Porsche Cayman: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Porsche Cayman passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 13.2 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 14,032 individual Porsche Cayman tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 89.9% first-time pass rate means roughly 10 in every 100 Porsche Caymans 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 Cayman tested had covered 48,758 miles and was built around 2013.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Porsche Cayman sits 13.2 points above the national average, ranked 714 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 Cayman 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 Caymans at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Porsche Cayman

1. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.5% of tests (2.82x the national rate for this defect)
2. Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 0.9% of tests (1.8x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.8% of tests
4. A tyre seriously damaged, 1.6% of tests
5. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.3% of tests
6. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.2% of tests
7. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 1.1% of tests
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 0.9% of tests
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.7% of tests
10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.6% of tests

From 14,021 DVSA-tracked Porsche Cayman tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.81% of these flagged Porsche Cayman defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Porsche Cayman

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 Cayman before it actually fails on it.

1. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 12.3% of tests (1.98x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 14.8% of tests, also fails
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 13.5% of tests, also fails
4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 11.3% of tests
5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4.7% of tests, also fails
6. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 2.3% of tests
7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.8% of tests
8. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.4% of tests
9. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.2% of tests
10. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 1.2% of tests

From 14,021 DVSA-tracked Porsche Cayman tests, 2024.

Porsche Cayman pass rate by model year

From its 2006 to its 2021 model year, the Porsche Cayman's first-time pass rate has risen 14.3 points, from 82.2% 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 Cayman year:

• 2006 Porsche Cayman - 82.2% first-time pass, 1,427 tests
• 2007 Porsche Cayman - 83.7% first-time pass, 1,368 tests
• 2008 Porsche Cayman - 84.8% first-time pass, 868 tests
• 2009 Porsche Cayman - 89% first-time pass, 653 tests
• 2010 Porsche Cayman - 88.7% first-time pass, 533 tests
• 2011 Porsche Cayman - 89.5% first-time pass, 522 tests
• 2012 Porsche Cayman - 94% first-time pass, 298 tests
• 2013 Porsche Cayman - 92.5% first-time pass, 824 tests
• 2014 Porsche Cayman - 92.8% first-time pass, 1,197 tests
• 2015 Porsche Cayman - 93.9% first-time pass, 1,077 tests
• 2016 Porsche Cayman - 94.2% first-time pass, 992 tests
• 2017 Porsche Cayman - 93.1% first-time pass, 908 tests
• 2018 Porsche Cayman - 93.8% first-time pass, 1,208 tests
• 2019 Porsche Cayman - 93.5% first-time pass, 995 tests
• 2020 Porsche Cayman - 95.9% first-time pass, 466 tests
• 2021 Porsche Cayman - 96.5% first-time pass, 454 tests

Other Porsche models

• Porsche 911 - 89%
• Porsche Boxster - 84.2%
• Porsche Macan - 92.1%
• Porsche Cayenne - 86.4%
• 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

• Mazda Cx-5 Se-L - 90%
• Hyundai Ioniq - 89.9%
• Kia Stonic - 89.9%
• Volkswagen Polo Match Evo - 89.9%
• Kia Niro 4 Ev - 89.9%
• Hyundai Kona Play T-Gdi - 89.9%

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