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R281 VJF

1998 Volkswagen Golf

Purple Petrol 2792cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Apr 2027
Tests27 (21 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

75,080 mi
Last recorded75,080 miles
Recorded on25 Mar 2026
Typical for 1998 Volkswagen Golf100,017 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

RegistrationR281 VJF
MakeVolkswagen
ModelGolf
Year1998
ColourPurple
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,792cc

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

21 pass 6 fail
Pass 25 Mar 2026 75,080 miles
Fail 23 Mar 2026 75,074 miles

Emissions unable to be completed Engine missfire. (8.2.1.2 (d))

Pass 25 Mar 2025 74,647 miles
Pass 21 Mar 2024 74,041 miles
Pass 21 Mar 2023 73,454 miles
Pass 22 Mar 2022 72,680 miles

corrosion on rear brake pipes

play in osr wheel bearing

stonechip front screen

Pass 23 Mar 2021 71,735 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2020 70,954 miles

Front Screen chipped

Ns Headlamp stone chipped

Fail 13 Mar 2020 70,942 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

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

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 7 Mar 2019 69,626 miles
Pass 20 Mar 2018 68,412 miles

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 20 Mar 2018 68,412 miles

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 16 Mar 2017 66,820 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 14 Mar 2017 66,810 miles

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Brake hose bulging under pressure near rear brake caliper (3.6.B.3)

Central stop light not working

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Front tyre deteriorating

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules near rear axle (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit 2mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules near rear axle (3.6.B.4e)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 15 Mar 2016 65,113 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Front Macpherson strut has slight movement in the upper support bearing assembly (2.5.B.1b)

Nearside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit 3mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front tyre deteriorating

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 16 Mar 2015 63,424 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 16 Mar 2015 63,424 miles

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 21 Mar 2014 61,614 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 17 Mar 2014 61,614 miles

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

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

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

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 27 Mar 2013 59,802 miles

General corrosion under vehicle

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

Nearside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 19 Mar 2012 58,357 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

general corrosion under vehicle

o/s/f tyre starting to deteriorate

Pass 28 Mar 2011 56,477 miles

leak on water pipe

rear tyres perishing and splitting

Pass 2 Apr 2010 54,798 miles

corrosion to exhaust and middle hanger

nearside front disc warped

offside front top mount slightly noisy

slight oil leak

stone chip in nearside front headlamp

Pass 24 Apr 2009 53,040 miles
Pass 10 May 2008 51,205 miles
Pass 12 May 2007 48,938 miles

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

Offside Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 19 May 2006 45,768 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

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R281 VJF is a 1998 Volkswagen Golf in Purple with a 2,792cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

Across all 1998 Volkswagen Golf models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.1% with a typical mileage of 100,017 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 R281 VJF, 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 28 years old, this Volkswagen Golf is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R281 VJF?

You can check the full history of R281 VJF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R281 VJF registered?

R281 VJF is a 1998 Volkswagen Golf, first registered on 14 January 1998.

Is R281 VJF safe to buy?

The MOT history for R281 VJF shows 27 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R281 VJF 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 R281 VJF. 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.