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AP53 BWX

2003 Volkswagen Beetle

Blue Diesel 1896cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 May 2027
Tests25 (20 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

160,903 mi
Last recorded160,903 miles
Recorded on22 May 2026
Typical for 2003 Volkswagen Beetle73,703 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Volkswagen
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Finance
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationAP53 BWX
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year2003
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine1,896cc

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

20 pass 5 fail
Pass 22 May 2026 160,903 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Rear Coil spring corroded Both Rear Coil Springs (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both Rear Tyres (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 19 May 2026 160,902 miles

Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn Both front Wishbone Bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded Both Rear Pipes From Fuel Tank To Rear Drums (1.1.11 (c))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Rear Coil spring corroded Both Rear Coil Springs (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both Rear Tyres (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 17 Mar 2026 160,052 miles

Emissions unable to be completed (8.2.2.2 (e))

Emissions unable to be completed (8.2.2.2 (e))

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

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp insecure (4.1.1 (c))

Offside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is inadequately repaired Sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced Sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Pass 26 Feb 2025 155,676 miles

gromits missng from floor offside

Pass 7 Dec 2023 150,798 miles
Fail 28 Nov 2023 150,796 miles

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

Pass 16 Jan 2023 149,137 miles

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

Nearside Front Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Offside Front Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

offside sill soft but not holed

Pass 10 Jan 2022 145,355 miles

sills soft but not holed

Pass 14 Jan 2021 144,006 miles

Front Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 4 Jan 2020 142,341 miles

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

Front Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 12 Jan 2019 139,828 miles
Pass 30 Dec 2017 135,565 miles
Pass 16 Jan 2017 134,359 miles
Pass 6 Jan 2016 127,702 miles

Nearside Front lens missing temp repair made

Nearside Front tyre worn to wear bands and void of tread on inner edges

Offside Front tyre worn close to wear bands

front fog lamps not working and o/s cracked

front pads low

oil level on min

parking brake effort low

rear exhaust box rusted badly and cracking around rear of C A T

rear pads low

stone chips in screen zone A in spec

Fail 5 Jan 2016 127,702 miles

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front lens missing temp repair made

Nearside Front tyre worn to wear bands and void of tread on inner edges

Offside Front tyre worn close to wear bands

front fog lamps not working and o/s cracked

front pads low

oil level on min

parking brake effort low

rear exhaust box rusted badly and cracking around rear of C A T

rear pads low

stone chips in screen zone A in spec

Pass 2 Jan 2015 122,968 miles

dip stick tube inscure

lift in both front suspenion top mounts /in spec/

oil level on min

rear exhaust box rusting

Pass 4 Jan 2014 111,651 miles

crack in o/s/f indicator lens

lower engine cover damaged

rear exhaust box rusted /no blows/

slight damage to n/s/f wing

stone chips in screen zone A in spec

turbo intercooler hose inscure

Pass 5 Jan 2013 93,331 miles

Offside Rear Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

o/s head lamp pattern just in spec

both front tyres worn to wear bands near side front just in spec

Pass 5 Jan 2012 83,755 miles

o/s and n/s rear tyres slight cracking to outer edges.

oil level just above minimum.

rear exhaust box outer casing corroding.

Pass 6 Jan 2011 76,607 miles

both front tyre depths low on wear bands engine oil level on min

Pass 17 Dec 2009 65,017 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 17 Dec 2009 65,017 miles

Nearside Direction indicators incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Direction indicators incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 29 Dec 2008 50,591 miles

Front Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

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

wipers slightly smeary

Pass 19 Dec 2007 34,993 miles

Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 8 Jan 2007 22,978 miles

stone chips front screen

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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AP53 BWX is a 2003 Volkswagen Beetle in Blue with a 1,896cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 AP53 BWX, 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 AP53 BWX?

You can check the full history of AP53 BWX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AP53 BWX registered?

AP53 BWX is a 2003 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 5 December 2003.

Is AP53 BWX safe to buy?

The MOT history for AP53 BWX shows 25 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AP53 BWX 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 AP53 BWX. 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.