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AHK 253L

1973 Volkswagen Beetle

Red Petrol 1600cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires28 May 2017
Tests14 (9 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate64.3%

Mileage

Typical for 1973 Volkswagen Beetle46,746 mi
4 checks still locked for this Volkswagen
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationAHK 253L
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1973
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,600cc

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

9 pass 5 fail
Fail 17 Jun 2026

Nearside Front Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded bulk head subframe floor (1.1.21 (e) (i))

Nearside Front Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Front Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded bulk head subframe and floor (1.1.21 (e) (i))

Offside Front Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Parking (secondary brake) on a single line braking system imbalanced across an axle Axle 1 (1.3.1 (b) (i))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Pass 20 May 2016 1,076 miles

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded near and offside (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive bulk head/sub frame (3.6.C.3)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded near and offside (3.6.B.2c)

Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Fail 16 May 2016 101,006 miles

Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded sill (2.4.A.3)

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded near and offside (3.6.B.2c)

Front tyres, near and offside worn on the inner edge & perished & cracked

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive bulk head/sub frame (3.6.C.3)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded near and offside (3.6.B.2c)

Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Rear tyres, near and offside worn on the inner edge

Pass 16 May 2015 98,602 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Oil leak

offside front inner arch to floor corroding (not prescribed area)

offside front tyre sidewall cracking

Fail 15 May 2015 98,594 miles

Offside Inner Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Oil leak

offside front inner arch to floor corroding (not prescribed area)

offside front tyre sidewall cracking

Pass 29 May 2014 96,673 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 7 May 2014 96,604 miles

Nearside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.2.C.1h)

Nearside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.2.C.1h)

Nearside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.2.C.1h)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the left. (1.8)

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (1.8)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 15 May 2013 95,291 miles

Nearside Front Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 18 May 2012 95,053 miles

Nearside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Pass 15 Mar 2011 93,281 miles
Fail 11 Mar 2011 93,281 miles

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Registration plate lamp not illuminating the registration plate (1.1.C.1e)

Nearside Outer Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

Offside Inner Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

Pass 10 Sep 2009 488,842 miles
Pass 15 Jul 2008 88,900 miles
Pass 4 Jul 2007 88,596 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

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AHK 253L is a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle in Red with a 1,600cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.3%.

Across all 1973 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.7% with a typical mileage of 46,746 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 AHK 253L, 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 53 years old, this Volkswagen Beetle is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of AHK 253L?

You can check the full history of AHK 253L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AHK 253L registered?

AHK 253L is a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 16 April 1973.

Is AHK 253L safe to buy?

The MOT history for AHK 253L shows 14 tests with a 64.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AHK 253L 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 AHK 253L. 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.