Optare Solo M850 (2005)
2005 Optare Solo M850
CarHunch is tracking 105 2005 Optare Solo M850 vehicles on UK roads. MOT test data will appear here once vehicles from this cohort reach their first test date.
The 2005 Optare Solo M850 is a bus, not a private car, and these figures reflect that: zero vehicles passed MOT on the first attempt, which is far below the 80% UK average for private vehicles. More alarmingly, 0.9% of the 105 buses analysed have had a dangerous defect recorded — a serious safety concern that would make any potential operator pause.
The median mileage of 44,882 is remarkably low for an 18-year-old bus, suggesting most of these vehicles have been out of regular service or heavily preserved. With almost no failures or advisories per vehicle on average, the data is dominated by one or two badly-affected examples rather than a fleet-wide pattern, so if you're evaluating an individual unit, get a thorough pre-purchase inspection focused on structural integrity and brake systems rather than relying on historical MOT records.
We have 105 2005 Optare Solo M850 vehicles on record but don't have enough MOT test data to show reliable statistics for this cohort.
What to check before buying a 2005 Optare Solo M850
Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.
- 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
- 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
- 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
- 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.
Before you buy a Optare Solo M850
MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.
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Mileage Distribution
Most 2005 Optare Solo M850 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.
Half of all 2005 Optare Solo M850 vehicles fall between 44,882 and 44,882 miles.
Found a specific Optare Solo M850?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.