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Lincoln Town Car Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Lincoln Town Car car check

Is the Lincoln Town Car reliable? We analysed 2,774 real MOT tests across 327 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 2,774 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
73.7%
Typical Mileage
113,266mi
Annual Mileage
3,225mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
38yrs

The Lincoln Town Car is about average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include brake pipe excessively corroded, parking brake: efficiency below requirements and track rod end ball joint has excessive play. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Lincoln Town Car.

Lincoln Town Car Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Lincoln Town Car. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Lincoln Town Car MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Lincoln Town Car to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

81.7%
2005
75%
2004
74.8%
2003
73.7%
2001
71.4%
2000
68.8%
1999
72%
1998
75.3%
1997
77.8%
1996
73.6%
1995
61.1%
1994
82.4%
1992
79.8%
1990
82.1%
1988

Lincoln Town Car Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Lincoln Town Car fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Brake pipe excessively corroded 124
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 111
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 102
fog lamp not working 82
parking brake recording little or no effort 77
brake binding 61
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 61
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 59
position lamp(s) not working 56
Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings 46

Lincoln Town Car Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Lincoln Town Car owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
1,031 mi/yr
Typical
3,225 mi/yr
Average
5,044 mi/yr
Heavy usage
6,953 mi/yr

Lincoln Town Car MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Lincoln Town Car year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2005 71 81.7% 46,927 80,658 101,055
2004 52 75.0% 75,569 115,406 122,050
2003 107 74.8% 69,168 104,178 132,292
2001 213 73.7% 80,739 122,077 173,336
2000 325 71.4% 81,128 118,688 162,078
1999 430 68.8% 97,224 122,475 181,704
1998 353 72.0% 108,135 136,157 177,869
1997 219 75.3% 82,826 120,988 154,052
1996 117 77.8% 59,700 109,964 127,545
1995 144 73.6% 91,490 125,489 170,301
1994 108 61.1% 144,504 181,910 248,871
1992 68 82.4% 37,048 79,496 103,436
1990 84 79.8% 93,219 116,413 162,927
1988 78 82.1% 33,064 39,135 67,058

How Long Does a Lincoln Town Car Last?

Based on 327 Lincoln Town Car vehicles on UK roads.

Average
14.9 years
Median
13.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
38 years

Lincoln Town Car Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Lincoln Town Car MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
113,266 mi
75th Percentile
157,904 mi
95th Percentile
243,416 mi
Max Recorded
747,358 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Lincoln Town Car

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
1992

82.4% MOT pass rate from 68 tests

Year to avoid
1994

61.1% MOT pass rate from 108 tests

The best year to buy a used Lincoln Town Car is 1992, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 82.4% across 68 tests. The 1994 model year has the lowest pass rate at 61.1% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Lincoln Town Car Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Lincoln Town Car THIS CAR 73.7% 2,774 113,266 mi 38 yrs
Lincoln Town Car Auto 72.1% 7,129 123,648 mi 31 yrs
Lincoln Towncar 69.4% 3,290 128,422 mi 34 yrs
Lincoln Navigator 76.1% 2,452 78,614 mi 28 yrs
Vauxhall Corsa Elite Edition Turbo Auto 86.1% 3,035 20,126 mi — yrs

Compared to the Lincoln Town Car Auto (72.1% pass rate) and the Lincoln Towncar (69.4% pass rate), the Lincoln Town Car outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Lincoln Town Car?

The Lincoln Town Car has an overall MOT pass rate of 73.7% across 2,774 real MOT tests — roughly in line with the UK average.

The most common problems on the Lincoln Town Car are brake pipe excessively corroded (124 recorded failures), parking brake: efficiency below requirements (111), and track rod end ball joint has excessive play (102). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Lincoln Town Car owner drives around 3,225 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Lincoln Town Car models stay on UK roads for around 38 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Lincoln Town Car — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Lincoln Town Car reliable?
Based on 2,774 MOT tests, the Lincoln Town Car has a 73.7% pass rate — about average for UK cars.
What are the common problems on a Lincoln Town Car?
The most common MOT failures are brake pipe excessively corroded, parking brake: efficiency below requirements, and track rod end ball joint has excessive play. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Lincoln Town Car do per year?
The typical Lincoln Town Car does around 3,225 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Lincoln Town Car last?
Most Lincoln Town Car models stay on UK roads for around 38 years based on our analysis of 327 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Lincoln Town Car?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Lincoln Town Car?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Lincoln Town Car is 1992 with a 82.4% pass rate across 68 tests.