2018 Morgan Roadster 3.7L Petrol · CC05 MOG

A Morgan Roadster of this vintage presenting a six-test MOT history spanning 2021 through 2026 with clean passes on every occasion is, on the face of it, a strong roadworthiness profile at the official test level. Each annual examination, culminating in the most recent pass on 21 July 2026, returned no advisories, no failures, and no recorded defects, meaning there is no DVSA evidence of component wear, corrosion concerns, or emerging mechanical issues being flagged by testers over the covered period. That said, a clean MOT sheet establishes only that the vehicle met statutory minimum standards on the day of test; it does not confirm the broader mechanical condition of a hand-built sports car, nor does it cover areas not subject to MOT inspection. The absence of recorded advisories is notable for a low-mileage, predominantly summer-usage vehicle, as one would typically expect at least minor observations relating to tyre age, brake component corrosion, or suspension bush condition once a car reaches eight years of age. The recorded mileage of 18,925 miles against an eight-year vehicle age equates to an annual accumulation of roughly 2,366 miles, which is substantially below average for the sector and consistent with the Roadster's character as a weekend or fair-weather machine. The MOT history shows consecutive annual tests at very similar intervals from 2021 through 2026, indicating the car has been kept on the road consistently rather than laid up for extended periods, which avoids the typical concerns around seized calipers, perished hoses, and stale fuel that affect long-term stored vehicles. That said, low annual mileage still means that many wear items will be aged rather than worn, and components such as the Ford Duratec-based engine's ancillary drives, the coolant and brake systems, and the wood-framed body hardware will still have undergone eight years of oxidation and material degradation regardless of how few miles have been covered. For a prospective buyer, the priority areas to investigate physically are those that a clean MOT record cannot fully reassure. The Roadster's separate chassis and body construction, combined with its cycle-style wings and aluminium panels, can harbour surface oxidation around mounting points and fasteners, so a close inspection along the chassis rails, suspension pick-up points, and behind the front bulkhead is worthwhile. On the test drive, pay particular attention to any knocking or clonking over uneven surfaces, which would suggest worn suspension bushes or top mounts given the age; a wandering or imprecise front end may indicate tired steering rack mounts or wishbone wear; and any pulsing through the brake pedal or pulling under heavy braking should be investigated as evidence of corroded or unevenly worn discs, particularly given the relatively low mileage which often allows corrosion to develop on the disc faces before pad wear limits are reached. The gearbox, being a Ford-derived manual unit, should be checked for smooth engagement across all ratios, and any clutch slip under hard acceleration noted. Finally, although the MOT history shows nothing amiss with tyres or brakes on test days, the practical condition of consumables on a low-mileage Morgan often tells a different story. Tyres fitted to a vehicle covering fewer than 2,500 miles a year will frequently be of considerable calendar age even if the tread depth is adequate, and the sidewalls should be examined for cracking. Brake fluid should be regarded as due for replacement on age rather than mileage grounds, and similarly the coolant, which on the Ford V6 powerplant fitted to later Roadsters should have been renewed well within the eight-year period. Given the entirely clean DVSA record, there is no specific advisories-driven guidance to offer on the items most commonly flagged on older vehicles, but the prudent buyer of a low-mileage hand-built sports car should still commission an independent pre-purchase inspection, particularly to assess the chassis, the body-to-chassis fasteners, and the condition of components that age more than they wear.