Ferrari 488 MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 1,064 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 95.3% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — above the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 94.1% of cars aged 3–5 years passed first time, against 95.4% aged 6–9 years.
Checking a Ferrari 488?
Model-level statistics cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 101 | 94.1% |
| 6–9 years | 963 | 95.4% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Ferrari 488 to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Registration Plates — 2.2% of tests. A damaged, dirty or non-compliant number plate.
- Condition — 1% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Headlamp Aim — 0.9% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Wipers — 0.3% of tests. Worn wiper blades. Minutes to fix, and a fair hint that servicing was skipped.
- Washers — 0.2% of tests. Empty or blocked washers. Trivial, but again a sign of the last owner's care.
- Exhaust Emissions — 0.2% of tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
What this does and does not tell you
A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.
Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.
How many Ferrari 488 are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 1,308 licensed and 442 SORN vehicles in the Ferrari 488 generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Ferrari 488
Before you buy
- Registration Plates — 2.2% of tests in 2024. A damaged, dirty or non-compliant number plate.
- Condition — 1% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Headlamp Aim — 0.9% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Wipers — 0.3% of tests in 2024. Worn wiper blades. Minutes to fix, and a fair hint that servicing was skipped.
- Ask why it was off the road — Of the 1,750 488 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 4 is SORN (442 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
- Check the actual 488 — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Other Ferrari models
- Ferrari California — 93.6% pass
See every Ferrari model MOT pass rate
Common questions
What is the Ferrari 488 MOT pass rate?
95.3% of 1,064 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Ferrari 488 passed first time in 2024 — above the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the 488 fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are registration plates (2.2% of tests), condition (1% of tests), headlamp aim (0.9% of tests), wipers (0.3% of tests).
How many Ferrari 488 are left in the UK?
1,308 were licensed and 442 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular 488 is a good buy?
No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.