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

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 Qx?

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 Qx?

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 1998 Nissan Qx reliable?

Based on MOT data from 212 vehicles, the 1998 Nissan Qx has a first-time MOT pass rate of 70.9%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 1998 Nissan Qx?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1998 Nissan Qx are: Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (44.6% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (41.9% of vehicles), Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (37.3% 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 1998 Nissan Qx?

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 Qx (1998)

212 real MOT outcomes analysed • 70.9% first-time pass rate

1998 Nissan Qx

CarHunch analysed 212 real MOT records for the 1998 Nissan Qx. 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 QX falls notably short of the UK average with a 70.9% first-time pass rate against the national 80%, suggesting these 26-year-old examples need meaningful attention before MOT. Nearly 18% have picked up dangerous defects at some point, which is a legitimate concern for buyers who can't verify full service history.

These vehicles are averaging just over 103,000 miles, which is reasonable for their age, but they're racking up 2.51 failures and 7.7 advisories per test—pointing to cumulative wear across multiple systems rather than one glaring weak spot. Before viewing one, ask the seller for the full MOT history and have a pre-purchase inspection focus on the specific failure patterns, since these cars clearly need more than a quick once-over.

We have limited data for the 1998 Nissan Qx — 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

70.9%

UK average ~80%

Below average

Dangerous (ever)

17.9%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

2.51

Over 7.8 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

96k

Middle half: 77k–119k

For context

These stats describe 212 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 212 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 44.6%

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside 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.

Brake wear 37.3%

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded · Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded · …

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

Other issues 22.2%

Nearside Front constant velocity joint gaiter split · Offside Front constant velocity joint gaiter split

Exhaust & emissions 17.8%

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive

Lighting 17.6%

Nearside Stop lamp not working · Offside Stop 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 212 Nissan Qx cars.

Before you buy a 1998 Nissan Qx

Based on MOT data from 212 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 17.9% 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
Petrol (99%)	210	70.8%	2.52

Colour Breakdown

Based on 862 Nissan Qx vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Green 25.4%

219

Blue 23.2%

200

Silver 19%

164

Grey 9.6%

Red 9.2%

Black 6.8%

Brown 3%

Beige 2%

Maroon 1.2%

White 0.6%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1998 Nissan Qx 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.

95,938

typical

76,765

low mileage

119,229

high mileage

Half of all 1998 Nissan Qx vehicles fall between 76,765 and 119,229 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 76,765 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.

✓ 76,765–119,229 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1998 Nissan Qxs sit.

⚠ Over 160,959 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 Qx — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 36% of 1998 Nissan Qxs are still active.

Numbers are declining — 10 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2019 (36% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2019.

MOT History Averages

7.8

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

2.51

Avg failures per vehicle

7.7

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

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Buyer beware — pass it on