73.5%
Nissan 350Z pass rate
Used Nissan 350Z buying guide
In 2025, Nissan 350Z cars passed 73.5% of 4,858 initial MOT tests, 1.2 points above the 72.3% UK average. Here is where it fails and what to check before you buy.
Looking at a specific 350Z? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Nissan 350Z MOT record in brief
Initial MOT tests in 2025, retests excluded.
72.3%
UK average, all cars
+1.2
percentage points above average
Ranked on pass rate the 350Z sits 288th of 575 models in the data. Nissan as a brand averaged 67.8%, so this model runs 5.7 points ahead of its own brand. Nissan 350Z cars aged 6 to 10 years passed 90.5% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 72.2%.
A pass rate is not a reliability score. The full Nissan 350Z MOT record has the pass rate by age, every common failure and how the 350Z compares with similar cars.
350Z fuel types
Petrol was the most common fuel among Nissan 350Z cars tested in 2025. None of the tested examples were diesel.
Where the 350Z fails its MOT
Where Nissan 350Z cars that failed their 2025 MOT were marked down, as a share of all recorded failure items.
The specific items testers recorded most often were position lamp not working (4.7%), catalyst emissions lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (4.4%) and headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.2%). See every common 350Z MOT failure.
These are DVSA failure records across every Nissan 350Z that failed, not a claim that every 350Z has these problems.
What should you check when buying a used 350Z?
The areas above, most common first, and what an MOT tester looks at in each.
1
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting. 21.2% of 350Z failure items.
2
Noise, emissions and leaks
Listen for a blowing exhaust, watch for smoke on start-up and look under the car for oil or fluid leaks. 19.3% of 350Z failure items.
3
Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters. 18.4% of 350Z failure items.
4
Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing. 12.2% of 350Z failure items.
5
Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear. 8.2% of 350Z failure items.
None of this replaces the car's own record. Run a free MOT history check on the registration to see every test, advisory and recorded mileage for that car.
What the MOT record doesn't tell you
Knowing Nissan 350Z failures cluster around lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and noise, emissions and leaks tells you what to inspect. It tells you nothing about whether the car is safe to buy. An MOT does not show money still owed on the car, a write-off, a theft record or a clocked odometer.
Check the exact 350Z you are looking at. One £15 report, instant results, backed by a £30,000 data guarantee. More on the Nissan history check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
Other used Nissan models
The most-tested Nissan models in 2025, with how their MOT pass rate compares with the 350Z.
Used Nissan 350Z FAQs
Is the Nissan 350Z reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 73.5% first-time pass rate for the Nissan 350Z across 4,858 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Do older Nissan 350Z cars fail their MOT more often?
Nissan 350Z cars aged 6 to 10 years passed 90.5% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 72.2%. On an older example, the car's own MOT history tells you more than the model average.
What should I check before buying a used Nissan 350Z?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, noise, emissions and leaks and suspension. Then check the individual car's history: outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, mileage and previous keepers. None of these appear in the MOT record or on the V5C.
How do I check a Nissan 350Z's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.