Triumph Spitfire
From 691 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are emissions levels exceed default limits, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements and 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.. The top issue, emissions levels exceed default limits, caused 30 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| emissions levels exceed default limits | 30 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 29 |
| 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. | 27 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 24 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 19 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 17 |
| steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 15 |
| braking effort not recording at a wheel | 15 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 13 |
| a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 12 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 40.3% of failures are serious: 40.3% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 0% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £106.
Typical mileage
Half of all Spitfires tested had between 27,935 and 71,979 miles on the clock.
At 54,431 median miles, the Spitfire has 0.04 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Triumph models
| Triumph Bonneville | 90.9% |
| Triumph Tiger | 91.6% |
| Triumph Sprint | 87.1% |
| Triumph Daytona | 85.9% |
| Triumph Speed Triple | 88.7% |
Common questions
What is the Triumph Spitfire MOT pass rate?
The Triumph Spitfire has a 78.4% MOT pass rate based on 691 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Triumph Spitfire?
The most common MOT failure on the Triumph Spitfire is emissions levels exceed default limits, which caused 30 failures. Other common issues include the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements.
What is the typical mileage of a Triumph Spitfire at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Triumph Spitfire is 54,431 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 27,935 and 71,979 miles.
Buying a used Spitfire?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 78.4% pass rate and an average repair bill of £106 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.