Older vehicles passing more MoTs

Reports reveal that more newly christened historics are passing the test

Data that CCW has obtained exclusively from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) shows that more historic vehicles passed voluntary MoT tests than when they were mandatory.

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that there was a slight drop in failures for cars registered in 1980 in the 12 months immediately after the new regulations were brought in.

It was thought that changes brought in to the MoT test in May 2018 would make it tougher for classics to pass the test.

A total of 2531 cars (more than 30 per cent) of the 8356 tested between 20 May 2017 and 19 May 2018 – the day before changes were implemented – failed. The figure was 29.8 per cent – or 2334 cars from 7832 tests – for the following 12 months, the drop in MoTs now being taken voluntarily proving to be nowhere near as drastic as initially feared.

Twenty-eight per cent of cars first registered in 1980 failed their initial MoT between 1 January and 31 December 2019. Fewer newly recognised historic vehicles are failing tests than newer cars.

From a total of 7544 tests, 2147 cars (28.4 per cent) first registered in 1980 failed their initial test. In comparison, from just April to June 32.5 per cent of class three (three-wheeled vehicles under 450kg) and four (all other) vehicles overall failed their initial test and 31.7 per cent failed from July to September.

A DVSA spokesperson said: ‘In general, such old vehicles are actually better maintained than newer ones, so the failure rate is lower.’

The pass rate for voluntarily MoT’d classics is increasing – helped by the good overall condition of newly recognised historics like this 1980 cavalier Mki.