CarVerify

Free Car Check

E81 WDV

1987 Volkswagen Golf

Red Petrol 1595cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Jan 2027
Tests34 (20 pass, 14 fail)
Pass rate58.8%

Mileage

97,967 mi
Last recorded97,967 miles
Recorded on14 Jan 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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

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

RegistrationE81 WDV
MakeVolkswagen
ModelGolf
Year1987
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,595cc

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

20 pass 14 fail
Pass 14 Jan 2026 97,967 miles

Front Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge wearing on inside edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 29 Oct 2025 97,880 miles

Nearside Front Upper Macpherson strut pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill end (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill end (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Pass 31 Oct 2024 93,786 miles

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

Pass 19 Oct 2023 89,925 miles

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

Pass 21 Oct 2022 87,023 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

Fail 21 Oct 2022 87,023 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

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

Pass 26 Oct 2021 83,796 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 23 Oct 2020 81,275 miles
Fail 22 Oct 2020 81,275 miles

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 15 Oct 2019 78,738 miles

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

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

Fail 15 Oct 2019 78,737 miles

Central Exhaust system insecure (6.1.2 (a))

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

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 31 Oct 2018 75,268 miles

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

Fail 31 Oct 2018 75,268 miles

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

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

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

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

Pass 23 Oct 2017 71,770 miles

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

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

Fail 23 Oct 2017 71,770 miles

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

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

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

Pass 11 Oct 2016 68,833 miles
Pass 23 Oct 2015 65,703 miles
Pass 13 Oct 2014 62,881 miles
Fail 13 Oct 2014 62,881 miles

Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

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

Pass 16 Oct 2013 60,372 miles
Fail 16 Oct 2013 60,372 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Pass 23 Oct 2012 58,403 miles
Fail 23 Oct 2012 58,403 miles

Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Pass 4 Oct 2011 56,374 miles

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

Fail 4 Oct 2011 56,374 miles

Nearside Front Steering locking device missing (2.2.C.1g)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

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

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

Pass 19 Oct 2010 54,222 miles

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

Pass 28 Oct 2009 51,971 miles
Fail 28 Oct 2009 51,971 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Offside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Pass 29 Oct 2008 50,167 miles
Fail 28 Oct 2008 50,166 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

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

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

Pass 22 Oct 2007 48,183 miles
Fail 22 Oct 2007 48,182 miles

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

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

Pass 24 Oct 2006 46,121 miles
Fail 24 Oct 2006 46,120 miles

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

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

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

E81 WDV is a 1987 Volkswagen Golf in Red with a 1,595cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 34 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 58.8%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 E81 WDV, 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 E81 WDV?

You can check the full history of E81 WDV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E81 WDV registered?

E81 WDV is a 1987 Volkswagen Golf, first registered on 7 August 1987.

Is E81 WDV safe to buy?

The MOT history for E81 WDV shows 34 tests with a 58.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E81 WDV 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 E81 WDV. 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.