London Taxis INT TX1 Silver

What fails its inspection

Great Britain's MOT record for the 2001 2.7 diesel. 15 of 65 tests failed, 23%.

Better than 77% of 2001 cars. The typical one fails 27%, across 463 models with enough tests behind them to say.

The defects inspectors cite

• Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
• Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point
• A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
• Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced
• Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
• 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

Where it stands out against its peers

• Body and structure: failed more often than 90% of 2001 cars — 47% of its 15 failed tests, where an ordinary 2001 car has 27%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• Brakes — 53% of its failures
  • Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
• Suspension — 47% of its failures
  • A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
  • 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
• Steering — 20% of its failures
  • Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
• Lights and electrics — 40% of its failures
  • A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
  • A position lamp adversely affected by the operation of any other lamp
• Body and structure — 47% of its failures
  • Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point
  • Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced
  • 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
• Seat belts and airbags — 13% of its failures