CarVerify

Free Car Check

B103 VLJ

1985 Volkswagen Beetle

Green Petrol 1200cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires31 Jul 2026
Tests18 (11 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate61.1%

Mileage

38,328 mi
Last recorded38,328 miles
Recorded on1 Aug 2025
Typical for 1985 Volkswagen Beetle41,702 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationB103 VLJ
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1985
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,200cc

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

11 pass 7 fail
Pass 1 Aug 2025 38,328 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 1 Aug 2025 38,328 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 4 Oct 2022 37,618 miles

Nearside Rear Jacking point corroded

Pass 18 Jun 2021 37,219 miles

Nearside Rear jacking point corroded

Pass 13 Aug 2018 37,113 miles

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

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Fail 7 Aug 2018 37,113 miles

All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Pass 25 Aug 2016 34,092 miles
Pass 27 Aug 2015 31,505 miles

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

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

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

oil leaks

Fail 27 Aug 2015 31,505 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

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

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

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

oil leaks

Fail 13 Jul 2015 31,489 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Rear brake disc contaminated by oil (3.5.1h) DANGEROUS

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

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

O/S/R halfsharft seal weeping

Offside Front Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

fuel filler cap seal slightly perished

Pass 15 Jul 2014 27,124 miles
Fail 2 Jul 2014 26,983 miles

Nearside Rear brake disc contaminated by oil (3.5.1h)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 27 Jun 2013 24,674 miles
Pass 19 Jun 2008 24,168 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Fail 5 Jun 2008 24,158 miles

Fuel system component insecure (7.2.1)

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

Offside Front Stub axle has excessive vertical movement between stub axle and axle beam (2.5.A.1a)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Fail 30 Mar 2007 23,982 miles

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Pass 30 Mar 2007 23,982 miles
Pass 8 Feb 2006 23,824 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

B103 VLJ is a 1985 Volkswagen Beetle in Green with a 1,200cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.1%.

Across all 1985 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 71.9% with a typical mileage of 41,702 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 B103 VLJ, 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 41 years old, this Volkswagen Beetle is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of B103 VLJ?

You can check the full history of B103 VLJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B103 VLJ registered?

B103 VLJ is a 1985 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 31 December 1985.

Is B103 VLJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for B103 VLJ shows 18 tests with a 61.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B103 VLJ 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 B103 VLJ. 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.