MG
TF
16,257 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where TFs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 3.2 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
74.3%
Pass-after-fix
3.6%
Fail
21.3%
Avg miles
58,960
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
MG TF: mixed MOT record across 12,139 tests
MG TF may refer to two roadster automobile models produced by MG Cars:MG TF (1953), produced from 1953 to 1955 MG TF (2002), produced from 2002 to 2005, and then from 2007 to 2011
MOT data from 12,139 tests puts this car on a 74.1% first-time pass rate, below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 58,612 miles. The most common fail item is parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, followed by steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play.
Buyers weighing up a used TF should treat the failure breakdown as a pre-purchase checklist. The pass rate is reasonable, but the gap between first attempt and a clean sheet narrows with age and mileage.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 12–28
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. 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 →
12–28
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
505 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 02
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
330 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 03
A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded
299 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 04
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
273 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 05
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
264 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 06
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
262 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 07
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
251 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 08
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
232 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 09
Audible warning inoperative
226 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 10
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
190 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 2 failures
£100–£285
If every one of this TF'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.
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Parts & supplies for this fix
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Summit
Summit ADRG-60 MG Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS
£7.69
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Autotek
Autotek Ford Nordic Blue 300ml
£14.29
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Motor World
Motor World MG Rover F 95-2002 Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
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Motor World
Motor World Rover MGB Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
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Buying or keeping a TF?
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 TF 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.