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R512 TAC

1998 Saab 9-3

Silver Petrol 1985cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires30 Oct 2026
Tests22 (15 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate68.2%

Mileage

112,642 mi
Last recorded112,642 miles
Recorded on2 Oct 2025
Typical for 1998 Saab 9-3103,203 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR512 TAC
MakeSaab
Model9-3
Year1998
ColourSilver
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

15 pass 7 fail
Pass 2 Oct 2025 112,642 miles

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

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

Pass 31 Oct 2024 111,269 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases back box also corroded (6.1.2 (a))

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))

Fail 31 Oct 2024 111,269 miles

Brake fluid contaminated (1.8 (a))

Brake lever has insufficient reserve travel (1.1.2 (a))

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases back box also corroded (6.1.2 (a))

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))

Pass 5 Oct 2023 109,613 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

steering rack minor leak

Fail 5 Oct 2023 109,613 miles

Battery insecure and likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim too far to the right (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

steering rack minor leak

Pass 7 Sep 2022 107,922 miles

Offside Front fog lamp lens broken

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing cracks in treads (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

exhaust rear silencer corroded

Pass 6 Oct 2021 105,302 miles
Pass 19 May 2018 104,977 miles

Front brake discs corroded.

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 19 May 2018 104,977 miles

Nearside Front Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

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

Offside Front Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

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

Front brake discs corroded.

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 4 Jul 2014 104,482 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

front wiper poor

Pass 27 Jun 2013 101,518 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

both front tyres wearing on inner edges

Fail 27 Jun 2013 101,518 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

both front tyres wearing on inner edges

Fail 8 Apr 2013 101,489 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Both front brake discs worn and in poor condition.

Exhaust rear silencer heavily corroded and outer skin peeling.

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

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

Pass 14 Jul 2012 101,225 miles
Pass 14 Mar 2011 100,170 miles
Pass 26 Jan 2010 99,154 miles
Pass 26 Mar 2009 94,454 miles

head lamps dim

slight imbalance on rear brakes

Pass 31 Mar 2008 87,193 miles

nearside handbrake grabbing slightly

rear tyres unevenly worn/stepped

slight leak from steering rack, pinion area

slight play in steering column top bush area

Fail 31 Mar 2008 87,193 miles

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

nearside handbrake grabbing slightly

rear tyres unevenly worn/stepped

slight leak from steering rack, pinion area

slight play in steering column top bush area

Fail 19 Mar 2007 80,039 miles

Handbrake noisy in operation, nearside wheel

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

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Tread depth low on inner edge of nearside front tyre.

Uneven tyre wear front and rear

Pass 19 Mar 2007 80,039 miles

Handbrake noisy in operation, nearside wheel

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Tread depth low on inner edge of nearside front tyre.

Uneven tyre wear front and rear

Pass 4 Apr 2006 73,534 miles

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.1.2c)

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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R512 TAC is a 1998 Saab 9-3 in Silver with a 1,985cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.2%.

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 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 R512 TAC, 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 R512 TAC?

You can check the full history of R512 TAC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R512 TAC registered?

R512 TAC is a 1998 Saab 9-3, first registered on 17 April 1998.

Is R512 TAC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R512 TAC shows 22 tests with a 68.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R512 TAC 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 R512 TAC. 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.