Ford
3,750 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Transit Custom 280 Trend Eblues pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 4.0 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
81.5%
Pass-after-fix
6.3%
Fail
11.5%
Avg miles
58,713
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Diesel cars registered from September 2015 generally meet Euro 6 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 3,750 tests
Pass rate drops 2.2 points across the cohorts — recent Transit Custom 280 Trend Eblue examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.
Pass
82.5%
Fail
11.3%
PRS
5.5%
Avg mileage at test
66,242 mi
Pass
80.3%
Fail
11.8%
PRS
7.2%
Avg mileage at test
49,340 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 1,346 MOT tests, the Transit Custom 280 Trend Eblue returns 80.4% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. Wipers that don't clear the screen and a defective wiper blade round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 53,879, 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.
ABI Insurance Group
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
18–32
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Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
184 occurrences · 4.9% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
107 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
78 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
Wiper blade defective
76 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
70 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
63 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
33 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Obligatory mirror or device slightly damaged or loose
30 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
27 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator
25 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
£120–£250
If every one of this Transit Custom 280 Trend Eblue'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.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.2-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Ford Transit Custom 280 Trend Eblue makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
82.5%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 82.5% — a 2.2-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, does not clear the windscreen effectively — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
80.3%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 80.3% pass rate against a fleet average of 82.5% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, does not clear the windscreen effectively, and blade defective. Average mileage on test for this band is 49,340 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (82.5% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (80.3% pass). That's a 2.2-point spread across 1,672 older tests and 2,078 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Summit
Summit ADRG-18 Ford Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS
£8.79
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Summit
Summit ADRG-10 Ford Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS
£9.89
View at My Motor World →
Summit
Summit ADRG-47 Ford Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS
£9.89
View at My Motor World →
Summit
Summit ADRG-85 Ford Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS
£9.89
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Owner reports · Honest John
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
More refined and better to drive than most rivals. Punchy and efficient diesel engines. New interior technology from 2024.
Where it falls short
Other vans offer more overall load volume. Some rivals are fresher. Range-topping trim/engine combo expensive.
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 Transit Custom 280 Trend Eblue 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.
