MCP server and free MOT data API

MOT pass rate for a car model

Get the MOT pass rate for a UK car make and model, from CarBuyerIQ analysis of millions of DVSA MOT test results. Use this when someone asks how reliable a model is, how often it fails its MOT, what it usually fails on, or which years or mileages to avoid. Returns the pass rate, the national average, its rank among all models, the most common failure areas, and pass rates by mileage band and year of manufacture, plus the page URL to cite. UK (Great Britain) data only. If the exact model is not found, call search_models to find the right name.

Find UK car models with MOT data

Find which UK car makes and models CarBuyerIQ has MOT pass-rate data for. Accepts partial names, shorthand and small typos, for example "vw golf", "qashqai" or "ford". Use this to get the exact make and model names before calling get_mot_pass_rate, or to list the models of one make. Returns up to 10 matches with their pass rates and page URLs.

Most and least reliable cars by MOT pass rate

Rank UK car models by MOT pass rate, from CarBuyerIQ analysis of DVSA MOT test data. Use direction "best" for the most reliable models (highest pass rate) or "worst" for the least reliable. Cars only: motorcycles, taxis and trucks are never included, and vans and pickups are left out unless include_vans is true. Optionally limit to one make, or to models with at least a given number of tests so rare models do not dominate. Returns ranked models with pass rates and page URLs.

MOT history for a UK registration

Look up the full public MOT history of one vehicle by its UK registration number (number plate), using official DVSA records. Free. Use this when someone is looking at a specific used car and gives its registration. Returns every MOT test with its date, result, recorded mileage, failure reasons and advisories, the MOT expiry date, and whether the recorded mileage ever went down. Great Britain vehicles only; cars under three years old have no MOT yet. It does not cover finance, write-off or stolen status.

Used cars to avoid in the UK

List used cars CarBuyerIQ flags as ones to avoid in the UK, based on MOT failure data and known faults such as corrosion, electrical, engine, gearbox and suspension problems. Use this when someone asks whether a model is a risky buy, what problems it is known for, or which cars to avoid. Filter by make and model, or leave both empty for the highest-risk entries. Returns the affected years, risk level, common problems with typical repair costs, and the page URL.

Search CarBuyerIQ used car buying guides

Search CarBuyerIQ's UK used car buying guides: model buying guides, common problems, running costs, depreciation, MOT advice and checks to do before buying. Use this for advice questions where a written guide helps, for example "what to check on a used Nissan Qashqai" or "cheapest cars to run". Returns up to 5 guides with titles, short summaries and URLs to cite.

MOT pass rate for one model: national average, rank, most common failure areas, and pass rates by mileage band and year of manufacture.

{
  "make": "Ford",
  "model": "Fiesta",
  "pass_rate": 76.9,
  "national_average_pass_rate": 79.1,
  "compared_to_national_average": "worse",
  "total_tests": 295633,
  "vehicle_type": "car",
  "rank": {"position": 311, "out_of": 380, "basis": "..."},
  "top_failure_areas": [{"area": "Tyres", "share_of_defects_and_advisories": 26.0}],
  "by_mileage": [...],
  "by_manufacture_year": [...],
  "source": "CarBuyerIQ analysis of DVSA MOT test data",
  "url": "https://www.carbuyeriq.com/mot-pass-rates/ford/fiesta",
  "licence": "CC BY 4.0",
  "attribution": "..."
}

Find models by make, model or both. Tolerates shorthand (VW, Merc) and small typos. Up to 10 results.

{
  "query": "vw golf",
  "count": 1,
  "results": [{"make": "Volkswagen", "model": "Golf", "pass_rate": 78.2, "url": "..."}],
  "source": "CarBuyerIQ analysis of DVSA MOT test data",
  "licence": "CC BY 4.0"
}

Models ranked by pass rate. direction is best or worst; limit up to 50; optional make, min_tests (default 10,000) and include_vans (default false).

{
  "direction": "best",
  "results": [{"position": 1, "make": "...", "model": "...", "pass_rate": 88.4, "url": "..."}],
  "source": "CarBuyerIQ analysis of DVSA MOT test data",
  "licence": "CC BY 4.0"
}