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

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 Pickup?

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 Pickup?

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 Pickup vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

28% 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 Pickup reliable?

Based on MOT data from 239 vehicles, the 1998 Nissan Pickup has a first-time MOT pass rate of 66%, 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 Pickup?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1998 Nissan Pickup are: Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (49.9% of vehicles), Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (45.9% of vehicles), Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (44.9% 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 Pickup?

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 Pickup (1998)

239 real MOT outcomes analysed • 66% first-time pass rate

1998 Nissan Pickup

CarHunch analysed 239 real MOT records for the 1998 Nissan Pickup. 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 Pickup passes its MOT first time in only 66% of cases, well below the UK average of 80%, and nearly three in ten have recorded a dangerous defect at some point—a serious concern for any potential buyer. Diesel variants (which account for almost all tested vehicles) perform marginally worse, with a 65.9% pass rate that suggests systemic reliability issues rather than one-off problem vehicles.

These pickups are running at around 99,500 miles median, which is reasonable for their age, but they're racking up nearly four failures per test on average—indicating structural weaknesses beyond wear-and-tear repairs. Before purchase, get a full pre-buy inspection focused on brakes, suspension, and steering, since the high dangerous-defect rate suggests these areas are where the real problems lie.

We have limited data for the 1998 Nissan Pickup — 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

66%

UK average ~80%

Below average

Dangerous (ever)

28%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

3.89

Over 10.9 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

100k

Middle half: 77k–130k

For context

These stats describe 239 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 239 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Brake wear 49.9%

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded · Brake pipe slightly corroded · Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded · …

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

Suspension & steering 45.9%

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

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

Tyre wear 44.9%

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside Front 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 30.1%

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated · Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated

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

Other issues 30.1%

Oil leak

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 239 Nissan Pickup cars.

Before you buy a 1998 Nissan Pickup

Based on MOT data from 239 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 28% 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 (99%)	237	65.9%	3.89

Colour Breakdown

Based on 10,603 Nissan Pickup vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Silver 29.4%

3,117

Blue 28.5%

3,023

Red 12%

1,272

Black 11.4%

1,212

White 9.5%

1,012

Green 6.6%

698

Grey 1.7%

182

Orange 0.3%

Purple 0.2%

Yellow 0.2%

Bronze 0%

Gold 0%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1998 Nissan Pickup 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.

99,522

typical

76,939

low mileage

129,947

high mileage

Half of all 1998 Nissan Pickup vehicles fall between 76,939 and 129,947 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 76,939 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.

✓ 76,939–129,947 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1998 Nissan Pickups sit.

⚠ Over 175,428 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 Pickup — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 16% of 1998 Nissan Pickups are still active.

Numbers are declining — 11 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2024 (16% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2024.
* 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

10.9

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

3.89

Avg failures per vehicle

18.2

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

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Buyer beware — pass it on