The picture
Transit Custom 280leader Eblue: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 3,007 MOT tests, the Transit Custom 280leader Eblue returns 78.6% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. Wipers that don't clear the screen and brake pads worn below 1.5 mm round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 54,140, 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
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
195 occurrences · 6.5% of tests
- 02
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
126 occurrences · 4.2% of tests
- 03
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
125 occurrences · 4.2% of tests
- 04
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
81 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 05
Wiper blade defective
70 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 06
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
50 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 07
A tyre seriously damaged
47 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 08
Obligatory mirror or device slightly damaged or loose
36 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 09
Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator
30 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 10
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
29 occurrences · 1.0% 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 280leader 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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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.
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
Buying or keeping a Transit Custom 280leader Eblue?
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 280leader 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.