Vauxhall Cavalier
Registered from 1990 to 1995.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 1995 1.8 petrol. 54 of 195 tests failed, 28%.
Better than 31% of 1995 cars. The typical one fails 25%, across 145 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 52% | 28 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 41% | 22 |
| Lights and electrics | 35% | 19 |
| Brakes | 31% | 17 |
| Body and structure | 26% | 14 |
| Tyres and wheels | 13% | 7 |
The defects inspectors cite
- Emissions levels exceed default limits
- 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
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Suspension — 52% of its failures
- 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
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- Exhaust and emissions — 41% of its failures
- Emissions levels exceed default limits
- Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits
- Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
- Brakes — 31% of its failures
- Tyres and wheels — 13% of its failures
- Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle.
- Lights and electrics — 35% of its failures
- Body and structure — 26% of its failures
- 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
When it starts failing
At 100–120k miles this one fails 23% of its inspections, about what an ordinary car of the same age does.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60–80k miles | 25% | 23% | 44 | |
| 80–100k miles | 23% | 25% | 31 | |
| 100–120k miles | 23% | 23% | 40 |
115 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 80k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.