Morgan 4/4: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Morgan 4/4 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 12.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,937 individual Morgan 4/4 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 89.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 11 in every 100 Morgan 4/4s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Morgan 4/4 tested had covered 32,193 miles and was built around 2000.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Morgan 4/4 sits 12.6 points above the national average, ranked 812 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

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 Morgan 4/4 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 recorded closing bids for damaged Morgan 4/4s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Morgan 4/4

1. Stop lamps all missing or inoperative, 0.8% of tests (10x the national rate for this defect)
2. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 1.4% of tests (4.08x the national rate for this defect)
3. 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, 1.1% of tests (2.58x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle., 1.2% of tests (2.37x the national rate for this defect)
5. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1.6% of tests (1.54x the national rate for this defect)
6. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1% of tests (1.38x the national rate for this defect)
7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.3% of tests
8. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.9% of tests
9. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.7% of tests
10. Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing, loose or worn smooth, 0.7% of tests (10.82x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,941 DVSA-tracked Morgan 4/4 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.08% of these flagged Morgan 4/4 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Morgan 4/4

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Morgan 4/4 before it actually fails on it.

1. A wheel bearing with excessive play, 3.4% of tests (5.24x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is excessive, 1% of tests (5.14x the national rate for this advisory)
3. A stub axle swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn, 1.6% of tests (2.57x the national rate for this advisory)
4. A seat belt webbing or flexible stalk significantly stretched or weakened, 0.8% of tests (2.15x the national rate for this advisory)
5. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 4% of tests (1.99x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 1% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this advisory)
7. A tyre seriously damaged, 4.5% of tests
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 4.3% of tests
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 3.4% of tests
10. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.3% of tests

From 1,941 DVSA-tracked Morgan 4/4 tests, 2024.

Other Morgan models

• Morgan Plus 4 - 91.1%
• Morgan Plus 8 - 88.3%
• Morgan Roadster - 92.2%

Models with a similar pass rate

• BMW X3 Xdrive30e M Sport Auto - 89.3%
• Vauxhall Corsa Se Nav - 89.3%
• Vauxhall Corsa Elite Nav Turbo Auto - 89.3%
• Peugeot 2008 GT Premium Ev - 89.3%
• Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A - 89.3%
• Land Rover Discovery Landmark Sd6 Auto - 89.3%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate