1998 Nissan Primera: MOT pass rate and reliability
70.9% of 1998 Nissan Primeras pass the MOT first time, measured across 203 DVSA tests on that model year alone. The average one had covered 98,460 miles.
How the 1998 compares
- Against all Nissan Primeras (64.4%, 3,224 tests): +6.5 points
- Against all 1998 cars (70%): +0.9 points
- National first-time pass rate, all cars and years: 77%
Every Nissan Primera model year
Pass rates fall as cars age, so the only fair comparison for a 1998 car is other cars of the same age. The full run for the Nissan Primera:
| Year | Pass rate | Tests | Avg mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 70.9% | 203 | 98,460 |
| 2002 | 59.8% | 323 | 92,508 |
| 2003 | 64.4% | 396 | 94,821 |
| 2004 | 65.5% | 481 | 98,855 |
| 2005 | 63.1% | 685 | 96,638 |
| 2006 | 63.5% | 485 | 92,393 |
What this means if you are buying a 1998 Primera
The 1998 is one of the stronger years for this model, passing 6.5 points more often than the Nissan Primera average. That is a point in its favour, though condition and service history still matter more than the model year. Check the exact car with the free MOT history checker before you buy, and run its VIN and mileage through our free VIN decoder and clocking check.
What a 28-year-old car fails on
A 1998 car is 28 years old now, and age drives the failure mix more than the badge does. Across all cars tested, these are the categories that actually cause failures:
- Lights and electrical: 10.36% of all cars tested
- Suspension: 8.65% of all cars tested
- Tyres: 6.23% of all cars tested
- Brakes: 6.1% of all cars tested
- Visibility: wipers, washers, glass: 4.65% of all cars tested
- Body, chassis and structure: 3.18% of all cars tested
That is above average and into the range where cambelts and water pumps are due if they have not already been done, so ask for the service history rather than take the mileage on trust. On a 1998 Nissan Primera the average at test was 98,460 miles, so treat anything far above that as a car that has worked harder than its peers, and anything far below as one worth checking for the faults that come from standing still.
1998 is the strongest year on record for this model at 70.9%, ahead of every other year we hold data for.
Nearby model years
- 2002 Nissan Primera - 59.8%
- 2003 Nissan Primera - 64.4%
- 2004 Nissan Primera - 65.5%