Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit
Registered from 1990 to 1996.
About this model
The Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit is a full-size luxury car produced by Rolls-Royce Motors, in Crewe, England, from 1980 to 1997. It was the first model in the SZ series. The Silver Spur is a long-wheelbase version of the Silver Spirit, produced from 1980 to 2000. It was the first car to feature a retractable Spirit of Ecstasy: the spring-loaded mascot sank into the radiator shell if dislodged from its position.
From the Wikipedia article Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 1990 6.8 petrol. 18 of 106 tests failed, 17%.
Better than 75% of 1990 cars. The typical one fails 21%, across 86 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 61% | 11 |
| Lights and electrics | 39% | 7 |
| Suspension | 28% | 5 |
| Body and structure | 17% | 3 |
| Steering | 11% | 2 |
| Visibility | 11% | 2 |
The defects inspectors cite
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
- An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
Where it stands out against its peers
- Brakes: failed more often than 91% of 1990 cars — 61% of its 18 failed tests, where an ordinary 1990 car has 40%.
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 — 61% of its failures
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
- Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Suspension — 28% of its failures
- A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
- A gas, air or fluid suspension system inoperative
- Steering — 11% of its failures
- Lights and electrics — 39% of its failures
- An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Body and structure — 17% of its failures
- Visibility — 11% of its failures
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen