CarVerify

Free Car Check

GEL 477L

1973 Volkswagen Beetle

Red Petrol 1600cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires15 Sep 2022
Tests16 (8 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

53,750 mi
Last recorded53,750 miles
Recorded on16 Sep 2021
Typical for 1973 Volkswagen Beetle46,746 mi

Above 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

RegistrationGEL 477L
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1973
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,600cc

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

8 pass 8 fail
Pass 16 Sep 2021 53,750 miles

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

Rear Wheel bearing has slight play both (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Fail 16 Sep 2021 53,748 miles

Front Seat belt anchorage loose both reels (7.1.1 (b))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage loose catch (7.1.1 (b))

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

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

Rear Wheel bearing has slight play both (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Aug 2018 53,721 miles

Heavily undersealed

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

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

Sills corroded

Slight play in steering system

Steering system has slight free play at steering wheel

Wheel bearing has slight play All (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Fail 23 Aug 2018 53,697 miles

Front Sub-frame corroded and seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Heavily undersealed

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

Sills corroded

Slight play in steering system

Steering system has slight free play at steering wheel

Wheel bearing has slight play All (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Aug 2017 53,669 miles

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

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

heavily undersealed

Fail 18 Aug 2017 53,622 miles

Driver's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

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

heavily undersealed

Pass 5 Aug 2016 53,328 miles
Fail 4 Aug 2016 53,328 miles

Offside Inner Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Steering damper slight oil seepage (2.2.C.1f)

Pass 16 Aug 2013 52,947 miles

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

Oil leak

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.1.2c)

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

Fail 15 Aug 2013 52,945 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely maintaining the sealing arrangement (7.2.4b)

Nearside Front Wheel stud(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

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

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

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

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

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

Oil leak

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.1.2c)

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

Pass 24 Feb 2012 52,433 miles

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

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Inner Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

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

Pass 28 Jul 2007 50,567 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

corrosion in o/s/r wheel arch

Fail 27 Jul 2007 50,566 miles

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Parking brake is not capable of being maintained in operation by direct mechanical action only (3.1.2) DANGEROUS

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

corrosion in o/s/r inner wheel arch

Fail 13 Jul 2007 50,566 miles

Direction indicators flashing less than 60 times a minute (1.4.A.2g)

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition off (1.4.B.1f)

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition on (1.4.B.1f)

Nearside Front Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Front Headlamp does not operate immediately when selected on main beam (1.7.4a)

Nearside Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Headlamp not in good working order (not working) (1.2.4a)

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

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

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

Nearside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.2.C.1h)

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

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

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

corrosion o/s/f inner wheel arch

Pass 18 Jul 2006 46,487 miles
Fail 12 Jul 2006 46,487 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Offside Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Seat belt insecurely fixed to the vehicles structure (5.2.1a)

Registration plate lamp flickers when tapped lightly by hand (1.1.5e)

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching by more than 10mm within zone 'A' (8.3.1b)

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)

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

o/s/f tyre has nails in it

slight leak from steering damper

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

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

GEL 477L is a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle in Red with a 1,600cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

Across all 1973 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.7% with a typical mileage of 46,746 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 GEL 477L, 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 53 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 GEL 477L?

You can check the full history of GEL 477L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was GEL 477L registered?

GEL 477L is a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 7 February 1973.

Is GEL 477L safe to buy?

The MOT history for GEL 477L shows 16 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does GEL 477L 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 GEL 477L. 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.