The picture
Ww 125 Ex2-A: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 972 MOT tests, the Ww 125 Ex2-A returns 76.1% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a non-functioning shock absorber. Tyre tread under the limit and brake efficiency below minimum requirement round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 31,373, 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 shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
48 occurrences · 4.9% of tests
- 02
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
46 occurrences · 4.7% of tests
- 03
Brake efficiency below minimum requirement
30 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 04
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
26 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 05
A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released
26 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 06
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
23 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 07
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
16 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 08
Brake control has insufficient reserve travel
15 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 09
A stop lamp(s) remains on when the brakes are released
14 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 10
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
12 occurrences · 1.2% 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
£76–£165
If every one of this WW 125 Ex2 A'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
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a WW 125 Ex2 A?
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 WW 125 Ex2 A 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.