Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2003 Peugeot Partner?

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 2003 Peugeot Partner?

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 2003 Peugeot Partner?

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 2003 Peugeot Partner vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

35% 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 2003 Peugeot Partner reliable?

Based on MOT data from 8,259 vehicles, the 2003 Peugeot Partner has a first-time MOT pass rate of 69.6%, indicating average reliability for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2003 Peugeot Partner?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2003 Peugeot Partner are: Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (72% of vehicles), Oil leak (70.3% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (67.3% 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 2003 Peugeot Partner?

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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Peugeot Partner (2003)

8,259 real MOT outcomes analysed • 69.6% first-time pass rate

2003 Peugeot Partner

CarHunch analysed 8,259 real MOT records for the 2003 Peugeot Partner. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Petrol vs Diesel Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2003 Peugeot Partner falls well short of the UK average first-time pass rate at 69.6% versus 80%, and more worryingly, 34.7% of these vehicles have recorded a dangerous defect at some point—well above acceptable for a used buy. Petrol and diesel versions perform similarly, with pass rates of 71.8% and 69.3% respectively, so fuel choice won't be your deciding factor here.

These Partners are running around 95,000 miles on average—reasonable for a 21-year-old commercial vehicle—but the real story is in the failure pattern: owners face an average of 5.5 failures and 20.7 advisories per test, suggesting widespread wear across brakes, suspension, and emissions systems. Before viewing one, get a pre-purchase inspection focused on brake condition and exhaust emissions compliance, as these are clearly the weak spots in the model's ageing.

The 2003 Peugeot Partner has a below-average first-time pass rate (69.6% vs ~80% UK average) — check the specific vehicle's full MOT history carefully before buying.

⚠️ 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

69.6%

UK average ~80%

Below average

Dangerous (ever)

34.7%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

5.48

Over 17.1 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

94k

Middle half: 74k–116k

For context

⚠️ Below average. More vehicles in this cohort fail their first MOT than typical. Scrutinise this vehicle's history — look for recurring issues, not just the latest result.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 20.7 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 8,259 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 8,259 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 72%

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

Other issues 70.3%

Oil leak · Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' · Oil leak, but not excessive · …

Lighting 40.1%

Offside Stop lamp not working · Nearside Stop lamp not working · Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working

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

Brake wear 35.3%

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · …

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

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2003.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 8,259 Peugeot Partner cars.

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 2.4 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

71.8%

Petrol

770 vehicles

69.4%

Diesel

7,472 vehicles

Before you buy a 2003 Peugeot Partner

Based on MOT data from 8,259 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 34.7% 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 (90%)	7,472	69.4%	5.48
Petrol (9%)	770	71.8%	5.49

Colour Breakdown

Based on 238,580 Peugeot Partner vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

White 61.6%

146,920

Silver 12.4%

29,474

Red 10.6%

25,237

Grey 6.1%

14,438

Blue 5.1%

12,276

Green 1.6%

3,769

Black 1.4%

3,223

Bronze 0.4%

1,015

Brown 0.4%

965

Yellow 0.3%

809

Beige 0.1%

291

Orange 0.1%

163

Mileage Distribution

Most 2003 Peugeot Partner 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.

94,286

typical

74,464

low mileage

116,486

high mileage

Half of all 2003 Peugeot Partner vehicles fall between 74,464 and 116,486 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 74,464 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.

✓ 74,464–116,486 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2003 Peugeot Partners sit.

⚠ Over 157,256 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2003 Peugeot Partner — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 13% of 2003 Peugeot Partners are still active.

Numbers are declining — 815 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (13% 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

17.1

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

5.48

Avg failures per vehicle

20.7

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Peugeot Partner: All Partner years → Which year to buy? →

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Compare with another model

See how the 2003 Peugeot Partner stacks up against a rival.

Buyer beware — pass it on