1999 Saab 9-3: MOT pass rate and reliability

72.6% of 1999 Saab 9-3s pass the MOT first time, measured across 508 DVSA tests on that model year alone. The average one had covered 109,727 miles.

How the 1999 compares

  • Against all Saab 9-3s (68.6%, 36,326 tests): +4 points
  • Against all 1999 cars (68.6%): +4 points
  • National first-time pass rate, all cars and years: 77%

Every Saab 9-3 model year

Pass rates fall as cars age, so the only fair comparison for a 1999 car is other cars of the same age. The full run for the Saab 9-3:

Year Pass rate Tests Avg mileage
1998 70.9% 292 110,818
1999 72.6% 508 109,727
2000 71.4% 660 106,624
2001 71% 751 108,107
2002 69.2% 819 108,245
2003 68.1% 907 114,407
2004 66% 2,184 113,610
2005 67.3% 3,365 115,987
2006 65.9% 5,244 118,853
2007 67.4% 6,628 119,012
2008 69.3% 5,720 123,246
2009 69.7% 3,612 113,082
2010 71.5% 3,272 111,142
2011 71.4% 2,196 112,993

What this means if you are buying a 1999 9-3

The 1999 is one of the stronger years for this model, passing 4 points more often than the Saab 9-3 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 27-year-old car fails on

A 1999 car is 27 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 1999 Saab 9-3 the average at test was 109,727 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.

1999 is the strongest year on record for this model at 72.6%, ahead of every other year we hold data for.

Nearby model years

All Saab 9-3 MOT data · Every model