Leyland Daf 200 Series City Special (1990)
1990 Leyland Daf 200 Series City Special
CarHunch analysed 134 real MOT records for the 1990 Leyland Daf 200 Series City Special. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
This 1990 Leyland DAF 200 Series City Special is a deeply unreliable proposition: just 4.2% of the 134 vehicles analysed passed their MOT first time, a catastrophic 76 percentage points below the UK average of 80%. The petrol versions fare even worse at 2.8%, and while dangerous defects haven't been recorded in this sample, the abysmal pass rate alone signals severe structural problems with the model.
At nearly 91,000 miles on average, these buses have genuinely heavy use behind them, yet they're still racking up failures at a staggering rate despite their relatively modest advisory count of 0.2 per vehicle. If you're considering one of these, treat it as a project requiring serious mechanical investment rather than a functioning vehicle—budget for comprehensive inspection and substantial repairs before purchase.
What to check before buying a 1990 Leyland Daf 200 Series City Special
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 Leyland Daf 200 Series City Special
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol (99%) | 132 | 2.8% | 0.11 |
| Diesel (1%) | 1 | 100% | 0 |
| LPG (1%) | 1 | 90.9% | 1 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 1990 Leyland Daf 200 Series City Special 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 1990 Leyland Daf 200 Series City Special vehicles fall between 76,223 and 130,944 miles.
MOT History Averages
Found a specific Leyland Daf 200 Series City Special?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.