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Vanden Plas 1300 Princess Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Vanden Plas 1300 Princess car check

Is the Vanden Plas 1300 Princess reliable? We analysed 1,533 real MOT tests across 208 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 1,533 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
75.5%
Typical Mileage
53,236mi
Annual Mileage
312mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
58yrs

The Vanden Plas 1300 Princess is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid and parking brake: efficiency below requirements. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Vanden Plas 1300 Princess.

Vanden Plas 1300 Princess Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Vanden Plas 1300 Princess. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Vanden Plas 1300 Princess MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Vanden Plas 1300 Princess to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

83.3%
1974
78.1%
1973
72.2%
1972
74.7%
1971
74.3%
1970
73.9%
1969
81%
1968

Vanden Plas 1300 Princess Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Vanden Plas 1300 Princess fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 106
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 70
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 67
brake recording little or no effort 61
brake binding 55
Service brake: efficiency below requirements 39
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 28
Brakes imbalanced across an axle 27
parking brake recording little or no effort 26
Stop lamp not working 24

Vanden Plas 1300 Princess Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Vanden Plas 1300 Princess owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
85 mi/yr
Typical
312 mi/yr
Average
834 mi/yr
Heavy usage
802 mi/yr

Vanden Plas 1300 Princess MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Vanden Plas 1300 Princess year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
1974 78 83.3% 21,196 37,526 54,882
1973 302 78.1% 29,894 49,066 59,588
1972 450 72.2% 36,684 61,240 74,116
1971 312 74.7% 39,929 54,122 63,633
1970 183 74.3% 14,810 50,276 58,724
1969 88 73.9% 22,356 69,000 82,565
1968 84 81.0% 30,062 52,139 63,851

How Long Does a Vanden Plas 1300 Princess Last?

Based on 208 Vanden Plas 1300 Princess vehicles on UK roads.

Average
42.4 years
Median
42.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
58 years

Vanden Plas 1300 Princess Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Vanden Plas 1300 Princess MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
53,236 mi
75th Percentile
66,490 mi
95th Percentile
85,494 mi
Max Recorded
828,113 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Vanden Plas 1300 Princess

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

Best year
1974

83.3% MOT pass rate from 78 tests

Year to avoid
1972

72.2% MOT pass rate from 450 tests

The best year to buy a used Vanden Plas 1300 Princess is 1974, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 83.3% across 78 tests. The 1972 model year has the lowest pass rate at 72.2% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Vanden Plas 1300 Princess Compare?

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

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Vanden Plas 1300 Princess THIS CAR 75.5% 1,533 53,236 mi 58 yrs
Vanden Plas Princess 80.5% 2,229 55,893 mi 65 yrs
Vanden Plas 1500 72.4% 897 53,545 mi 51 yrs
Fiat Rapido 84% 2,767 29,552 mi 26 yrs
Suzuki GP125 78.9% 974 17,306 mi 46 yrs

Compared to the Vanden Plas Princess (80.5% pass rate) and the Vanden Plas 1500 (72.4% pass rate), the Vanden Plas 1300 Princess sits in the middle of the pack on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Vanden Plas 1300 Princess?

The Vanden Plas 1300 Princess has an overall MOT pass rate of 75.5% across 1,533 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 Vanden Plas 1300 Princess are subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (106 recorded failures), windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (70), and parking brake: efficiency below requirements (67). 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 Vanden Plas 1300 Princess owner drives around 312 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 Vanden Plas 1300 Princess models stay on UK roads for around 58 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.

Vanden Plas 1300 Princess — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Vanden Plas 1300 Princess reliable?
Based on 1,533 MOT tests, the Vanden Plas 1300 Princess has a 75.5% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Vanden Plas 1300 Princess?
The most common MOT failures are subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid, and parking brake: efficiency below requirements. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Vanden Plas 1300 Princess do per year?
The typical Vanden Plas 1300 Princess does around 312 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Vanden Plas 1300 Princess last?
Most Vanden Plas 1300 Princess models stay on UK roads for around 58 years based on our analysis of 208 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Vanden Plas 1300 Princess?
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 Vanden Plas 1300 Princess?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Vanden Plas 1300 Princess is 1974 with a 83.3% pass rate across 78 tests.