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E197 PHG

1988 Volkswagen Transporter

White Petrol 2500cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Dec 2026
Tests21 (15 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

312,351 mi
Last recorded312,351 miles
Recorded on5 Dec 2025
Typical for 1988 Volkswagen Transporter126,992 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationE197 PHG
MakeVolkswagen
ModelTransporter
Year1988
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,500cc

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

15 pass 6 fail
Pass 5 Dec 2025 312,351 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 13 Dec 2024 312,052 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2023 311,452 miles

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.2.2 (b))

Pass 5 Dec 2022 309,213 miles

Offside Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

all tyres over 15 years old

Pass 2 Dec 2021 305,617 miles

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

no date stamps on tyres presumed over 10 years old

Fail 29 Nov 2021 305,617 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (6.1.7 (g) (ii))

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

no date stamps on tyres presumed over 10 years old

Pass 15 Dec 2020 301,395 miles

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

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

Fail 8 Dec 2020 301,391 miles

Fuel system component leaking (6.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

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

Pass 5 Dec 2019 300,448 miles
Pass 11 Dec 2018 294,887 miles

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule all 4 (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Pass 24 Jul 2017 289,030 miles
Fail 20 Jul 2017 289,027 miles

Emissions not tested overheating (7.4.B.1)

Nearside Front Upper Ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 8 Mar 2016 288,006 miles
Fail 25 Feb 2016 287,997 miles

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Fail 19 Jan 2016 289,977 miles

Offside Front position lamp(s) missing (1.1.A.3a)

Pass 10 Oct 2014 287,736 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

Pass 5 Sep 2013 284,935 miles

oil leak

play in both front wheel bearings

play in rear wheel bearing

steering rack bushes worn

Fail 3 Sep 2013 284,935 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

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

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

oil leak

play in both front wheel bearings

play in rear wheel bearing

steering rack bushes worn

Pass 8 Aug 2012 276,865 miles

oil leak

play in both front anti roll bar bushes

play in both front drop links

Pass 15 Mar 2011 268,618 miles

rear fog tell tail dim...

wipers smear...

Pass 21 Jan 2010 252,829 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

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E197 PHG is a 1988 Volkswagen Transporter in White with a 2,500cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 E197 PHG, 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 E197 PHG?

You can check the full history of E197 PHG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E197 PHG registered?

E197 PHG is a 1988 Volkswagen Transporter, first registered on 31 December 1988.

Is E197 PHG safe to buy?

The MOT history for E197 PHG shows 21 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E197 PHG 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 E197 PHG. 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.