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BE53 TLS

2003 Volkswagen Beetle

Red Petrol 1984cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Jul 2027
Tests22 (17 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate77.3%

Mileage

171,084 mi
Last recorded171,084 miles
Recorded on15 Jul 2026
Typical for 2003 Volkswagen Beetle73,703 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationBE53 TLS
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year2003
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,984cc

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

17 pass 5 fail
Pass 15 Jul 2026 171,084 miles
Pass 3 Jul 2025 168,359 miles

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced inner sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both sides (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Exhaust mounting defective rear most hanger corroded (6.1.2 (a))

Fail 2 Jul 2025 168,359 miles

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

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced inner sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both sides (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Exhaust mounting defective rear most hanger corroded (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 1 Feb 2024 167,168 miles

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

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

Front Outer Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt both sides (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Pass 11 Jan 2023 165,485 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

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

Pass 4 Oct 2019 160,608 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 2 Oct 2018 150,876 miles

Front Upper both sides strut mounts play

Front both sides brake hoses deteriorated

Pass 10 Oct 2017 144,493 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit smooth on inner edge (4.1.E.1)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 9 Oct 2017 144,493 miles

Driver's door does not latch securely closed (6.2.B.1a)

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit smooth on inner edge (4.1.E.1)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 25 Apr 2016 107,916 miles

Both front coil springs corroded.

Fail 29 Apr 2015 100,765 miles

Both rear coil springs corroding.

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

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

Pass 29 Apr 2015 100,765 miles

Both rear coil springs corroding.

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

Pass 1 May 2014 93,922 miles
Pass 9 Jan 2013 93,892 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2011 83,439 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2010 72,665 miles
Fail 27 Jun 2009 62,984 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 27 Jun 2009 62,984 miles
Pass 1 Jul 2008 52,011 miles

both rear tyres and offside front worn uneven

Pass 7 Jul 2007 41,020 miles
Fail 7 Jul 2006 33,506 miles

ENGINE OIL ON MIN MARK.

FRONT NUMBER PLATE STARTING TO COME UNSTUCK.

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

SCREEN DAMAGE IN LIMIT.

Pass 7 Jul 2006 33,506 miles

ENGINE OIL ON MIN MARK.

FRONT NUMBER PLATE STARTING TO COME UNSTUCK.

SCREEN DAMAGE IN LIMIT.

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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BE53 TLS is a 2003 Volkswagen Beetle in Red with a 1,984cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.3%.

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 BE53 TLS, 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 BE53 TLS?

You can check the full history of BE53 TLS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BE53 TLS registered?

BE53 TLS is a 2003 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 19 September 2003.

Is BE53 TLS safe to buy?

The MOT history for BE53 TLS shows 22 tests with a 77.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BE53 TLS 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 BE53 TLS. 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.