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Taishan Commuter Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Taishan Commuter car check

Is the Taishan Commuter reliable? We analysed 445 real MOT tests across 174 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 445 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
68.3%
Typical Mileage
2,053mi
Annual Mileage
409mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
23yrs

The Taishan Commuter is about average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include brake lever has inadequate reserve travel, stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies and shock absorber has inadequate damping effect.. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Taishan Commuter.

Taishan Commuter Number Plates

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

Taishan Commuter MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Taishan Commuter to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

65.9%
2005
66.9%
2004
74.5%
2003

Taishan Commuter Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Taishan Commuter fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Brake lever has inadequate reserve travel 26
Stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies 24
shock absorber has inadequate damping effect. 24
Headlamp aim too low 17
suspension has inadequate damping effect. 15
Steering headbearing has excessive free play 12
wheel bearings are excessively rough 11
Roller brake test The less effective brake control does not achieve an efficiency of 25%. 9
wheel bearings have excessive free play 7
Brake lever insecure 7

Taishan Commuter Mileage — What's Normal?

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

Low usage
97 mi/yr
Typical
409 mi/yr
Average
669 mi/yr
Heavy usage
784 mi/yr

Taishan Commuter MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Taishan Commuter year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2005 132 65.9% 1,222 2,046 4,014
2004 181 66.9% 1,169 2,186 3,824
2003 106 74.5% 1,213 2,082 3,158

How Long Does a Taishan Commuter Last?

Based on 174 Taishan Commuter vehicles on UK roads.

Average
5.0 years
Median
4.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
23 years

Taishan Commuter Mileage Distribution

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

Median
2,053 mi
75th Percentile
3,530 mi
95th Percentile
7,236 mi
Max Recorded
11,513 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Taishan Commuter

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

Best year
2003

74.5% MOT pass rate from 106 tests

Year to avoid
2005

65.9% MOT pass rate from 132 tests

The best year to buy a used Taishan Commuter is 2003, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 74.5% across 106 tests. The 2005 model year has the lowest pass rate at 65.9% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Taishan Commuter Compare?

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

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Taishan Commuter THIS CAR 68.3% 445 2,053 mi 23 yrs
Taishan Sport 69.9% 289 2,780 mi 23 yrs
Ford Focus Zetec S Turbo 90% 549 59,348 mi — yrs
Daf Trucks FADCF85.340 73.9% 422 500,726 mi — yrs
Ktm 350 Exc-f 20 82.8% 296 2,209 mi — yrs

Compared to the Taishan Sport (69.9% pass rate) and the Ford Focus Zetec S Turbo (90.0% pass rate), the Taishan Commuter trails behind on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Taishan Commuter?

The Taishan Commuter has an overall MOT pass rate of 68.3% across 445 real MOT tests — roughly in line with the UK average.

The most common problems on the Taishan Commuter are brake lever has inadequate reserve travel (26 recorded failures), stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies (24), and shock absorber has inadequate damping effect. (24). 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 Taishan Commuter owner drives around 409 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 Taishan Commuter models stay on UK roads for around 23 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.

Taishan Commuter — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Taishan Commuter reliable?
Based on 445 MOT tests, the Taishan Commuter has a 68.3% pass rate — about average for UK cars.
What are the common problems on a Taishan Commuter?
The most common MOT failures are brake lever has inadequate reserve travel, stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies, and shock absorber has inadequate damping effect.. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Taishan Commuter do per year?
The typical Taishan Commuter does around 409 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Taishan Commuter last?
Most Taishan Commuter models stay on UK roads for around 23 years based on our analysis of 174 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Taishan Commuter?
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 Taishan Commuter?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Taishan Commuter is 2003 with a 74.5% pass rate across 106 tests.