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E42 WGN

1987 Volkswagen Golf

Orange Petrol 1781cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 May 2027
Tests16 (11 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate68.8%

Mileage

1,476 mi
Last recorded1,476 miles
Recorded on30 May 2026
Typical for 1987 Volkswagen Golf117,027 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationE42 WGN
MakeVolkswagen
ModelGolf
Year1987
ColourOrange
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,781cc

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 5 fail
Pass 30 May 2026 1,476 miles
Pass 6 Dec 2024

Modified for race rally

Pass 24 Mar 2021

extensively modified for race rally competition

Pass 6 May 2015 146,863 miles

SPORT SUSPENSION FIFTED

Pass 23 Nov 2013 146,653 miles
Fail 22 Nov 2013 146,653 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

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

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

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

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

Side repeater incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

registration plate fitted to the front does not have black characters on a white background (6.3.2a)

registration plate fitted to the rear does not have black characters on a yellow background (6.3.2b)

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

front brake caliper sliders poor

lower front panel cabletied on

offside front back plate rubbing on disc

seatbelt mounting poor

Pass 20 Oct 2012 146,170 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test

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

Pass 15 Jul 2011 141,542 miles

Corrosion to suspension components.

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Exhaust rubbers perishing.

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

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

Slight corrosion to rear brake discs.

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

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

Fail 15 Jul 2011 141,523 miles

Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.4.A.2h)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

registration plate with character(s) which are not of equal width along their entire length (6.3.4a)

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

Fail 17 Jun 2011 141,502 miles

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)

Nearside Front Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

Nearside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (4.1.D.2)

Offside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (4.1.D.2)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

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

Pass 19 Apr 2010 135,847 miles

Battery insecure

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

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

lowered sports suspension fitted

n/s/r brake backing plate corroded

very little suspension travel

Fail 7 Apr 2010 135,841 miles

Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (4.1.D.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (4.1.D.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Power steering pump leaking from a failed seal (2.3.3b)

very little suspension travel

Battery insecure

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

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

lowered sports suspension fitted

n/s/r brake backing plate corroded

Pass 23 Mar 2009 125,687 miles
Fail 19 Mar 2009 125,687 miles

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Pass 28 Jun 2008 122,269 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2007 117,130 miles

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

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

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

How Reliable is the Volkswagen Golf?

Based on 22,270,993 MOT tests across 1,787,037 vehicles.

74.9%
Pass Rate
6,735
Miles/Year
37
Year Lifespan
1,787,037
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 700,382
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 301,629
Stop lamp not working 260,234
position lamp(s) not working 257,206
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 229,092
Full Volkswagen Golf reliability report

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E42 WGN is a 1987 Volkswagen Golf in Orange with a 1,781cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.8%.

Across all 1987 Volkswagen Golf models, the average MOT pass rate is 64.6% with a typical mileage of 117,027 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Volkswagen Golf fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 700,382 recorded failures. If you're considering buying E42 WGN, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Volkswagen Golf typically stays on UK roads for around 37 years. At 39 years old, this Volkswagen Golf is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of E42 WGN?

You can check the full history of E42 WGN by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E42 WGN registered?

E42 WGN is a 1987 Volkswagen Golf, first registered on 5 October 1987.

Is E42 WGN safe to buy?

The MOT history for E42 WGN shows 16 tests with a 68.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E42 WGN 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 E42 WGN. 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.