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Rolls Royce Silver Spirit Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Rolls Royce Silver Spirit car check

Is the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit reliable? We analysed 34,506 real MOT tests across 2,712 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 34,506 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
79.1%
Typical Mileage
71,622mi
Annual Mileage
475mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
47yrs

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

Rolls Royce Silver Spirit Number Plates

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

Rolls Royce Silver Spirit MOT Pass Rate by Year

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

82.6%
1996
81.7%
1995
82%
1994
83.7%
1993
81.3%
1992
79.3%
1991
79.5%
1990
79.3%
1989
78.5%
1988
77.7%
1987
78.8%
1986
78.9%
1985
78.1%
1984
76.6%
1983
77.8%
1982
78.7%
1981
76%
1980
77.2%
1979
76.8%
1978
70.8%
1977

Rolls Royce Silver Spirit Problems — What Goes Wrong?

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

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 2,269
parking brake recording little or no effort 1,178
Brake pipe excessively corroded 569
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 439
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel 411
position lamp(s) not working 385
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 374
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive 371
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 329
Headlamp not working on main beam 315

Rolls Royce Silver Spirit Mileage — What's Normal?

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

Low usage
143 mi/yr
Typical
475 mi/yr
Average
1,176 mi/yr
Heavy usage
1,235 mi/yr

Rolls Royce Silver Spirit MOT Data by Registration Year

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

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
1996 1,066 82.6% 34,310 52,233 76,090
1995 1,300 81.7% 38,960 61,068 93,406
1994 1,058 82.0% 33,191 56,355 74,951
1993 920 83.7% 39,218 59,401 90,746
1992 1,470 81.3% 48,686 66,421 86,746
1991 1,350 79.3% 47,102 63,546 88,689
1990 3,099 79.5% 44,843 68,858 91,160
1989 2,764 79.3% 42,417 67,630 87,466
1988 3,010 78.5% 52,400 75,797 101,840
1987 2,755 77.7% 54,110 76,870 97,076
1986 2,825 78.8% 52,409 74,196 98,259
1985 2,390 78.9% 58,754 76,158 95,513
1984 1,928 78.1% 50,399 74,760 99,204
1983 1,728 76.6% 56,281 80,148 100,042
1982 2,351 77.8% 53,196 74,708 99,323
1981 2,738 78.7% 53,404 82,611 102,296
1980 538 76.0% 48,358 73,777 93,613
1979 171 77.2% 45,452 86,978 108,434
1978 125 76.8% 57,921 84,422 103,100
1977 65 70.8% 18,185 26,733 41,283

How Long Does a Rolls Royce Silver Spirit Last?

Based on 2,712 Rolls Royce Silver Spirit vehicles on UK roads.

Average
31.7 years
Median
32.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
47 years

Rolls Royce Silver Spirit Mileage Distribution

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

Median
71,622 mi
75th Percentile
95,167 mi
95th Percentile
132,704 mi
Max Recorded
844,179 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Rolls Royce Silver Spirit

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

Best year
1964

96.2% MOT pass rate from 52 tests

Year to avoid
1977

70.8% MOT pass rate from 65 tests

The best year to buy a used Rolls Royce Silver Spirit is 1964, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 96.2% across 52 tests. The 1977 model year has the lowest pass rate at 70.8% — 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 Spirit 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 Spirit THIS CAR 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
Rolls Royce Silver Spur 79.9% 10,785 67,413 mi 46 yrs
Mercedes-benz A 250 AMG Line E Auto 88.7% 14,530 37,554 mi — yrs

Compared to the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow (80.3% pass rate) and the Rolls Royce Phantom (93.4% pass rate), the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit trails behind on MOT reliability.

Found a Rolls Royce Silver Spirit you like?

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Should you buy a used Rolls Royce Silver Spirit?

The Rolls Royce Silver Spirit has an overall MOT pass rate of 79.1% across 34,506 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 Spirit are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (2,269 recorded failures), parking brake recording little or no effort (1,178), and brake pipe excessively corroded (569). 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 Spirit owner drives around 475 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 Spirit models stay on UK roads for around 47 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 Spirit — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit reliable?
Based on 34,506 MOT tests, the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit has a 79.1% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Rolls Royce Silver Spirit?
The most common MOT failures are parking brake: efficiency below requirements, parking brake recording little or no effort, and brake pipe excessively corroded. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Rolls Royce Silver Spirit do per year?
The typical Rolls Royce Silver Spirit does around 475 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Rolls Royce Silver Spirit last?
Most Rolls Royce Silver Spirit models stay on UK roads for around 47 years based on our analysis of 2,712 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Rolls Royce Silver Spirit?
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 Spirit?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Rolls Royce Silver Spirit is 1964 with a 96.2% pass rate across 52 tests.