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Porsche 911 Carrera S-a Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Porsche 911 Carrera S-a car check

Is the Porsche 911 Carrera S-a reliable? We analysed 1,949 real MOT tests across 623 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 1,949 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
95.2%
Typical Mileage
17,842mi
Annual Mileage
3,170mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
14yrs

The Porsche 911 Carrera S-a is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Porsche 911 Carrera S-a.

Porsche 911 Carrera S-a Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Porsche 911 Carrera S-a. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Porsche 911 Carrera S-a MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Porsche 911 Carrera S-a to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

93.7%
2022
96.2%
2020
94.4%
2019
95.5%
2012

Porsche 911 Carrera S-a Common Faults & Problems

These are the most common serious faults found on Porsche 911 Carrera S-a models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 12
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 5

Porsche 911 Carrera S-a Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Porsche 911 Carrera S-a owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
1,712 mi/yr
Typical
3,170 mi/yr
Average
4,056 mi/yr
Heavy usage
5,131 mi/yr

Porsche 911 Carrera S-a MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Porsche 911 Carrera S-a year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2022 143 93.7% 7,565 10,184 15,903
2020 574 96.2% 11,646 17,666 25,858
2019 799 94.4% 10,454 16,453 24,611
2012 222 95.5% 21,182 35,641 48,722

How Long Does a Porsche 911 Carrera S-a Last?

Based on 623 Porsche 911 Carrera S-a vehicles on UK roads.

Average
4.4 years
Median
5.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
14 years

Porsche 911 Carrera S-a Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Porsche 911 Carrera S-a MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
17,842 mi
75th Percentile
28,466 mi
95th Percentile
55,812 mi
Max Recorded
102,445 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Porsche 911 Carrera S-a

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2020

96.2% MOT pass rate from 574 tests

Year to avoid
2022

93.7% MOT pass rate from 143 tests

The best year to buy a used Porsche 911 Carrera S-a is 2020, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 96.2% across 574 tests. The 2022 model year has the lowest pass rate at 93.7% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Porsche 911 Carrera S-a Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Porsche 911 Carrera S-a THIS CAR 95.2% 1,949 17,842 mi 14 yrs
Porsche 911 85.2% 977,057 55,056 mi 47 yrs
Porsche Boxster 82.8% 726,695 55,739 mi 29 yrs
Porsche Cayenne 84.5% 388,697 65,616 mi 23 yrs
Mini Countryman Cooper S ALL4A 85.3% 2,263 47,845 mi 16 yrs

Compared to the Porsche 911 (85.2% pass rate) and the Porsche Boxster (82.8% pass rate), the Porsche 911 Carrera S-a outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Porsche 911 Carrera S-a?

The Porsche 911 Carrera S-a has an overall MOT pass rate of 95.2% across 1,949 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

On the safety side, the most frequently flagged dangerous fault is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Dangerous faults cause an immediate MOT failure and mean the vehicle is not roadworthy until repaired. If you're viewing a Porsche 911 Carrera S-a with an expired or recently passed MOT, ask the seller whether any dangerous faults were found and fixed during the last test.

A typical Porsche 911 Carrera S-a owner drives around 3,170 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Porsche 911 Carrera S-a models stay on UK roads for around 14 years. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Porsche 911 Carrera S-a — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Porsche 911 Carrera S-a reliable?
Based on 1,949 MOT tests, the Porsche 911 Carrera S-a has a 95.2% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Porsche 911 Carrera S-a?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a Porsche 911 Carrera S-a do per year?
The typical Porsche 911 Carrera S-a does around 3,170 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Porsche 911 Carrera S-a last?
Most Porsche 911 Carrera S-a models stay on UK roads for around 14 years based on our analysis of 623 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Porsche 911 Carrera S-a?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Porsche 911 Carrera S-a?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Porsche 911 Carrera S-a is 2020 with a 96.2% pass rate across 574 tests.