Porsche 944: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Porsche 944 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 0.7 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 2,281 individual Porsche 944 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 77.4% first-time pass rate means roughly 23 in every 100 Porsche 944s 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 944 tested had covered 114,329 miles and was built around 1988.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Porsche 944 bought as a 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 944 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 Porsche 944s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Porsche 944

1. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 1.2% of tests (10.81x the national rate for this defect)
2. 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, 2.3% of tests (6.87x the national rate for this defect)
3. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 1.9% of tests (6.52x the national rate for this defect)
4. Audible warning inoperative, 0.9% of tests (4.46x the national rate for this defect)
5. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 3.6% of tests (4.35x the national rate for this defect)
6. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2% of tests (4.1x the national rate for this defect)
7. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.5% of tests (3.27x the national rate for this defect)
8. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 1.2% of tests (3.23x the national rate for this defect)
9. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 3% of tests (2.43x the national rate for this defect)
10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 4% of tests (2.25x the national rate for this defect)

From 6,038 DVSA-tracked Porsche 944 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 2.49% of these flagged Porsche 944 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Porsche 944 pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Porsche 944 year:

• 1990 Porsche 944 - 83.8% first-time pass, 309 tests
• 1991 Porsche 944 - 80.4% first-time pass, 275 tests

Other Porsche models

• Porsche 911 - 89%
• 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 Taycan Turbo - 89.8%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Toyota Proace - 77.4%
• Lexus Gs300 - 77.4%
• Citroen Berlingo 1000 En-Prise Bluehdi - 77.4%
• Suzuki Swift - 77.3%
• Citroen C3 Picasso - 77.3%
• Citroen Dispatch 1200 En-Prise Bhdi Ss - 77.3%

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

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate