Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1999 LDV 400?

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 1999 LDV 400?

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 1999 LDV 400?

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.

How many 1999 LDV 400 vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

24% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 1999 LDV 400 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 281 vehicles, the 1999 LDV 400 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 66%, indicating average reliability for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 1999 LDV 400?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1999 LDV 400 are: Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (47.6% of vehicles), Nearside Front Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush (33.8% of vehicles), Offside Front Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush (32.7% 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 1999 LDV 400?

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.

CarHunch

Get Started

LDV 400 (1999)

281 real MOT outcomes analysed • 66% first-time pass rate

1999 LDV 400

CarHunch analysed 281 real MOT records for the 1999 LDV 400. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

On this page

AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 1999 LDV 400 is a notably unreliable proposition: its 66% first-time pass rate sits well below the UK average of 80%, and nearly a quarter of these vehicles have suffered dangerous defects at some point. The diesel-heavy lineup (266 of 281 vehicles) shows no escape route, with the diesel variant managing only a 65.4% pass rate.

At 88,000 miles median, these vans have covered reasonable mileage for their age, yet they're still failing heavily—averaging 2.67 failures per test—which suggests systemic wear rather than abuse. With 9.6 advisories per vehicle on top of that, the running costs will be steep; if you're considering one, budget for immediate remedial work and have a pre-purchase inspection by a diesel specialist.

We have limited data for the 1999 LDV 400 — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

66%

UK average ~80%

Below average

Dangerous (ever)

24.2%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

2.67

Over 7.5 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

88k

Middle half: 69k–114k

For context

These stats describe 281 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Buyer beware — pass it on

What tends to go wrong

Across 281 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Brake wear 47.6%

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements · Service brake: efficiency below requirements · Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded · …

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

Suspension & steering 33.8%

Nearside Front Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush · Offside Front Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush · Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel · …

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

Other issues 30.4%

Oil leak · Horn not working

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1999.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 281 LDV 400 cars.

Before you buy a 1999 LDV 400

Based on MOT data from 281 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 24.2% 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

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Diesel (95%)	266	65.4%	2.74

Colour Breakdown

Based on 9,875 LDV 400 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

White 52.2%

5,159

Red 20.9%

2,064

Blue 13.3%

1,315

Yellow 4.9%

482

Green 4.3%

429

Grey 1.6%

157

Black 0.9%

Silver 0.6%

Cream 0.5%

Orange 0.4%

Multi-colour 0.2%

Maroon 0.2%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1999 LDV 400 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

88,065

typical

68,549

low mileage

113,540

high mileage

Half of all 1999 LDV 400 vehicles fall between 68,549 and 113,540 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 68,549 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 68,549–113,540 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1999 LDV 400s sit.

⚠ Over 153,279 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

1999 LDV 400 — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 32% of 1999 LDV 400s are still active.

Numbers are declining — 10 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2020 (32% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2020.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

7.5

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

2.67

Avg failures per vehicle

9.6

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — LDV 400: All 400 years → Which year to buy? →

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Or browse all models: LDV →

Compare with another model

See how the 1999 LDV 400 stacks up against a rival.

Buyer beware — pass it on