CarVerify

Free Car Check

J33 MOT

1996 Volkswagen Golf

Purple Petrol 1781cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Apr 2027
Tests19 (16 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate84.2%

Mileage

212,433 mi
Last recorded212,433 miles
Recorded on24 Apr 2026
Typical for 1996 Volkswagen Golf106,352 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 £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

RegistrationJ33 MOT
MakeVolkswagen
ModelGolf
Year1996
ColourPurple
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

16 pass 3 fail
Pass 24 Apr 2026 212,433 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

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

Pass 3 Feb 2022 209,541 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Rear exhaust rusty

Fail 31 Jan 2022 209,537 miles

Emissions not tested (8.2.1.2 (d))

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

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

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Rear exhaust rusty

Pass 15 Jan 2021 202,582 miles

signs of oil leak

under body corrosion

Pass 15 Jul 2019 194,107 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

underbody corrosion

Fail 13 Jul 2019 194,106 miles

Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Rear Brake pipe at imminent risk of failure or fracture (1.1.11 (a)) DANGEROUS

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

underbody corrosion

Pass 5 Oct 2016 194,035 miles

slight leak n/s/r shock absorber - both rear subframe bushes start to displace

some wear/play n/s/f top mount bush/bearing

some wear/play o/s/f lower ball joint

Pass 29 Sep 2015 192,746 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2014 190,855 miles

some corrosion/peeling both rear inner sills = some corrosion o/s/r brake pipe to flexy hose = both rear suspension bump stops perishing = some wear/play n/s/f top suspension mounting = both front tyres coming close aprx 3mm and wear on edges

Pass 9 Sep 2013 188,974 miles

both rear axle bushes worn/cracking = engine oil leaks = front windscreen cracked outside swept area n/s top

Pass 13 Sep 2012 188,512 miles

front windscreen cracked n/s top = BOTH FRONT TYRES CLOSE TO LIMIT ON EDGES APRX 2.5MM = front brake pads low

Pass 2 Sep 2011 186,435 miles

slight gas leak rear exhaust box and corroded some play both rear wheel bearings

Pass 7 Sep 2010 183,383 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Front Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

n/s/f tyre wearing on outer edge

Pass 27 Jun 2009 178,102 miles

Both Front Brakes slightly seized

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

Center to Rear Exhaust Joint corroded

O/S/F CV Boot shows signs of previous grease loss

Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 23 Jun 2009 178,095 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Both Front Brakes slightly seized

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

Center to Rear Exhaust Joint corroded

O/S/F CV Boot shows signs of previous grease loss

Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 1 Jul 2008 171,926 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2007 145,013 miles
Pass 20 Jun 2006 132,512 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2005 115,467 miles

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

J33 MOT is a 1996 Volkswagen Golf in Purple with a 1,781cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 84.2%.

Across all 1996 Volkswagen Golf models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.1% with a typical mileage of 106,352 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 J33 MOT, 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 30 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 J33 MOT?

You can check the full history of J33 MOT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J33 MOT registered?

J33 MOT is a 1996 Volkswagen Golf, first registered on 30 December 1996.

Is J33 MOT safe to buy?

The MOT history for J33 MOT shows 19 tests with a 84.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J33 MOT 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 J33 MOT. 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.