1993 Nissan 200 Sx — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1993 Nissan 200 Sx passed 85.7% of its 273 recorded MOT tests. That is 9.1 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 23.4%. Failures cluster in emissions & environmental, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (7.3%) and lighting & signalling (7.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and component mounting prescribed areas — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 20 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1993 200 Sx fails 16.4% of the time in the 60-90k band and 12.5% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.9 points.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 16.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 18.2% in 2021 to 11.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 7.3% | 20 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.0% | 19 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.5% | 15 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.8% | 13 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 12 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.3% | 9 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 20 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 11 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 11 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 9 |
| 5 | Prescribed areas | 7 |
| 6 | Wipers | 6 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.5% | 45 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.3% | 39 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.2% | 36 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.7% | 21 |
| 5 | Tyres | 7.3% | 20 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.6% | 18 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90k | 61 | 16.4% |
| 90-120k | 70 | 15.7% |
| 120-150k | 72 | 12.5% |
| 150k+ | 56 | 12.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 66 | 18.2% |
| 2022 | 58 | 19.0% |
| 2023 | 48 | 8.3% |
| 2024 | 58 | 12.1% |
| 2025 | 43 | 11.6% |
What to check before buying a 1993 200 Sx
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: emissions & environmental accounted for 7.3% of tests. Start there.
- Emissions & environmental (7.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (7.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (5.5% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1993 Nissan 200 Sxs pass their MOT?
85.7% of the 273 1993 Nissan 200 Sx MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1993 Nissan 200 Sx?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 7.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.0%).
Does the 1993 200 Sx get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.4% in the 60-90k band to 12.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 273 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.