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R281 SLE

1998 Saab 9-3

Black Petrol 1985cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires25 Mar 2023
Tests21 (16 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate76.2%

Mileage

126,805 mi
Last recorded126,805 miles
Recorded on22 Mar 2022
Typical for 1998 Saab 9-3103,203 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Saab
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR281 SLE
MakeSaab
Model9-3
Year1998
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,985cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

16 pass 5 fail
Pass 22 Mar 2022 126,805 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm damaged but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm modified but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (c) (i))

Pass 25 Mar 2021 123,410 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge on edges (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 10 Mar 2020 121,051 miles

Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive coil spring mount (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 5 Mar 2020 120,982 miles

Driver's door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength coil spring mount (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive coil spring mount (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Mar 2019 116,064 miles

Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Hydraulic leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 26 Mar 2018 108,156 miles
Fail 26 Mar 2018 108,156 miles

Fuel hose insecure (7.2.1)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Offside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 11 Jan 2017 101,477 miles
Pass 11 Sep 2015 95,101 miles
Pass 20 Oct 2014 86,379 miles

Oil leak

advise both front tyres wearing unevenly.

advise movement in both front lower arm bushes.

Fail 7 Oct 2014 86,366 miles

Offside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Steering component mounting prescribed area is fractured (2.2.C.1h) DANGEROUS

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

both front tyres worn on edges

front brake discs worn

Pass 12 Oct 2013 81,210 miles

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 5 Oct 2013 81,160 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Nearside Lower Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 8 Oct 2012 78,530 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

advise exhaust system corroded and outer skin peeling away.

advise front brake discs lipped.

advise nearside front tyre wearing low on 2mm.

advise slight exhaust blow.

advise slight movement in both front lower arm bushes.

Pass 8 Oct 2012 78,530 miles

advise exhaust system corroded and outer skin peeling away.

advise front brake discs lipped.

advise nearside front tyre wearing low on 2mm.

advise slight exhaust blow.

advise slight movement in both front lower arm bushes.

Pass 7 Oct 2011 75,690 miles
Pass 13 Oct 2010 71,758 miles
Pass 6 Oct 2009 68,968 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2008 65,318 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 25 May 2007 61,155 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 23 May 2006 58,098 miles

offside front caliper dust cover inserts missing

How Reliable is the Saab 9-3?

Based on 2,294,034 MOT tests across 155,316 vehicles.

73.6%
Pass Rate
6,682
Miles/Year
28
Year Lifespan
155,316
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 75,543
coil spring broken 47,423
position lamp(s) not working 38,332
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 35,584
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 34,513
Full Saab 9-3 reliability report

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R281 SLE is a 1998 Saab 9-3 in Black with a 1,985cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.2%.

Across all 1998 Saab 9-3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.3% with a typical mileage of 103,203 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Saab 9-3 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 75,543 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R281 SLE, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Saab 9-3 typically stays on UK roads for around 28 years. At 28 years old, this Saab 9-3 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R281 SLE?

You can check the full history of R281 SLE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R281 SLE registered?

R281 SLE is a 1998 Saab 9-3, first registered on 16 April 1998.

Is R281 SLE safe to buy?

The MOT history for R281 SLE shows 21 tests with a 76.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R281 SLE have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on R281 SLE. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.