Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1989 Daihatsu Hi Jet?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 1989 Daihatsu Hi Jet?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 1989 Daihatsu Hi Jet?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

What are common problems with the 1989 Daihatsu Hi Jet?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1989 Daihatsu Hi Jet are: Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (133.3% of vehicles), Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (100% of vehicles), Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (66.7% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 1989 Daihatsu Hi Jet?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Daihatsu Hi Jet (1989)

193 real MOT outcomes analysed

1989 Daihatsu Hi Jet

CarHunch has 193 1989 Daihatsu Hi Jet vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.

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Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Compare Models

No MOT data available for this vehicle type

The 1989 Daihatsu Hi Jet doesn't appear in DVLA light-vehicle MOT records — it may be exempt, registered as a different vehicle class, or an import not subject to UK MOT testing. We don't have reliability stats for this specific model, but you can browse other Daihatsu vehicles below.

Daihatsu Hi — all years → Best year to buy a Hi → Browse all Daihatsu models →

No MOT data — worth knowing

Got a specific Daihatsu Hi Jet you're checking out?

The real detail is in the individual vehicle report — MOT history, AI Hunches, mileage timeline, and defect patterns for that specific reg.

MOT statistics not available

We have 193 1989 Daihatsu Hi Jet vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.

There are a few reasons this can happen:

Heavy commercial vehicle — trucks, buses and coaches over 3.5 tonnes are tested under the DVSA annual HGV/PSV regime, which uses a separate database not included in our data source
Imported vehicles — vehicles registered abroad and recently brought to the UK may have no UK MOT history yet
MOT-exempt — vehicles manufactured before 1986 qualify under the 40-year rolling exemption; some specialist and agricultural vehicles are also exempt
Never used on public roads — some vehicles are registered but kept off-road and have never required an MOT

Check on the official DVSA service →

What tends to go wrong

Across 193 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Lighting 133.3%

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated · Centre Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated · Nearside Headlamp aim too low · …

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Exhaust & emissions 100%

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases · Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases · engine smoke from exhaust cold

Wipers & washers 66.7%

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid · Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively

Brake wear 33.3%

Brakes imbalanced across an axle · Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort · Parking brake: efficiency below requirements · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Suspension & steering 33.3%

Nearside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Other issues 33.3%

Intermediate drop arm damaged but serviceable · engine over-heating

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1989.

Before you buy a 1989 Daihatsu Hi Jet

Based on MOT data from 193 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 0.5% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Other model years — Daihatsu Hi Jet: All Hi Jet years → Which year to buy? →

1986 1987 1988

Or browse all models: Daihatsu →

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