Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1998 Nissan Cabstar?

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 1998 Nissan Cabstar?

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 1998 Nissan Cabstar?

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 1998 Nissan Cabstar vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

27% 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 1998 Nissan Cabstar reliable?

Based on MOT data from 1,282 vehicles, the 1998 Nissan Cabstar has a first-time MOT pass rate of 67.6%, indicating average reliability for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 1998 Nissan Cabstar?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1998 Nissan Cabstar are: Service brake: efficiency below requirements (83.5% of vehicles), Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (62.3% of vehicles), Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (37.2% 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 1998 Nissan Cabstar?

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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Nissan Cabstar (1998)

1,282 real MOT outcomes analysed • 67.6% first-time pass rate

1998 Nissan Cabstar

CarHunch analysed 1,282 real MOT records for the 1998 Nissan Cabstar. 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 1998 Nissan Cabstar's 67.2% first-time pass rate sits well below the UK average of 80%, and that's a genuine red flag: over a quarter of these vehicles have recorded dangerous defects, which is a serious buyer concern. This isn't a particularly reliable workhorse by MOT standards, especially for a commercial vehicle where uptime matters.

At around 105,900 miles median, these Cabstars are carrying typical mileage for their age, but they're arriving at test with an average of 3.25 failures each—suggesting accumulated wear rather than isolated issues. Before committing to one, get a full pre-purchase inspection focusing on the dangerous defect history and those 13.6 average advisories, which point to multiple small problems brewing across the vehicle.

The 1998 Nissan Cabstar has a below-average first-time pass rate (67.6% vs ~80% UK average) — check the specific vehicle's full MOT history carefully before buying.

⚠️ 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

67.6%

UK average ~80%

Below average

Dangerous (ever)

27%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

3.25

Over 9.2 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

106k

Middle half: 83k–132k

For context

⚠️ Below average. More vehicles in this cohort fail their first MOT than typical. Scrutinise this vehicle's history — look for recurring issues, not just the latest result.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 13.6 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 1,282 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 1,282 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Brake wear 83.5%

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

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

Other issues 37.2%

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' · Oil leak · Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A'

Suspension & steering 36.9%

Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play · Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play · Offside Steering pivot point has slight play · …

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

Tyre wear 30.1%

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.

Lighting 24.1%

Offside Rear fog lamp not working

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1998.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 1,282 Nissan Cabstar cars.

Before you buy a 1998 Nissan Cabstar

Based on MOT data from 1,282 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 27% 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 (100%)	1,281	67.5%	3.25

Colour Breakdown

Based on 28,350 Nissan Cabstar vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

White 53.5%

15,164

Blue 20.7%

5,869

Red 15.5%

4,404

Silver 5.9%

1,662

Grey 2%

557

Green 1%

275

Yellow 0.6%

166

Black 0.5%

136

Orange 0.2%

Maroon 0.1%

Cream 0.1%

Beige 0.1%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1998 Nissan Cabstar 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.

105,902

typical

83,483

low mileage

131,587

high mileage

Half of all 1998 Nissan Cabstar vehicles fall between 83,483 and 131,587 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 83,483 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.

✓ 83,483–131,587 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1998 Nissan Cabstars sit.

⚠ Over 177,642 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

1998 Nissan Cabstar — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 20% of 1998 Nissan Cabstars are still active.

Numbers are declining — 50 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (20% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* 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

9.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

3.25

Avg failures per vehicle

13.6

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Nissan Cabstar: All Cabstar years → Which year to buy? →

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Buyer beware — pass it on