Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1998 Toyota Camry?

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 Toyota Camry?

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 Toyota Camry?

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 Toyota Camry reliable?

Based on MOT data from 1,063 vehicles, the 1998 Toyota Camry has a first-time MOT pass rate of 75.2%, 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 Toyota Camry?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1998 Toyota Camry are: Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (44.8% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (42.9% of vehicles), Oil leak (37.6% 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 Toyota Camry?

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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Toyota Camry (1998)

1,063 real MOT outcomes analysed • 75.2% first-time pass rate

1998 Toyota Camry

CarHunch analysed 1,063 real MOT records for the 1998 Toyota Camry. 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 Toyota Camry falls short of the UK average with a first-time pass rate of 75.1% against the national 80%, suggesting these 25-year-old cars are showing their age and likely need pre-purchase inspection. Encouragingly, only 13.7% have ever recorded a dangerous defect, so safety failures are not a widespread concern for the model.

These Camrys are averaging 109,789 miles, which is reasonable for their age, but the high advisory count of 10.3 per vehicle indicates cumulative wear across multiple systems—expect routine maintenance bills. Budget for an average of 2.47 failures per test and have a pre-purchase inspection focus on suspension, brakes, and emissions components before committing to buy.

The 1998 Toyota Camry passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (75.2%) — solid but worth checking this vehicle's history carefully.

⚠️ 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

75.2%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

13.7%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

2.47

Over 9.2 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

103k

Middle half: 82k–130k

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 10.3 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 1,063 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 1,063 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 44.8%

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

Other issues 37.6%

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

Brake wear 22.7%

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.

Lighting 14.3%

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.

Exhaust & emissions 13.3%

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits

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 1,063 Toyota Camry cars.

Before you buy a 1998 Toyota Camry

Based on MOT data from 1,063 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 13.7% 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
Petrol (99%)	1,050	75.1%	2.48

Colour Breakdown

Based on 12,672 Toyota Camry vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Blue 21.4%

2,707

Silver 18.3%

2,319

Green 16%

2,023

Red 14.3%

1,807

White 11.4%

1,443

Grey 9%

1,146

Black 3%

384

Maroon 2.4%

299

Beige 1.9%

242

Bronze 1.2%

151

Gold 0.9%

114

Brown 0.3%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1998 Toyota Camry 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.

103,310

typical

82,234

low mileage

129,696

high mileage

Half of all 1998 Toyota Camry vehicles fall between 82,234 and 129,696 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 82,234 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.

✓ 82,234–129,696 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1998 Toyota Camrys sit.

⚠ Over 175,089 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

1998 Toyota Camry — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 19% of 1998 Toyota Camrys are still active.

Numbers are declining — 50 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (19% 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

9.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

2.47

Avg failures per vehicle

10.3

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Toyota Camry: All Camry years → Which year to buy? →

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Average reliability — agree?