CarVerify

Free Car Check

E403 FSO

1988 Volkswagen Transporter

Red Diesel 1588cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Mar 2027
Tests22 (17 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate77.3%

Mileage

270,183 mi
Last recorded270,183 miles
Recorded on26 Mar 2026
Typical for 1988 Volkswagen Transporter126,992 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationE403 FSO
MakeVolkswagen
ModelTransporter
Year1988
ColourRed
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine1,588cc

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 26 Mar 2026 270,183 miles

Nearside Front Lower sill holed outwith prescribed area

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive trailing arm mount outer (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 26 Mar 2025 269,013 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Front Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill holed (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Pass 23 May 2024 267,810 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Front Lower Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill soft (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Pass 2 Apr 2023 266,824 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

Nearside Inner hole in sill outwith prescribed area(s)

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Pass 8 Mar 2022 266,268 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Outer hole in sill outwith prescribed area(s)

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 9 Mar 2021 265,356 miles

Hole in nearside outer sill

Hole in nearside rear inner sill

Nearside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

Offside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

Pass 3 Jun 2019 262,799 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Drive shaft flexible coupling slightly deteriorated (6.1.7 (d) (i))

Pass 17 Jun 2018 261,058 miles

Slight play on steering rack

Pass 3 Jul 2017 254,851 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 25 Jul 2016 251,777 miles
Pass 23 Jun 2015 250,138 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Fail 20 Jun 2015 250,138 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)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 27 Jun 2014 246,958 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 1 Jul 2013 242,551 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

rear exhaust rattle

Fail 28 Jun 2013 242,509 miles

Offside Rear Drive shaft which forms part of the suspension coupling gaiter deteriorated to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (2.4.G.4e)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

rear exhaust rattle

Pass 2 Jul 2012 238,880 miles

Backbox rubber mounting in poor condition

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside front brake indicates a slight bind not excessive

Offside rear brake indicates a slight bind but not excessive

Slight lift in both rear wheels but not excessive

Slight play in offside front steering rack but not excessive

Pass 6 Jul 2011 235,681 miles
Fail 5 Jul 2011 235,681 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Pass 11 May 2010 230,954 miles
Fail 10 May 2010 230,952 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.D.2c)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users (1.8.A.1a)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users (1.8.A.1a)

Offside Front Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside (1.8)

Front wipers starting to smear the screen slightly

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Slight lift in both rear wheels but not excessive

Slight play in steering rack but not excessive

Pass 10 May 2009 226,375 miles
Fail 9 May 2009 226,375 miles

Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside (1.8)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp missing (1.3.2a)

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

cvj o/s rear gaiter split -n/s rear gaiter deteriorated

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

E403 FSO is a 1988 Volkswagen Transporter in Red with a 1,588cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.3%.

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 E403 FSO, 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 E403 FSO?

You can check the full history of E403 FSO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E403 FSO registered?

E403 FSO is a 1988 Volkswagen Transporter, first registered on 31 December 1988.

Is E403 FSO safe to buy?

The MOT history for E403 FSO 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 E403 FSO 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 E403 FSO. 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.