89.1%
Porsche 911 pass rate
Used Porsche 911 buying guide
In 2025, Porsche 911 cars passed 89.1% of 52,600 initial MOT tests, 16.8 points above the 72.3% UK average. Here is where it fails and what to check before you buy.
Looking at a specific 911? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Porsche 911 MOT record in brief
Initial MOT tests in 2025, retests excluded.
72.3%
UK average, all cars
+16.8
percentage points above average
Ranked on pass rate the 911 sits 49th of 575 models in the data. Porsche as a brand averaged 87.6%, so this model runs 1.6 points ahead of its own brand. Porsche 911 cars aged 3 to 5 years passed 95.7% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 86.5%.
A pass rate is not a reliability score. The full Porsche 911 MOT record has the pass rate by age, every common failure and how the 911 compares with similar cars.
911 fuel types
Petrol was the most common fuel among Porsche 911 cars tested in 2025. Diesel made up just 0% of tests.
Where the 911 fails its MOT
Where Porsche 911 cars that failed their 2025 MOT were marked down, as a share of all recorded failure items.
The specific items testers recorded most often were headlamp aim too high (5.2%), catalyst emissions lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (4.7%) and position lamp not working (4.4%). See every common 911 MOT failure.
These are DVSA failure records across every Porsche 911 that failed, not a claim that every 911 has these problems.
What should you check when buying a used 911?
The areas above, most common first, and what an MOT tester looks at in each.
1
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting. 31.7% of 911 failure items.
2
Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear. 14% of 911 failure items.
3
Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing. 13.2% of 911 failure items.
4
Noise, emissions and leaks
Listen for a blowing exhaust, watch for smoke on start-up and look under the car for oil or fluid leaks. 10.4% of 911 failure items.
5
Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters. 8.7% of 911 failure items.
None of this replaces the car's own record. Run a free MOT history check on the registration to see every test, advisory and recorded mileage for that car.
What the MOT record doesn't tell you
Knowing Porsche 911 failures cluster around lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and tyres tells you what to inspect. It tells you nothing about whether the car is safe to buy. An MOT does not show money still owed on the car, a write-off, a theft record or a clocked odometer.
Check the exact 911 you are looking at. One £15 report, instant results, backed by a £30,000 data guarantee. More on the Porsche history check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
Other used Porsche models
The most-tested Porsche models in 2025, with how their MOT pass rate compares with the 911.
Used Porsche 911 FAQs
Is the Porsche 911 reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is an 89.1% first-time pass rate for the Porsche 911 across 52,600 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Do older Porsche 911 cars fail their MOT more often?
Porsche 911 cars aged 3 to 5 years passed 95.7% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 86.5%. On an older example, the car's own MOT history tells you more than the model average.
What should I check before buying a used Porsche 911?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, tyres and brakes. Then check the individual car's history: outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, mileage and previous keepers. None of these appear in the MOT record or on the V5C.
How do I check a Porsche 911's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.