Reliability Report · Multi-Source Data

Caterham Seven (s3) Reliability

The Caterham Seven (s3) (current generation) scores 98/100 on our composite reliability index — excellent territory — drawn from DVSA data.

Composite Score
98
/ 100
Excellent
Sources: DVSA · latest 2023
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Buying a Caterham Seven (s3)? Check its VIN history first

Reliability data covers the model. A VIN history report covers the exact Caterham Seven (s3) you're looking at — accident and write-off records, mileage rollback, outstanding finance and theft checks.

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Reliability by Source

Each independent organization measures reliability differently. TÜV reports inspection defect rates by age band. ADAC reports pan-European breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles. NHTSA aggregates US consumer complaints. DVSA MOT data is the UK fleet's annual safety inspection — every car 3+ years old. Lower variance across sources = higher confidence in the composite.

DVSA MOT (UK Inspections)
Model years 2003–2013 · 2023 report · n=444
444 UK MOT tests · overall 11.5% fail rate vs UK fleet baseline
View source ↗
98
/ 100

UK MOT Reliability Detail

Based on 444 MOT tests in the UK during the 2023 reporting period. Score for each age band reflects this model's fail rate vs the UK-fleet baseline fail rate at the same age — a generation-aware metric.

Age 1014 yrs
94
12.9% fail vs 32.1% fleet
124 tests
Age 1520 yrs
99
10.9% fail vs 38.8% fleet
320 tests

Most Common MOT Failure Categories

#1
Catalyst emissions
43
36.1%
#2
Steering rack
27
22.7%
#3
Ball joint dust cover
20
16.8%
#4
Wipers
16
13.4%
#5
Windscreen
13
10.9%

Categories ranked across all MOT tests of this model in the UK during the 2023 period. "Condition" covers cosmetic / wear issues; suspension and braking dominate the rest.

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