Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1999 Metrocab Auto?

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 Metrocab Auto?

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 Metrocab Auto?

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.

Is the 1999 Metrocab Auto reliable?

Based on MOT data from 284 vehicles, the 1999 Metrocab Auto has a first-time MOT pass rate of 70.4%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 1999 Metrocab Auto?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1999 Metrocab Auto are: Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (80.1% of vehicles), Oil leak (64.6% of vehicles), Fuel pipe/s corroded (28.3% 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 Metrocab Auto?

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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Metrocab Auto (1999)

284 real MOT outcomes analysed • 70.4% first-time pass rate

1999 Metrocab Auto

CarHunch analysed 284 real MOT records for the 1999 Metrocab Auto. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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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 Metrocab Auto has a first-time MOT pass rate of just 57.1%, significantly below the UK average of 80%, which means most examples fail their test. Roughly one in six of these vehicles (17.2%) has been flagged with a dangerous defect at some point, so safety concerns are real here.

These cars are now 25 years old and averaging 234,000 miles, which is genuinely high for the age and explains some of the test struggles—but the real issue is the 2.24 failures per vehicle, suggesting chronic problem areas beyond just age-related wear. If you're considering one, budget for immediate repairs post-purchase and have a pre-buy inspection by someone familiar with these vehicles, as they're clearly temperamental machines.

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

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 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

70.4%

UK average ~80%

Below average

Dangerous (ever)

17.3%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

2.24

Over 6.9 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

238k

Middle half: 180k–289k

For context

These stats describe 284 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 284 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Brake wear 80.1%

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements · Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. · Service brake: efficiency below requirements · …

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

Other issues 64.6%

Oil leak · Fuel pipe/s corroded

Exhaust & emissions 25.3%

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a non-turbo charged engine · Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases

Suspension & steering 23.3%

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel · 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 · …

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

Tyre wear 20.7%

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

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 284 Metrocab Auto cars.

Before you buy a 1999 Metrocab Auto

Based on MOT data from 284 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 17.3% 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 (98%)	277	70.6%	2.24

Colour Breakdown

Based on 2,376 Metrocab Auto vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Blue 40.2%

956

Black 31%

737

Red 11.3%

269

Green 7.1%

168

Yellow 3.1%

Maroon 2.6%

White 2.4%

Grey 0.9%

Silver 0.7%

Purple 0.4%

Gold 0.2%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1999 Metrocab Auto 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.

238,174

typical

179,681

low mileage

289,089

high mileage

Half of all 1999 Metrocab Auto vehicles fall between 179,681 and 289,089 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 179,681 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.

✓ 179,681–289,089 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1999 Metrocab Autos sit.

⚠ Over 390,270 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

1999 Metrocab Auto — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 13% of 1999 Metrocab Autos are still active.

Numbers are declining — 11 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2018 (13% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2018.

MOT History Averages

6.9

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

2.24

Avg failures per vehicle

6.3

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Metrocab Auto: All Auto years → Which year to buy? →

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

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Buyer beware — pass it on