Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1999 Nissan Silvia?

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 1999 Nissan Silvia?

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 1999 Nissan Silvia?

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 1999 Nissan Silvia reliable?

Based on MOT data from 394 vehicles, the 1999 Nissan Silvia has a first-time MOT pass rate of 82.9%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 1999 Nissan Silvia?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1999 Nissan Silvia are: Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (24.1% of vehicles), Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (22.7% of vehicles), Exhaust noisy (20.3% 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 1999 Nissan Silvia?

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 Silvia (1999)

394 real MOT outcomes analysed • 82.9% first-time pass rate

1999 Nissan Silvia

CarHunch analysed 394 real MOT records for the 1999 Nissan Silvia. 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

Moderate sample. 394 vehicles on record. Figures are indicative — the specific vehicle's history matters more than these averages.

The 1999 Nissan Silvia passes its MOT slightly above the UK average at 81.2%, suggesting reasonable baseline reliability for a car now 25 years old. However, only 9.6% have ever recorded a dangerous defect, which is reassuringly low and means catastrophic issues are uncommon in this cohort.

These Silvias are running at 109,000 miles on average—fairly typical wear for their age—yet they're accumulating 1.21 failures and 5.2 advisories per test, indicating minor wear items and maintenance gaps are the real story. Before buying one, budget for routine attention to smaller issues rather than expecting major structural problems, and get a pre-purchase inspection focused on suspension, brakes, and exhaust components where advisories tend to cluster.

The 1999 Nissan Silvia passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (82.9%) — solid but worth checking this vehicle's history carefully.

⚠️ About 1 in 12 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

82.9%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

9.6%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.21

Over 5.8 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

107k

Middle half: 75k–136k

For context

🔧 Average reliability. Passes at roughly the UK rate — not a standout, not a problem vehicle. Individual history makes all the difference.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 5.2 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 394 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.

Average reliability — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 394 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 24.1%

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

Exhaust & emissions 20.3%

Exhaust noisy · Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive · Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits · …

Brake wear 14.1%

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin

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

Other issues 11.3%

Oil leak, but not excessive

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1999.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 394 Nissan Silvia cars.

Before you buy a 1999 Nissan Silvia

Based on MOT data from 394 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 9.6% 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 (95%)	376	82.9%	1.24

Colour Breakdown

Based on 2,578 Nissan Silvia vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

White 27%

697

Blue 17.7%

456

Black 17.1%

442

Red 12.1%

313

Silver 9.4%

243

Grey 8.1%

210

Orange 2.2%

Green 1.9%

Purple 1.6%

Yellow 1.5%

Bronze 0.7%

Gold 0.5%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1999 Nissan Silvia 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.

106,989

typical

74,741

low mileage

136,235

high mileage

Half of all 1999 Nissan Silvia vehicles fall between 74,741 and 136,235 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 74,741 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.

✓ 74,741–136,235 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1999 Nissan Silvias sit.

⚠ Over 183,917 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

1999 Nissan Silvia — Still on the Road

Most 1999 Nissan Silvias are still being driven.

105 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 75% of the peak remain.

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

5.8

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.21

Avg failures per vehicle

5.2

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

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Compare with another model

See how the 1999 Nissan Silvia stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?