CarVerify

Free Car Check

AE53 VVG

2003 Volkswagen Beetle

Silver Petrol 1595cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires5 Apr 2026
Tests27 (19 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate70.4%

Mileage

128,410 mi
Last recorded128,410 miles
Recorded on19 Mar 2025
Typical for 2003 Volkswagen Beetle73,703 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Volkswagen
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationAE53 VVG
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year2003
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,595cc

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

19 pass 8 fail
Pass 19 Mar 2025 128,410 miles

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

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Both Sides (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 19 Mar 2025 128,410 miles

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

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Both Sides (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 8 Mar 2024 124,399 miles

Nearside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Offside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Rear Coil spring corroded both sides. (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Fail 8 Mar 2024 124,399 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Offside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Rear Coil spring corroded both sides. (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 6 Apr 2023 121,140 miles
Fail 27 Mar 2023 121,132 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp has a product on the light source so that the light output is severely reduced (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced chalked (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chalked (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced (4.1.4 (b))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chalked (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Mar 2022 116,715 miles
Pass 18 Mar 2021 108,178 miles
Pass 20 Mar 2020 102,730 miles

Nearside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Both rear and front to rear pipes corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside rear outer sill area corroded - not to excess

Pass 26 Mar 2019 96,486 miles

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 9 Mar 2018 89,803 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2017 82,103 miles
Fail 15 Mar 2017 82,068 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush bonding deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade insecure (8.2.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush bonding deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

advise exhausat brackets front and rear insecure

Pass 1 Apr 2016 77,010 miles

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear tyre is cracking due to age

Pass 7 Mar 2015 72,364 miles
Pass 20 Feb 2014 67,975 miles
Fail 20 Feb 2014 67,975 miles

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

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Pass 21 Feb 2013 63,595 miles
Pass 20 Feb 2012 57,763 miles

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

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

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

Fail 26 Jan 2011 52,528 miles

Front Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

Pass 26 Jan 2011 52,528 miles
Pass 24 Feb 2010 45,674 miles

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

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

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

Fail 23 Feb 2010 45,674 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the left (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a) DANGEROUS

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

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

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

Pass 21 Oct 2009 43,898 miles
Fail 21 Oct 2009 43,898 miles

Front registration plate has a feature which changes the appearance or legibility of the characters (6.3.4c)

Pass 2 May 2008 29,917 miles
Pass 16 Mar 2007 19,489 miles

How Reliable is the Volkswagen Beetle?

Based on 1,719,137 MOT tests across 112,454 vehicles.

71.7%
Pass Rate
4,798
Miles/Year
56
Year Lifespan
112,454
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 44,561
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 33,096
Stop lamp not working 28,079
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 27,964
Headlamp not working on dipped beam 23,197
Full Volkswagen Beetle reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

AE53 VVG is a 2003 Volkswagen Beetle in Silver with a 1,595cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.4%.

Across all 2003 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.9% with a typical mileage of 73,703 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 Volkswagen Beetle fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 44,561 recorded failures. If you're considering buying AE53 VVG, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Volkswagen Beetle typically stays on UK roads for around 56 years. At 23 years old, this Volkswagen Beetle is still in the earlier part of its expected life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of AE53 VVG?

You can check the full history of AE53 VVG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AE53 VVG registered?

AE53 VVG is a 2003 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 19 November 2003.

Is AE53 VVG safe to buy?

The MOT history for AE53 VVG shows 27 tests with a 70.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AE53 VVG 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 AE53 VVG. 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.