CarVerify

Free Car Check

E156 ETM

1988 Volkswagen Transporter

Beige Petrol 2100cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 May 2027
Tests20 (17 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate85%

Mileage

110,859 mi
Last recorded110,859 miles
Recorded on30 Apr 2026
Typical for 1988 Volkswagen Transporter126,992 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 £14.99

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

RegistrationE156 ETM
MakeVolkswagen
ModelTransporter
Year1988
ColourBeige
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,100cc

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 3 fail
Pass 30 Apr 2026 110,859 miles
Pass 9 May 2025 109,861 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases various places (6.1.2 (a))

Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Front Seat belt flexible stalk damaged but operates ok (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front door step holed

Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed JUST ON LIMIT (7.1.2 (b))

fuel pump has stains / corrosion but not leaking when tested

Fail 7 May 2025 109,860 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases various places (6.1.2 (a))

Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Front Seat belt flexible stalk damaged but operates ok (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front door step holed

Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed JUST ON LIMIT (7.1.2 (b))

fuel pump has stains / corrosion but not leaking when tested

Pass 9 May 2024 109,611 miles

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 25 Apr 2024 109,609 miles

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

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded small ( s ) shape on caliper (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 14 Nov 2022 109,407 miles

Offside Front Seat belt buckle slightly damaged (7.1.2 (d))

Pass 27 Oct 2021 108,701 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Seat belt flexible stalk damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Pass 22 Oct 2020 108,183 miles
Pass 29 Apr 2019 107,527 miles
Pass 27 Apr 2018 106,833 miles
Pass 10 Oct 2016 106,550 miles
Pass 12 Oct 2015 105,739 miles

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

Pass 10 Oct 2014 105,130 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2013 105,028 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Pass 2 Oct 2012 103,492 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Pass 30 Sep 2011 99,825 miles
Pass 25 Jun 2010 96,443 miles
Pass 1 Jul 2009 94,156 miles
Fail 30 Jun 2009 94,156 miles

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

Pass 1 Jul 2008 89,400 miles

How Reliable is the Volkswagen Transporter?

Based on 5,346,355 MOT tests across 357,225 vehicles.

73.0%
Pass Rate
5,816
Miles/Year
42
Year Lifespan
357,225
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Registration plate lamp not working 89,943
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 68,503
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 59,686
position lamp(s) not working 56,717
Stop lamp not working 56,335
Full Volkswagen Transporter 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

E156 ETM is a 1988 Volkswagen Transporter in Beige with a 2,100cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 85%.

Across all 1988 Volkswagen Transporter models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.5% with a typical mileage of 126,992 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Volkswagen Transporter fails its MOT is registration plate lamp not working, accounting for 89,943 recorded failures. If you're considering buying E156 ETM, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Volkswagen Transporter typically stays on UK roads for around 42 years. At 38 years old, this Volkswagen Transporter is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of E156 ETM?

You can check the full history of E156 ETM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E156 ETM registered?

E156 ETM is a 1988 Volkswagen Transporter, first registered on 17 June 1988.

Is E156 ETM safe to buy?

The MOT history for E156 ETM shows 20 tests with a 85% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E156 ETM 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 E156 ETM. 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.