Nissan Serena (1998)

1,853 real MOT outcomes analysed • 64.4% first-time pass rate

1998 Nissan Serena

CarHunch analysed 1,853 real MOT records for the 1998 Nissan Serena. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

Below average reliability 15.6% below UK average
64.4%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
99,668
typical mileage
81,301–123,552 middle half
24.5%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
3.5
avg MOT failures per car
over 9.3 tests on record

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 2.3 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

65.8%
Petrol
771 vehicles
63.5%
Diesel
1,081 vehicles

What to check before buying a 1998 Nissan Serena

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.
  • ⚠️ 24.5% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
  • 📄 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 Nissan Serena

MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.

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Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type Vehicles Pass rate Avg failures
Diesel (58%) 1,081 63.5% 3.57
Petrol (42%) 771 65.8% 3.4
LPG (0%) 1 63.2% 7

Mileage Distribution

Most 1998 Nissan Serena 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.

81,301
low mileage
99,668
typical
123,552
high mileage

Half of all 1998 Nissan Serena vehicles fall between 81,301 and 123,552 miles.

1998 Nissan Serena — Still on the Road

Numbers are declining — 22 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2021 (7% of peak).

323 22 2014 2021

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2021.

MOT History Averages

9.3
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
3.5
Avg failures per vehicle
12
Avg advisories per vehicle

Most Common MOT Issues — 1998 Nissan Serena

Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.

  • 55.7%
    Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated
  • 53.1%
    Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated
  • 49.6%
    Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded
  • 46.1%
    Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded
  • 44.8%
    Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded
  • 44.6%
    Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded
  • 42.1%
    Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 41.4%
    Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1998. Counts include advisories and failures.

Found a specific Nissan Serena?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.

UK

Other model years — Nissan Serena:

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1999 2000 2001 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016