Nissan
Primastar
20,001 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Primastars pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 15.6 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
61.9%
Pass-after-fix
5.8%
Fail
31.3%
Avg miles
143,048
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Some examples of this model are borderline — a small number of diesels were certified Euro 6 before September 2015. Check your registration on the government's ULEZ checker to be certain. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 · Bristol £9.00 .
The picture
Nissan Primastar: challenging MOT record across 15,714 tests
The Renault Trafic is a light commercial van produced by the French automaker Renault since 1980. It has also been marketed as the Fiat Talento, the Nissan NV300, the Nissan Primastar and the Mitsubishi Express.
MOT data from 15,714 tests puts this car on a 61.7% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 140,234 miles. The most common fail item is steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, followed by cracked or discoloured windscreen.
The Primastar's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 12–28
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
12–28
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
1,377 occurrences · 6.9% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,280 occurrences · 6.4% of tests
- 03
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
1,105 occurrences · 5.5% of tests
- 04
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
910 occurrences · 4.5% of tests
- 05
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
904 occurrences · 4.5% of tests
- 06
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
876 occurrences · 4.4% of tests
- 07
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
727 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
- 08
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
609 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 09
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
541 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 10
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
521 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£200–£570
If every one of this Primastar's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
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Parts & supplies for this fix
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Summit
Summit ASRG-1005 Nissan Replacement Stick-On Wide Angle Mirror Glass RHS
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Summit ASRG-1004BH Nissan Replacement Wide Angle Mirror Glass with Heated Backing Plate LHS
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Buying or keeping a Primastar?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Primastar and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.