Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1997 Nissan Patrol?

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 1997 Nissan Patrol?

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 1997 Nissan Patrol?

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 1997 Nissan Patrol vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

31% 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 1997 Nissan Patrol reliable?

Based on MOT data from 291 vehicles, the 1997 Nissan Patrol has a first-time MOT pass rate of 69.4%, indicating average reliability for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 1997 Nissan Patrol?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1997 Nissan Patrol are: Service brake: efficiency below requirements (47.3% of vehicles), Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play (36.7% of vehicles), Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (36% 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 1997 Nissan Patrol?

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.

CarHunch

Get Started

Nissan Patrol (1997)

291 real MOT outcomes analysed • 69.4% first-time pass rate

1997 Nissan Patrol

CarHunch analysed 291 real MOT records for the 1997 Nissan Patrol. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

On this page

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 1997 Nissan Patrol is a noticeably weaker performer than the UK average, with a first-time pass rate of just 69.4% against the 80% benchmark — and a concerning 30.9% of these vehicles have recorded dangerous defects at some point, which is well above acceptable for a buyer considering one. This is a truck that tends to accumulate problems: the average car racks up 3.69 failures and 17.8 advisories per test, suggesting systemic wear rather than isolated issues.

At 114,411 miles average for a vehicle that's nearly 30 years old, mileage is actually reasonable and not the root cause of poor test performance. The real story is that these Patrols are ageing hard — if you're serious about one, budget for a pre-purchase inspection by someone who knows old 4x4s, and walk away unless the paperwork and condition suggest an exceptionally well-maintained example.

We have limited data for the 1997 Nissan Patrol — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ 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

69.4%

UK average ~80%

Below average

Dangerous (ever)

30.9%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

3.69

Over 11.5 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

109k

Middle half: 89k–134k

For context

These stats describe 291 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 291 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Brake wear 47.3%

Service brake: efficiency below requirements · Brake pipe slightly corroded · Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded · …

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

Suspension & steering 36.7%

Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play · Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play · Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play · …

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

Other issues 29.5%

Fuel pipe/s corroded · Oil leak

Lighting 17.4%

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated

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

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1997.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 291 Nissan Patrol cars.

Before you buy a 1997 Nissan Patrol

Based on MOT data from 291 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 30.9% 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 (82%)	239	69.4%	3.67

Colour Breakdown

Based on 7,894 Nissan Patrol vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Green 23.1%

1,820

Blue 18.9%

1,493

Red 16.9%

1,333

Silver 11.6%

919

Black 10.4%

823

White 8.6%

681

Grey 7.2%

571

Gold 1.2%

Bronze 1.2%

Maroon 0.3%

Brown 0.3%

Orange 0.3%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1997 Nissan Patrol 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.

108,753

typical

89,290

low mileage

134,493

high mileage

Half of all 1997 Nissan Patrol vehicles fall between 89,290 and 134,493 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 89,290 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.

✓ 89,290–134,493 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1997 Nissan Patrols sit.

⚠ Over 181,565 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

1997 Nissan Patrol — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 28% of 1997 Nissan Patrols are still active.

Numbers are declining — 29 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (28% 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

11.5

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

3.69

Avg failures per vehicle

17.8

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Or browse all models: Nissan →

Compare with another model

See how the 1997 Nissan Patrol stacks up against a rival.

Buyer beware — pass it on