The picture
308: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 178,302 MOT tests, the 308 returns 71.9% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a number-plate lamp out. A broken or weak spring and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 80,343, 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 rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
11,619 occurrences · 6.5% of tests
- 02
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
7,424 occurrences · 4.2% of tests
- 03
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
6,602 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 04
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
6,235 occurrences · 3.5% of tests
- 05
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
4,731 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 06
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
3,356 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 07
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
3,347 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 08
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
3,285 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 09
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
3,026 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 10
A tyre cords visible or damaged
3,013 occurrences · 1.7% 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 4 failures
£228–£530
If every one of this 308'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.
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
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
Item 02 · 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 03 · 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 308?
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 308 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.