Morgan 4/4 (1998)
1998 Morgan 4/4
CarHunch analysed 107 real MOT records for the 1998 Morgan 4/4. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
The 1998 Morgan 4/4 passes its MOT at a rate of 81%, just above the UK average of 80%, which suggests broadly typical reliability for a vehicle of this age—though the 16.8% dangerous defect rate does warrant caution from a safety perspective. These are low-mileage cars overall, with a median of just 19,456 miles, suggesting many are garage queens rather than daily drivers, which helps explain the reasonable pass rate despite their age.
When these Morgans do fail, they average 2.76 failures and 5.5 advisories per test, indicating persistent issues rather than one-off problems—typical of older sports cars with ageing electrics, exhaust systems, and suspension components. Before buying, budget for a pre-purchase inspection by a Morgan specialist, since generic mechanics often miss the quirks of hand-built, lightweight chassis, and verify maintenance history carefully given the high advisory count.
What to check before buying a 1998 Morgan 4/4
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 Morgan 4/4
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Mileage Distribution
Most 1998 Morgan 4/4 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 Morgan 4/4 vehicles fall between 14,338 and 31,901 miles.
1998 Morgan 4/4 — Still on the Road
Strong survival — 69 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 84% of the peak.
Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
MOT History Averages
Most Common MOT Issues — 1998 Morgan 4/4
Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.
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23.7%
Nearside Front Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush
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19.5%
Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing
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17.2%
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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15%
Offside Front Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush
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14.8%
Oil leak, but not excessive
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12.1%
Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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11.3%
Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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10.8%
Offside Rear fog lamp not working
Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1998. Counts include advisories and failures.
Found a specific Morgan 4/4?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.