The picture
M6: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 1,506 MOT tests, the M6 returns 87.7% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a tyre with the cords showing. A seriously damaged tyre and a broken or weak spring round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 54,415, 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 tyre cords visible or damaged
42 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 02
A tyre seriously damaged
30 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 03
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
17 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 04
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
16 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 05
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
14 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 06
A tyre seriously damaged
14 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 07
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
13 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 08
Wiper blade defective
13 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 09
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
13 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 10
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
10 occurrences · 0.7% 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 3 failures
£200–£430
If every one of this M6'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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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a M6?
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 M6 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.