The picture
735: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 609 MOT tests, the 735 returns 72.7% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn suspension dust cover. Windscreen damage and worn suspension bushes round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 119,169, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
38 occurrences · 6.2% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
24 occurrences · 3.9% of tests
- 03
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
20 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 04
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
20 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 05
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
20 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 06
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
16 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 07
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
16 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 08
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
14 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 09
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
12 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 10
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
10 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 4 failures
£320–£960
If every one of this 735's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Buying or keeping a 735?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 735 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.