Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2012 Aston Martin Vantage?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2012 Aston Martin Vantage?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2012 Aston Martin Vantage?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2012 Aston Martin Vantage reliable?

Based on MOT data from 223 vehicles, the 2012 Aston Martin Vantage has a first-time MOT pass rate of 91.9%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2012 Aston Martin Vantage?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2012 Aston Martin Vantage are: Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (30.8% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (29.7% of vehicles), Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (18.8% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2012 Aston Martin Vantage?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Aston Martin Vantage (2012)

223 real MOT outcomes analysed • 91.9% first-time pass rate

2012 Aston Martin Vantage

CarHunch analysed 223 real MOT records for the 2012 Aston Martin Vantage. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2012 Aston Martin Vantage is a genuinely reliable prospect by MOT standards, passing first time at 91.9%—nearly 12 percentage points above the UK average of 80%. Dangerous defects are rare, affecting only 8.1% of the fleet, so safety isn't a concern here.

These cars are running light for their age, with a median of just over 20,000 miles, which explains the strong pass rate and suggests many have been cherished rather than thrashed. When failures do occur, they're relatively minor (0.98 per vehicle on average), but advisories rack up at 5.8 per car—mostly wear items you'd expect on a 12-year-old sports car; budget for suspension and brake servicing before buying one.

We have limited data for the 2012 Aston Martin Vantage — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ About 1 in 12 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

91.9%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

8.1%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.98

Over 10.9 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

20k

Middle half: 13k–28k

For context

These stats describe 223 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

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What tends to go wrong

Across 223 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 30.8%

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 17.6%

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 7.6%

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view · Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction · Oil leak, but not excessive

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2012.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 223 Aston Martin Vantage cars.

Before you buy a 2012 Aston Martin Vantage

Based on MOT data from 223 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 8.1% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (100%)	222	91.9%	0.98

Colour Breakdown

Based on 5,511 Aston Martin Vantage vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Silver 36%

1,983

Black 20.1%

1,109

Blue 12.5%

689

Grey 8.9%

491

Red 7.7%

423

Green 6.5%

357

White 6.4%

352

Orange 0.9%

Yellow 0.5%

Bronze 0.3%

Maroon 0.3%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2012 Aston Martin Vantage vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

20,398

typical

13,326

low mileage

27,779

high mileage

Half of all 2012 Aston Martin Vantage vehicles fall between 13,326 and 27,779 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 13,326 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 13,326–27,779 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2012 Aston Martin Vantages sit.

⚠ Over 37,501 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2012 Aston Martin Vantage — Still on the Road

Most 2012 Aston Martin Vantages are still being driven.

Strong survival — 182 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 89% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2015–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

10.9

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.98

Avg failures per vehicle

5.8

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Aston Martin Vantage: All Vantage years → Which year to buy? →

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Or browse all models: Aston Martin →

Compare with another model

See how the 2012 Aston Martin Vantage stacks up against a rival.

A solid choice — agree?