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R479 COU

1997 Volkswagen Beetle

Blue Petrol 1600cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires23 May 2026
Tests25 (20 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

36,624 mi
Last recorded36,624 miles
Recorded on15 May 2025
Typical for 1997 Volkswagen Beetle51,989 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

RegistrationR479 COU
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1997
ColourBlue
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

20 pass 5 fail
Pass 15 May 2025 36,624 miles

Front to rear, offside and nearside, suspension components, brake components, prescribed areas and some underbody components corroded. some covered in sealant

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 24 May 2024 36,580 miles

various corrosion under side of vehicle

Fail 23 May 2024 36,579 miles

Fuel system component leaking fuel filter area (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

various corrosion under side of vehicle

Pass 4 Jul 2023 36,407 miles
Fail 3 Jul 2023 36,407 miles

Front Windscreen wiper not working (3.4 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 24 Jun 2022 36,302 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 10 Jun 2022 36,299 miles

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Headlamp lens missing (4.1.1 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 25 Jun 2021 36,214 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 6 Jul 2020 36,009 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 31 May 2019 35,815 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 23 May 2019 35,808 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Jun 2018 35,580 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 7 Jun 2018 35,580 miles

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

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Pass 26 Apr 2017 35,577 miles

rear anti-roll bar linkages worn

Pass 27 Apr 2016 35,452 miles

mainbeam tell-tale light rather dim

Pass 23 Apr 2015 35,319 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

rear of floor pans corroded both sides slightly

Pass 17 Apr 2014 34,890 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 22 Apr 2013 34,688 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2012 34,353 miles
Pass 28 Apr 2011 33,194 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 9 Feb 2010 28,650 miles
Pass 15 Dec 2008 26,452 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 13 Dec 2007 24,115 miles
Pass 15 Dec 2006 21,999 miles

Nearside Front Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 15 Dec 2005 19,620 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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R479 COU is a 1997 Volkswagen Beetle in Blue with a 1,600cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

Across all 1997 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.8% with a typical mileage of 51,989 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

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 R479 COU, 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 29 years old, this Volkswagen Beetle is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R479 COU?

You can check the full history of R479 COU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R479 COU registered?

R479 COU is a 1997 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R479 COU safe to buy?

The MOT history for R479 COU shows 25 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R479 COU 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 R479 COU. 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.