CarVerify

Free Car Check

R281 UKP

1998 Saab 9-3

Black Petrol 1985cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Sep 2027
Tests32 (21 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate65.6%

Mileage

132,439 mi
Last recorded132,439 miles
Recorded on10 Sep 2026
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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £14.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationR281 UKP
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

21 pass 11 fail
Pass 10 Sep 2026 132,439 miles

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

Fail 11 Aug 2026 132,390 miles

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

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 9 Sep 2025 132,339 miles
Pass 5 Sep 2024 130,603 miles
Pass 13 Sep 2023 128,706 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 7 Sep 2023 128,754 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 18 Aug 2022 126,782 miles

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.2.2 (b))

Fail 15 Aug 2022 126,781 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Rear Registration plate insecure (0.1 (a))

Rear Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured BOTH (4.4.3 (a))

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.2.2 (b))

Pass 3 Aug 2021 126,247 miles

main beam tile tall not working

Fail 2 Aug 2021 126,247 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

main beam tile tall not working

Pass 17 Jul 2020 125,562 miles

Front Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.2.2 (b))

exhaust system corroded

Fail 9 Jul 2020 125,561 miles

Fuel pipe insecure fill pipes (6.1.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Front Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.2.2 (b))

exhaust system corroded

Pass 13 Aug 2019 124,189 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

exhaust system corroded

rear axle corroded

Pass 21 Jul 2018 123,652 miles
Fail 14 Jul 2018 123,624 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Central exhaust rubber starting to perish

Offside Rear brake slightly binding

Pass 5 Jul 2017 121,361 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2016 115,230 miles
Pass 21 Aug 2015 113,716 miles

Centre engine mounting deteriorated, but not resulting in excessive movement (6.1.D.1a)

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

Fail 21 Aug 2015 113,716 miles

Centre engine mounting deteriorated, but not resulting in excessive movement (6.1.D.1a)

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

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

Pass 21 May 2014 112,697 miles
Fail 7 May 2014 112,607 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Inner Front constant velocity joint gaiter damaged to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (2.5.C.1a)

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Rear engine mounting bracket damaged but not likely to fail (6.1.D.1b)

Pass 30 Apr 2013 104,275 miles
Fail 30 Apr 2013 104,274 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 2 Mar 2012 100,525 miles
Fail 4 Mar 2011 99,618 miles

Nearside Front constant velocity joint gaiter insecurely mounted to its housing (2.5.C.1a)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 4 Mar 2011 99,618 miles
Pass 11 Mar 2010 97,625 miles
Fail 10 Mar 2010 97,625 miles

Nearside Front constant velocity joint is insecure (2.5.C.1b)

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

Pass 9 Mar 2009 87,582 miles
Pass 26 Feb 2008 84,554 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2007 83,747 miles
Pass 11 Mar 2006 79,357 miles

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

R281 UKP is a 1998 Saab 9-3 in Black with a 1,985cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 32 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.6%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 UKP, 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 UKP?

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

What year was R281 UKP registered?

R281 UKP is a 1998 Saab 9-3, first registered on 9 October 1998.

Is R281 UKP safe to buy?

The MOT history for R281 UKP shows 32 tests with a 65.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R281 UKP 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 UKP. 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.