Vauxhall Astra (1999)
1999 Vauxhall Astra
CarHunch analysed 94,505 real MOT records for the 1999 Vauxhall Astra. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
The 1999 Vauxhall Astra fails MOT significantly more often than the UK average, with a first-time pass rate of just 68.5% against the national 80%—a real reliability concern at 25 years old. More worrying, nearly a quarter of these cars (23.3%) have recorded dangerous defects, meaning critical safety failures are common enough to be a genuine buyer concern.
At an average mileage of 97,846 miles, these Astras have been well-used but aren't unusually high-mileage for their age. The 3.6 average failures per test suggest structural and mechanical issues beyond wear-and-tear repairs—combined with 13.5 advisories per vehicle, you're looking at a car that will demand steady maintenance spend. Budget for a pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic and expect to find faults; a cheap Astra often costs more in repairs than it saves upfront.
What to check before buying a 1999 Vauxhall Astra
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.
- ⚠️ 23.3% 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 Vauxhall Astra
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Pass Rate by Fuel Type
| Fuel type | Vehicles | Pass rate | Avg failures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol (78%) | 73,606 | 68.4% | 3.75 |
| Diesel (22%) | 20,802 | 68.5% | 3.05 |
| LPG (0%) | 94 | 67.3% | 3.81 |
| Electric (0%) | 2 | 75% | 0.5 |
| Other (0%) | 1 | 60% | 6 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 1999 Vauxhall Astra 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.
Half of all 1999 Vauxhall Astra vehicles fall between 71,231 and 106,971 miles.
1999 Vauxhall Astra — Still on the Road
Numbers are declining — 1,864 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2022 (6% of peak).
Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2022.
MOT History Averages
Most Common MOT Issues — 1999 Vauxhall Astra
Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.
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66.3%
Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded
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64.7%
Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded
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58.2%
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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56.3%
Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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54.1%
Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded
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53.3%
Oil leak
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50%
Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded
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40.9%
Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated
Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1999. Counts include advisories and failures.
Found a specific Vauxhall Astra?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.