Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults
Free Rolls Royce Silver Shadow car check
Is the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow reliable? We analysed 16,278 real MOT tests across 1,783 vehicles to find out.
Got a specific Rolls Royce Silver Shadow? Enter the reg for a free check:
The Rolls Royce Silver Shadow is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake: efficiency below requirements, brake binding and parking brake recording little or no effort. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Rolls Royce Silver Shadow.
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Number Plates
Number plates registered to a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow MOT Pass Rate by Year
How likely is a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Problems — What Goes Wrong?
The most common reasons a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Mileage — What's Normal?
How many miles does a typical Rolls Royce Silver Shadow owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow MOT Data by Registration Year
Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow year you're looking at.
| Year | Tests | Pass Rate | Low Mi. | Typical Mi. | High Mi. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 74 | 78.4% | 42,684 | 66,839 | 75,066 |
| 1988 | 59 | 81.4% | 19,228 | 46,909 | 74,322 |
| 1983 | 56 | 80.4% | 41,025 | 60,670 | 63,964 |
| 1981 | 317 | 82.6% | 59,619 | 85,849 | 110,255 |
| 1980 | 1,142 | 80.4% | 55,280 | 72,808 | 97,265 |
| 1979 | 1,537 | 78.9% | 54,092 | 75,053 | 98,724 |
| 1978 | 1,431 | 78.7% | 47,053 | 72,208 | 94,840 |
| 1977 | 1,210 | 78.3% | 46,849 | 77,030 | 100,588 |
| 1976 | 1,666 | 78.6% | 29,060 | 57,081 | 81,367 |
| 1975 | 1,659 | 80.5% | 28,583 | 50,872 | 77,189 |
| 1974 | 1,197 | 82.8% | 23,873 | 57,224 | 73,160 |
| 1973 | 1,257 | 81.9% | 20,860 | 49,930 | 77,237 |
| 1972 | 1,178 | 81.2% | 27,383 | 61,638 | 82,305 |
| 1971 | 1,089 | 78.2% | 23,884 | 52,994 | 77,238 |
| 1970 | 711 | 83.8% | 36,634 | 61,640 | 83,894 |
| 1969 | 576 | 82.3% | 25,210 | 51,286 | 72,580 |
| 1968 | 340 | 78.8% | 30,455 | 51,186 | 81,195 |
| 1967 | 209 | 83.7% | 20,390 | 55,690 | 78,035 |
How Long Does a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Last?
Based on 1,783 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow vehicles on UK roads.
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Mileage Distribution
Total mileage recorded across all Rolls Royce Silver Shadow MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.
Best Year to Buy a Used Rolls Royce Silver Shadow
Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.
83.8% MOT pass rate from 711 tests
78.2% MOT pass rate from 1,089 tests
The best year to buy a used Rolls Royce Silver Shadow is 1970, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 83.8% across 711 tests. The 1971 model year has the lowest pass rate at 78.2% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How Does the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Compare?
MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.
| Model | Pass Rate | Tests | Typical Mileage | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolls Royce Silver Shadow THIS CAR | 80.3% | 16,278 | 62,466 mi | 59 yrs |
| Rolls Royce Silver Spirit | 79.1% | 34,506 | 71,622 mi | 47 yrs |
| Rolls Royce Phantom | 93.4% | 14,291 | 29,293 mi | 55 yrs |
| Rolls Royce Silver Spur | 79.9% | 10,785 | 67,413 mi | 46 yrs |
| Mazda 2 Sport Nav MHEV | 91.7% | 4,946 | 21,310 mi | — yrs |
Compared to the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit (79.1% pass rate) and the Rolls Royce Phantom (93.4% pass rate), the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow sits in the middle of the pack on MOT reliability.
Found a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow you like?
Run a full vehicle history check on the specific car. See finance, stolen, write-off, mileage and MOT data for that exact vehicle.
Check a specific Rolls Royce Silver ShadowShould you buy a used Rolls Royce Silver Shadow?
The Rolls Royce Silver Shadow has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.3% across 16,278 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.
The most common problems on the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (891 recorded failures), brake binding (492), and parking brake recording little or no effort (478). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.
A typical Rolls Royce Silver Shadow owner drives around 317 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 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow models stay on UK roads for around 59 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. 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.