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P481 VCU

1997 Audi A3

Silver Petrol 1595cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires22 Aug 2017
Tests16 (10 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate62.5%

Mileage

155,306 mi
Last recorded155,306 miles
Recorded on22 Aug 2017
Typical for 1997 Audi A3108,500 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Audi
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Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP481 VCU
MakeAudi
ModelA3
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

10 pass 6 fail
Fail 22 Aug 2017 155,306 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emits dense blue smoke at idle (7.3.A.2b)

Trailer electrical socket (13 pin) not operating the trailer lamps as intended No fog lamp. No brake lights (1.9.4)

Pass 23 Aug 2016 151,799 miles

Nearside rear brake fluctuating, but not excessively and nearside rear brake disc slightly pitted/glazed on outer face (3.7.B.3)

slight blow on centre section of exhaust

Fail 22 Aug 2016 151,793 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

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

Nearside rear brake fluctuating, but not excessively and nearside rear brake disc slightly pitted/glazed on outer face (3.7.B.3)

slight blow on centre section of exhaust

Pass 29 Jul 2015 149,074 miles

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 23 Aug 2014 147,430 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

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

Pass 24 Jun 2013 144,243 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2012 140,340 miles

slight play in nearside front lower ball joint & offside front lower arm rear bush starting to wear

windscreen cracked outside swept area

Pass 21 Jun 2011 133,390 miles

screen chipped outside swept area

Pass 7 Jul 2010 131,581 miles

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

N/S/F door mirror glass cracked

N/S/F windscreen small crack but outside swept area

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

Oil leak

One h/level b/light bulb n/w

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

Fail 28 Jun 2010 131,580 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

N/S/F door mirror glass cracked

N/S/F windscreen small crack but outside swept area

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

Oil leak

One h/level b/light bulb n/w

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

Pass 7 Jul 2009 121,425 miles
Pass 3 Jul 2008 117,017 miles
Fail 3 Jul 2008 117,017 miles

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

Offside Front coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Headlamps matched pair are not the same colour (1.7.6)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Fail 23 Dec 2005 114,152 miles

Offside Front Headlamps matched pair are not the same colour (1.7.6)

Pass 23 Dec 2005 114,152 miles
Fail 22 Nov 2005 114,115 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

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

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

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

Power steering pump drive system defective (2.3.6)

both rear tyres very low on inner edges, 1.6mm

damage to n/s/f bumper

different bulbs fitted in n/s and o/s headlamps

spare tyre soft

How Reliable is the Audi A3?

Based on 7,415,025 MOT tests across 593,922 vehicles.

78.0%
Pass Rate
7,083
Miles/Year
29
Year Lifespan
593,922
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 173,142
Stop lamp not working 65,421
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 58,420
Registration plate lamp not working 52,417
coil spring broken 45,761
Full Audi A3 reliability report

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P481 VCU is a 1997 Audi A3 in Silver with a 1,595cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.5%.

Across all 1997 Audi A3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.4% with a typical mileage of 108,500 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 Audi A3 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 173,142 recorded failures. If you're considering buying P481 VCU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Audi A3 typically stays on UK roads for around 29 years. At 29 years old, this Audi A3 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of P481 VCU?

You can check the full history of P481 VCU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P481 VCU registered?

P481 VCU is a 1997 Audi A3, first registered on 13 March 1997.

Is P481 VCU safe to buy?

The MOT history for P481 VCU shows 16 tests with a 62.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P481 VCU 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 P481 VCU. 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.