What is the best year for a Porsche 911?

Based on MOT data from 67,627 Porsche 911s, when manufacture years are compared at the same mileage, 2005 has the strongest first-time pass rate at 86.4% (weighted across mileage bands). This is a fairer comparison than raw lifetime averages, where newer cars can appear more reliable simply because they have covered fewer miles. Years consistently above average: 2009–2020.

Which Porsche 911 year should I avoid?

Across mileage-matched bands, 2002 has the weakest weighted first-time pass rate for the Porsche 911 at 82.5%. Years below the model's average: 1980–1986.

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Which year Porsche 911 is most reliable?

Based on 67,627 vehicles (1980–2020) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"

These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 911 at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 911 at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."

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Years to look for

2009–2020

Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other 911s

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Below model average

1980–1986

Lower pass rate than other 911s — worth checking the MOT history before buying

See common failures for 2002 →

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Dataset

67,627

vehicles · 1980–2020 · millions of MOT records

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CarHunch sweet spot — 1994–1997, 2004–2017

These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 84.8–95.7% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year	Pass rate	Vehicles
2020	96.9%	869	Limited data
2019	96.0%	2,519	Limited data
2018	95.2%	2,341	Limited data
2017	95.7%	2,061	Limited data
2016	95.5%	1,935	Limited data
2015	95.4%	1,878	Limited data
2014	94.8%	1,713	Limited data
2013	94.6%	1,370	Limited data
2012	93.3%	1,606	Limited data
2011	92.4%	1,302	Limited data
2010	91.3%	1,880	Limited data
2009	90.3%	1,622	Limited data
2008	89.6%	2,249	Limited data
2007	89.2%	3,177	Limited data
2006	87.2%	3,673
2005	87.2%	3,768	Best year
2004	85.4%	3,314
2003	84.3%	3,542
2002	83.5%	3,414	Worst year
2001	83.0%	2,269	Limited data
2000	82.4%	1,509	Limited data
1999	81.1%	2,038	Limited data
1998	81.6%	1,811	Limited data
1997	85.3%	1,253	Limited data
1996	86.0%	1,572	Limited data
1995	85.3%	1,148	Limited data
1994	84.8%	984	Limited data
1993	84.1%	600	Limited data
1992	84.6%	588	Limited data
1991	83.3%	818	Limited data
1990	82.4%	1,504	Limited data
1989	83.3%	1,129	Limited data
1988	82.4%	755	Limited data
1987	80.7%	858	Limited data
1986	79.3%	899	Limited data
1985	77.8%	607	Limited data
1984	78.5%	534	Limited data
1983	78.1%	552	Limited data
1982	78.4%	687	Limited data
1981	76.9%	630	Limited data
1980	76.5%	649	Limited data

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

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Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

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