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Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 car check

Is the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 reliable? We analysed 3,204 real MOT tests across 322 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 3,204 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
78.8%
Typical Mileage
79,950mi
Annual Mileage
378mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
49yrs

The Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake: efficiency below requirements, windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid and parking brake recording little or no effort. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2.

Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

80.2%
1981
79.8%
1980
78.4%
1979
78.1%
1978
76.2%
1977

Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 166
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 107
parking brake recording little or no effort 77
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive 74
Brake pipe excessively corroded 57
brake binding 56
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 55
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel 49
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 48
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 47

Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
100 mi/yr
Typical
378 mi/yr
Average
858 mi/yr
Heavy usage
921 mi/yr

Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
1981 237 80.2% 63,702 90,010 111,998
1980 890 79.8% 52,568 76,757 105,244
1979 848 78.4% 54,762 79,884 103,213
1978 762 78.1% 51,165 78,712 104,578
1977 361 76.2% 59,057 92,114 117,007

How Long Does a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 Last?

Based on 322 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 vehicles on UK roads.

Average
36.9 years
Median
38.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
49 years

Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
79,950 mi
75th Percentile
105,385 mi
95th Percentile
137,479 mi
Max Recorded
999,998 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2

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

Best year
1981

80.2% MOT pass rate from 237 tests

Year to avoid
1977

76.2% MOT pass rate from 361 tests

The best year to buy a used Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 is 1981, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 80.2% across 237 tests. The 1977 model year has the lowest pass rate at 76.2% — 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 2 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 2 THIS CAR 78.8% 3,204 79,950 mi 49 yrs
Rolls Royce Silver Spirit 79.1% 34,506 71,622 mi 47 yrs
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 80.3% 16,278 62,466 mi 59 yrs
Rolls Royce Phantom 93.4% 14,291 29,293 mi 55 yrs
Land Rover Discovery Sport Hse D MHEV A 87.8% 1,019 34,463 mi — yrs

Compared to the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit (79.1% pass rate) and the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow (80.3% pass rate), the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 trails behind on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2?

The Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 has an overall MOT pass rate of 78.8% across 3,204 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 2 are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (166 recorded failures), windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (107), and parking brake recording little or no effort (77). 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 2 owner drives around 378 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 2 models stay on UK roads for around 49 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.

Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 reliable?
Based on 3,204 MOT tests, the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 has a 78.8% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2?
The most common MOT failures are parking brake: efficiency below requirements, windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid, and parking brake recording little or no effort. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 do per year?
The typical Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 does around 378 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 last?
Most Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 models stay on UK roads for around 49 years based on our analysis of 322 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2?
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 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2 is 1981 with a 80.2% pass rate across 237 tests.