Mini
Roadster
5,473 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Roadsters pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 6.3 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
83.8%
Pass-after-fix
4.7%
Fail
11.3%
Avg miles
54,509
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
Roadster: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 3,093 MOT tests, the Roadster returns 81.6% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a number-plate lamp out. Stop lamp with a multiple light source up and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 48,757, 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
Group 20–32
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. 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 →
20–32
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
149 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 02
Stop lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
136 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 03
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
75 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 04
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
65 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 05
A tyre seriously damaged
58 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 06
Wiper blade defective
52 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 07
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
52 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 08
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
49 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 09
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
43 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 10
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
36 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 2 failures
£16–£70
If every one of this Roadster'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.
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
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Draper
Draper Air Mini Oiler
£16.49
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My Motor World
My Mini Mike Air Freshener
£5.49
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Hycote
Hycote MINI Chilli Red Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
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Hycote
Hycote MINI Cosmic Blue Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
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Book a mobile mechanic
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Buying or keeping a Roadster?
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 Roadster 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.