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APD 976T

1978 Volkswagen Beetle

Silver Petrol 1584cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Sep 2026
Tests19 (14 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate73.7%

Mileage

59,968 mi
Last recorded59,968 miles
Recorded on26 Sep 2025
Typical for 1978 Volkswagen Beetle45,494 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Volkswagen
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationAPD 976T
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1978
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,584cc

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

14 pass 5 fail
Pass 26 Sep 2025 59,968 miles
Pass 23 Aug 2018 59,304 miles

Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement inner bushers (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive bulk head area (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

o/s rear and n/s front tyres cracking on sidewalls

Fail 22 Aug 2018 59,297 miles

Front Headlamp aim too high both (4.1.2 (a))

Rear Direction indicator not working both going through brake lights (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Lower Steering column universal joint insecure to the extent there is excessive movement at the mountings joint (2.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Rear Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement inner bushers (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive bulk head area (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

o/s rear and n/s front tyres cracking on sidewalls

Pass 18 Jul 2017 58,799 miles

Nearside Rear tyre deteriorating

Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak ()

Pass 5 Jul 2016 58,601 miles
Pass 2 Jul 2015 57,954 miles
Pass 26 Jun 2014 57,277 miles

slight exhaust leak from joints

Pass 5 Mar 2013 57,028 miles
Pass 7 Mar 2012 56,844 miles
Pass 1 Apr 2011 56,728 miles

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

exhaust system corroded

front brake discs corroded

Fail 1 Apr 2011 56,728 miles

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user (1.6.2b)

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

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

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

exhaust system corroded

front brake discs corroded

Pass 29 Mar 2010 56,544 miles

discs corroded on inner faces

metal b/pipes corroded

n/s chassis corroded near s/rack

Pass 12 Mar 2009 56,360 miles

slight oil leaks from engine and gearbox

slight play at top of steering column

Fail 12 Mar 2009 56,360 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

slight oil leaks from engine and gearbox

slight play at top of steering column

Pass 18 Mar 2008 56,133 miles
Fail 18 Mar 2008 56,133 miles

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user (1.6.2b)

Pass 5 Apr 2007 55,911 miles
Fail 13 Mar 2007 55,904 miles

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user (1.6.2b)

Nearside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

forward edge of n/s chassis rail corroding

Pass 15 Mar 2006 55,342 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

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APD 976T is a 1978 Volkswagen Beetle in Silver with a 1,584cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.7%.

Across all 1978 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.7% with a typical mileage of 45,494 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 APD 976T, 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 48 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 APD 976T?

You can check the full history of APD 976T by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was APD 976T registered?

APD 976T is a 1978 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 11 December 1978.

Is APD 976T safe to buy?

The MOT history for APD 976T shows 19 tests with a 73.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does APD 976T 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 APD 976T. 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.