1987 Austin Mini Mayfair — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 773 MOT tests analysed for the 1987 Austin Mini Mayfair, the most common recorded failure areas were lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and brakes. Its pass rate of 77.9% was below the average for cars of a similar age (80.5%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 23.6% in the 90-120k group versus 18.3% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.8% | 114 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 9.3% | 72 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.9% | 69 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.4% | 57 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 48 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.3% | 41 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non catalyst emissions | 79 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 66 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 36 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 36 |
| 5 | Washers | 33 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 27 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 23.4% | 181 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 14.8% | 114 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.4% | 88 |
| 4 | Brakes | 10.5% | 81 |
| 5 | Tyres | 8.4% | 65 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.9% | 61 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 186 | 18.3% |
| 30-60k | 292 | 20.5% |
| 60-90k | 229 | 27.1% |
| 90-120k | 55 | 23.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 194 | 27.8% |
| 2022 | 168 | 19.6% |
| 2023 | 146 | 19.9% |
| 2024 | 137 | 19.7% |
| 2025 | 128 | 21.9% |
What to check before buying a 1987 Mini Mayfair
Before buying a 1987 Austin Mini Mayfair, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Lighting & signalling accounted for 14.8% of tests for this year.
- Lighting & signalling (14.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (9.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (8.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1987 Austin Mini Mayfairs pass their MOT?
77.9% of the 773 1987 Austin Mini Mayfair MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1987 Austin Mini Mayfair?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.8% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (9.3%).
Does the 1987 Mini Mayfair get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.3% in the 0-30k band to 23.6% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 773 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.