Porsche 911: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Porsche 911 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 12.3 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 46,890 individual Porsche 911 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 89% first-time pass rate means roughly 11 in every 100 Porsche 911s 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 Porsche 911 tested had covered 60,658 miles and was built around 2006.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Porsche 911 sits 12.3 points above the national average, ranked 856 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 Porsche 911 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 Porsche 911s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Porsche 911

1. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.5% of tests (2.65x the national rate for this defect)
2. Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 1.2% of tests (2.35x the national rate for this defect)
3. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 0.4% of tests (1.25x 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, 0.5% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect)
5. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 1.9% of tests
6. A tyre seriously damaged, 1.2% of tests
7. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.1% of tests
8. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.1% of tests
9. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 0.9% of tests
10. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 0.9% of tests

From 46,948 DVSA-tracked Porsche 911 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.5% of these flagged Porsche 911 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Porsche 911

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 Porsche 911 before it actually fails on it.

1. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 9.9% of tests (1.6x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 13.3% of tests, also fails
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 8.6% of tests, also fails
4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 8.2% of tests
5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 5.5% of tests
6. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 4.6% of tests
7. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.5% of tests
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 1.3% of tests
9. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 1.3% of tests
10. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.2% of tests

From 46,948 DVSA-tracked Porsche 911 tests, 2024.

Porsche 911 pass rate by model year

From its 1990 to its 2020 model year, the Porsche 911's first-time pass rate has risen 5.9 points, from 90.6% to 96.5%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Porsche 911 year:

• 1990 Porsche 911 - 90.6% first-time pass, 661 tests
• 1991 Porsche 911 - 91% first-time pass, 299 tests
• 1992 Porsche 911 - 94.2% first-time pass, 206 tests
• 1993 Porsche 911 - 90.9% first-time pass, 242 tests
• 1994 Porsche 911 - 89.2% first-time pass, 508 tests
• 1995 Porsche 911 - 88% first-time pass, 632 tests
• 1996 Porsche 911 - 90.3% first-time pass, 904 tests
• 1997 Porsche 911 - 89.5% first-time pass, 695 tests
• 1998 Porsche 911 - 84.5% first-time pass, 1,005 tests
• 1999 Porsche 911 - 83.9% first-time pass, 1,164 tests
• 2000 Porsche 911 - 83.6% first-time pass, 906 tests
• 2001 Porsche 911 - 85% first-time pass, 1,428 tests
• 2002 Porsche 911 - 83% first-time pass, 2,303 tests
• 2003 Porsche 911 - 83.5% first-time pass, 2,540 tests
• 2004 Porsche 911 - 85.6% first-time pass, 2,342 tests
• 2005 Porsche 911 - 86.8% first-time pass, 2,763 tests
• 2006 Porsche 911 - 87% first-time pass, 2,740 tests
• 2007 Porsche 911 - 88.1% first-time pass, 2,403 tests
• 2008 Porsche 911 - 90.1% first-time pass, 1,777 tests
• 2009 Porsche 911 - 90.6% first-time pass, 1,340 tests
• 2010 Porsche 911 - 91.6% first-time pass, 1,559 tests
• 2011 Porsche 911 - 92.8% first-time pass, 1,128 tests
• 2012 Porsche 911 - 92.1% first-time pass, 1,439 tests
• 2013 Porsche 911 - 93.9% first-time pass, 1,252 tests
• 2014 Porsche 911 - 94.4% first-time pass, 1,568 tests
• 2015 Porsche 911 - 95.3% first-time pass, 1,721 tests
• 2016 Porsche 911 - 96% first-time pass, 1,709 tests
• 2017 Porsche 911 - 94.9% first-time pass, 1,870 tests
• 2018 Porsche 911 - 95.1% first-time pass, 2,150 tests
• 2019 Porsche 911 - 95.6% first-time pass, 2,021 tests
• 2020 Porsche 911 - 96.5% first-time pass, 695 tests

Other Porsche models

• Porsche Boxster - 84.2%
• Porsche Macan - 92.1%
• Porsche Cayenne - 86.4%
• Porsche Cayman - 89.9%
• Porsche Panamera - 87.8%
• Porsche Taycan 4s 93kwh - 90.8%
• Porsche 944 - 77.4%
• Porsche Taycan Turbo - 89.8%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Volvo Xc60 Inscrpt Pro B5 Mhev Awd A - 89.1%
• Audi Q7 Sln Blk Ed 45tdi Mhev Qto A - 89.1%
• Renault Zoe I Play Ze 50 - 89.1%
• Jaguar E-Pace - 89%
• Hyundai Kona Premium Gdi Hev S-A - 89%
• Mercedes-Benz A 250 Amg Line E Auto - 89%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• Which car models beat their age on the MOT test? 27.9 million tests, ranked
• Which car brands beat their age on the MOT test? 33 million tests, ranked
• Which cars fail their MOT on the most dangerous defects?
• 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