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FNJ 740L

1972 Volkswagen Beetle

Purple Petrol 1285cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Jul 2027
Tests15 (9 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

12,782 mi
Last recorded12,782 miles
Recorded on13 Jul 2026
Typical for 1972 Volkswagen Beetle44,941 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

RegistrationFNJ 740L
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1972
ColourPurple
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,285cc

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

9 pass 6 fail
Pass 13 Jul 2026 12,782 miles

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

Pass 31 Jul 2017 12,635 miles

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

both front tyres slightly cracked

both rear tyres slightly cracked

Fail 27 Jul 2017 12,633 miles

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

both front tyres slightly cracked

both rear tyres slightly cracked

Pass 4 Jul 2016 11,417 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2013 11,347 miles

Front Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

Front bumper insecure

Wheel/tyre protruding beyond wheel arch

Fail 5 Oct 2013 11,347 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Front Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

Front bumper insecure

Wheel/tyre protruding beyond wheel arch

Pass 15 Oct 2012 11,062 miles
Pass 11 Oct 2011 10,734 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Nearside Rear Upper Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Upper Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

underseal brushed on floorpan/bodywork & suspension

Fail 11 Oct 2011 10,734 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Nearside Rear Upper Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

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

Nearside Upper Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Steering locking device missing (2.2.C.1g)

underseal brushed on floorpan/bodywork & suspension

Pass 13 Oct 2010 10,065 miles

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

Suspension joint nearside lower dust cover split/missing

general corrosion to underside

Fail 9 Oct 2010 10,065 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Suspension joint nearside lower dust cover split/missing

general corrosion to underside

Pass 1 Oct 2009 7,335 miles

front wheels slightly buckled

o/s floor to chassis corroded

Fail 19 Sep 2009 7,324 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

front wheels slightly buckled

o/s floor to chassis corroded

Fail 28 Aug 2009 7,307 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.2.C.1h) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Sub-frame attachment bracket/mounting insecure (2.4.G.1) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Offside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

general corrision to offside front chassis/floor

Pass 16 Sep 2008 3,267 miles

How Reliable is the Volkswagen Beetle?

Based on 1,719,137 MOT tests across 112,454 vehicles.

71.7%
Pass Rate
4,798
Miles/Year
56
Year Lifespan
112,454
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 44,561
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 33,096
Stop lamp not working 28,079
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 27,964
Headlamp not working on dipped beam 23,197
Full Volkswagen Beetle reliability report

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FNJ 740L is a 1972 Volkswagen Beetle in Purple with a 1,285cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

Across all 1972 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.4% with a typical mileage of 44,941 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 Beetle fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 44,561 recorded failures. If you're considering buying FNJ 740L, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Volkswagen Beetle typically stays on UK roads for around 56 years. At 54 years old, this Volkswagen Beetle is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of FNJ 740L?

You can check the full history of FNJ 740L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was FNJ 740L registered?

FNJ 740L is a 1972 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 8 August 1972.

Is FNJ 740L safe to buy?

The MOT history for FNJ 740L shows 15 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does FNJ 740L 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 FNJ 740L. 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.