Wipers | 71 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 68 |
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 | 39.9% | 614 |
| 2 | Suspension | 36.2% | 558 |
| 3 | Tyres | 27.6% | 425 |
| 4 | Other defects | 21.4% | 329 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 17.9% | 276 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 16.2% | 250 |
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 | 98 | 24.5% |
| 60-90k | 277 | 30.0% |
| 90-120k | 394 | 32.2% |
| 120-150k | 346 | 29.8% |
| 150k+ | 419 | 28.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,141 | 30.2% |
| Diesel | 399 | 28.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 481 | 28.3% |
| 2022 | 360 | 28.9% |
| 2023 | 302 | 32.1% |
| 2024 | 236 | 33.9% |
| 2025 | 161 | 24.8% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Bora
On a 1999 Bora, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 16.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (16.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (12.9% 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 (12.7% 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 1999 Volkswagen Boras pass their MOT?
70.3% of the 1,540 1999 Volkswagen Bora MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Volkswagen Bora?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.5% of tests, followed by brakes (12.9%).
Does the 1999 Bora get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 24.5% in the 30-60k band to 28.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,540 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.