Leyland Daf 400 Series (1991)
1991 Leyland Daf 400 Series
CarHunch analysed 693 real MOT records for the 1991 Leyland Daf 400 Series. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
The 1991 Leyland DAF 400 Series is a deeply unreliable proposition with a first-time MOT pass rate of just 12.4%—a catastrophic 67.6 percentage points below the UK average of 80%. Only 10.4% of petrol examples pass first time, and while dangerous defects affect fewer than 4% of vehicles, the overwhelming pattern is one of chronic failure across the board.
At a median mileage of 71,060 miles for a 33-year-old vehicle, these trucks have been relatively well-preserved in terms of use, yet they still accumulate an average of 0.34 failures and 1.1 advisories per test. If you're considering one, treat it as a project vehicle requiring substantial mechanical investment rather than a usable purchase—the numbers suggest that buying one means committing to serious repair work before it'll be roadworthy.
What to check before buying a 1991 Leyland Daf 400 Series
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 400 Series
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 (91%) | 628 | 10.5% | 0.29 |
| Diesel (9%) | 65 | 30.9% | 0.83 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 1991 Leyland Daf 400 Series 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 1991 Leyland Daf 400 Series vehicles fall between 42,704 and 96,453 miles.
1991 Leyland Daf 400 Series — Still on the Road
10 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2016 — 77% of the peak remain.
Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2016.
MOT History Averages
Found a specific Leyland Daf 400 Series?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.