The picture
Delta: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 925 MOT tests, the Delta returns 66.4% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a broken or weak spring. Worn suspension bushes and a worn steering ball joint round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 91,140, 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 spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
98 occurrences · 10.6% of tests
- 02
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
37 occurrences · 4.0% of tests
- 03
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
36 occurrences · 3.9% of tests
- 04
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
33 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
- 05
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
26 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 06
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
25 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 07
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
23 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 08
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
23 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 09
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
22 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 10
A tyre cords visible or damaged
21 occurrences · 2.3% 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 5 failures
£380–£1055
If every one of this Delta'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 →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
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 Delta?
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 Delta 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.