Audi 80: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Audi 80 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 5.3 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 831 individual Audi 80 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate71.4%
UK national average76.7%
Difference-5.3 points
Tests analysed831
Average mileage at test133,530 miles
Average year of manufacture1993
Reliability rank1,727 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 71.4% first-time pass rate means roughly 29 in every 100 Audi 80s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Audi 80 tested had covered 133,530 miles and was built around 1993.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Audi 80 bought as a repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Audi 80 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see what damaged Audi 80s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Audi 80

  1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 2% of tests (26.98x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing excessively worn, 1.8% of tests (23.99x the national rate for this defect)
  3. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 2.6% of tests (9.07x the national rate for this defect)
  4. An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.9% of tests (8.59x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.1% of tests (3.89x the national rate for this defect)
  6. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 2.6% of tests (3.49x the national rate for this defect)
  7. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 3.9% of tests (3.48x the national rate for this defect)
  8. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.5% of tests (3.33x the national rate for this defect)
  9. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.3% of tests (2.41x the national rate for this defect)
  10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 3.1% of tests (1.79x the national rate for this defect)

From 2,001 DVSA-tracked Audi 80 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 2.66% of these flagged Audi 80 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Other Audi models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate