1985 Rolls Royce Silver Spirit — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 290 MOT tests analysed for the 1985 Rolls Royce Silver Spirit, the most common recorded failure areas were brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension. Its pass rate of 85.2% was above the average for cars of a similar age (81.0%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 7.6% | 22 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 17 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.8% | 11 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 11 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.1% | 9 |
| 6 | Tyres | 1.7% | 5 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 15 |
| 2 | Washers | 9 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 9 |
| 4 | Exhaust system | 9 |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 5 |
| 6 | Parking brake performance | 5 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 34.5% | 100 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.5% | 74 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.0% | 58 |
| 4 | Tyres | 12.8% | 37 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.9% | 23 |
| 6 | Steering | 7.6% | 22 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 62 | 16.1% |
| 60-90k | 130 | 15.4% |
| 90-120k | 56 | 12.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 60 | 13.3% |
| 2022 | 66 | 13.6% |
| 2023 | 61 | 18.0% |
| 2024 | 57 | 15.8% |
| 2025 | 46 | 13.0% |
What to check before buying a 1985 Silver Spirit
Before buying a 1985 Rolls Royce Silver Spirit, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Brakes accounted for 7.6% of tests for this year.
- Brakes (7.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (3.8% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 1985 Rolls Royce Silver Spirits pass their MOT?
85.2% of the 290 1985 Rolls Royce Silver Spirit MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1985 Rolls Royce Silver Spirit?
Brakes, recorded in 7.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.9%).
Does the 1985 Silver Spirit get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.1% in the 30-60k band to 12.5% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 290 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.