Sports car and convertible · 1996–2021 cars

Nissan Skyline reliability

The Nissan Skyline fails 14.2% of first MOT tests, 60% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage, based on 6,645 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2024.

Better than averageReliability score 99/100#15 of 62 sports car and convertibles

Checking a Nissan Skyline before you buy?

first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%): 14.2%; first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%)
fails than cars of the same age and mileage: 60% fewer; fails than cars of the same age and mileage
MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024: 6,645; MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024
typical miles a year, from MOT readings: 12,600; typical miles a year, from MOT readings

MOT fail rate by age

How the Nissan Skyline ages

Each point is the share of Nissan Skylines of that age that failed their MOT first time, against all cars of the same age.

Nissan SkylineAll cars

Nissan Skyline first-time MOT fail rate by age
Age at MOT (years)	Nissan Skyline	All cars
5	14.7%	16.4%
6	8.6%	19.1%
7	13.9%	22.1%
8	16.1%	25.5%
14	17.2%	41.1%
15	12%	42.3%
16	15.1%	42.9%
17	15.7%	43.4%
18	17.8%	43.5%
19	15.9%	43.4%
20	11.6%	42.8%
21	18.7%	41.4%
22	14.1%	40.6%
23	11.9%	38.9%
24	12%	37.1%
25	11.3%	35.8%

By year

The best and worst Nissan Skyline years

Nissan Skyline MOT results by year of first registration
First registered	Tests	Fail rate	Against same-age cars	Typical mileage
2017	243	10.3%	53% fewer fails	78,229
2016	427	18%	26% fewer fails	79,796
2015	474	11.6%	54% fewer fails	72,144
2008	441	15%	63% fewer fails	86,712
2007	429	16.6%	61% fewer fails	92,498
2006	509	14.5%	66% fewer fails	88,464
2005	646	16.7%	61% fewer fails	93,241
2004	420	13.6%	68% fewer fails	87,899
2003	425	19.1%	55% fewer fails	97,095
2000	361	9.7%	74% fewer fails	79,196
1999	490	14.1%	60% fewer fails	74,558
1998	316	12.3%	65% fewer fails	81,517

Common problems

What fails most on a Nissan Skyline

Failures by area, against cars of the same age and mileage.

Fail rate by area

Lights and electrics7.6%51% below avg
Exhaust, emissions and leaks4.2%19% below avg
Suspension3%76% below avg
Brakes2.5%74% below avg
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors2.4%61% below avg
Tyres1.9%69% below avg
Body, chassis and structure1.8%71% below avg
Steering1.4%48% below avg
Seat belts and airbags0.9%52% below avg

Average for cars of the same age and mileage

Top MOT failures

1
Carbon monoxide high after fast idle 1.47% of tests
High carbon monoxide can point to engine or catalytic converter faults, so ask for diagnosis before buying.
2
Lambda reading outside specified limits 1.44% of tests
An out-of-range lambda reading suggests poor fuel mixture or a failing catalytic converter, so diagnosis is needed.
3
Headlamp beam pattern obviously incorrect 1.38% of tests
A wrongly shaped beam can dazzle other drivers and reduce your own view of the road, so the lamps need correcting.
4
Rear fog lamp not working 1.29% of tests
A failed rear fog lamp reduces visibility in fog and leaves you less visible to following traffic, so repair it.
5
Position lamp not working 1.16% of tests
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
6
Suspension mounting area seriously corroded 0.78% of tests
Corrosion near suspension mountings can seriously weaken the body structure, so an expert inspection is needed.
7
Carbon monoxide high, default limits 0.77% of tests
High carbon monoxide at fast idle suggests engine or exhaust-emission faults, so diagnosis is recommended before buying.
8
Windscreen washers not working 0.74% of tests
Without working washers the windscreen cannot be cleaned while driving, which is a safety risk in dirty weather.

Most common advisories

Not a fail yet, but worth pricing in: these show up on a Nissan Skyline's MOT certificate most often.

Tyre worn close to legal limit6.06%
Brake pipes corroded and greasy3.82%
Engine oil leak, not excessive3.15%
Brake disc pitted or scored3.1%
Brake pads wearing thin2.47%
Suspension arm pin/bush showing wear2.09%

Before you buy

What to check on a used Nissan Skyline

1
Carbon monoxide high after fast idle
High carbon monoxide can point to engine or catalytic converter faults, so ask for diagnosis before buying.
2
Lambda reading outside specified limits
An out-of-range lambda reading suggests poor fuel mixture or a failing catalytic converter, so diagnosis is needed.
3
Headlamp beam pattern obviously incorrect
A wrongly shaped beam can dazzle other drivers and reduce your own view of the road, so the lamps need correcting.
4
Rear fog lamp not working
A failed rear fog lamp reduces visibility in fog and leaves you less visible to following traffic, so repair it.
5
Every MOT since new
Look for the faults above coming back year after year: it shows how the car has been looked after.
6
The mileage record
A typical Nissan Skyline covers about 12,600 miles a year. A big gap or a drop between MOTs is a warning sign.
7
Finance, stolen and write-off
The records the MOT can't show. A Full Check (£9.99) covers all three before you hand over any money.

Fuel types tested

Petrol99.9%
Hybrid0%
LPG0%

Most common colours

White, Silver, Black, Blue, Grey

Average engine size: 2.6 litres.

Compare

How the Nissan Skyline compares with its rivals

Nissan Skyline against similar models
Model	Fail rate	Against same-age cars
Nissan Skyline	14.2%	60% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Nissan 370 Z	14.3%	51% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Lexus SC	21.7%	46% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Abarth 124 Spider	9.6%	25% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
MINI Coupe	27.6%	16% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Alfa Romeo Brera	34.8%	15% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Alfa Romeo GT	45.9%	8% more MOT fails than the average car its age

Every sports car and convertible ranked in the sports car and convertible reliability index, or all Nissan models.

Questions

Nissan Skyline questions, answered

Is the Nissan Skyline reliable?

On MOT results, the Nissan Skyline is better than average: it fails 14.2% of first MOT tests, 60% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage. It ranks 15 of 62 sports car and convertible models in our index.

What fails most on a Nissan Skyline MOT?

The most common MOT failures on the Nissan Skyline are carbon monoxide high after fast idle (1.47% of tests), lambda reading outside specified limits (1.44% of tests), headlamp beam pattern obviously incorrect (1.38% of tests). By area, lights and electrics fails 7.6% of its tests.

How many miles does a Nissan Skyline do a year?

A typical Nissan Skyline covers about 12,600 miles a year, from the mileage recorded at its MOTs. Check the car you're looking at against that with a free mileage check.

How do I check a Nissan Skyline before I buy it?

Enter its registration for a free check of its MOT history, mileage, ULEZ status and tax. Before you pay, a Full Check (£9.99) shows outstanding finance, stolen and write-off records.

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results, 2022 to 2024, class 4 vehicles aged 3 to 25, normal tests only. How we compare like with like: our methodology.

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