Ford Transit 120 Swb (1998)
1998 Ford Transit 120 Swb
CarHunch is tracking 447 1998 Ford Transit 120 Swb vehicles on UK roads. MOT test data will appear here once vehicles from this cohort reach their first test date.
This 1998 Transit 120 SWB is a significantly weaker performer than the UK average, with only a 50% first-time pass rate against the national baseline of 80%—a 30-percentage-point gap that signals consistent structural issues across this cohort. The good news is that dangerous defects are absent (0%), so you're not looking at safety-critical failures, but the median CarHunch score of 50 reflects a vehicle that demands serious scrutiny before purchase.
At 128,250 miles average, these vans have done genuine work, yet the near-zero failure and advisory rates (0.02 per vehicle) suggest that when they do pass MOT, they tend to be genuinely sorted rather than limping through on luck. If you're considering one, budget for pre-purchase inspection by a specialist in commercial vehicles—the 50% pass rate means half will need work before they're roadworthy, but those that pass have typically had proper attention paid to them.
We have 447 1998 Ford Transit 120 Swb vehicles on record but don't have enough MOT test data to show reliable statistics for this cohort.
What to check before buying a 1998 Ford Transit 120 Swb
Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.
- 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
- 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
- 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
- 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.
Before you buy a Ford Transit 120 Swb
MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.
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Pass Rate by Fuel Type
| Fuel type | Vehicles | Pass rate | Avg failures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel (96%) | 428 | 0.5% | 0.02 |
| Petrol (4%) | 19 | 0% | 0 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 1998 Ford Transit 120 Swb vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.
Half of all 1998 Ford Transit 120 Swb vehicles fall between 99,326 and 127,056 miles.
Found a specific Ford Transit 120 Swb?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.