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R542 HWS

1998 Volkswagen Beetle

Black Petrol 1600cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Jun 2027
Tests28 (21 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

6,988 mi
Last recorded6,988 miles
Recorded on19 May 2026
Typical for 1998 Volkswagen Beetle68,525 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

RegistrationR542 HWS
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1998
ColourBlack
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

21 pass 7 fail
Pass 19 May 2026 6,988 miles
Pass 13 May 2025 4,248 miles

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 21 May 2024 1,037 miles

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

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Fail 21 May 2024 1,037 miles

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

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Valve stem seriously damaged (5.2.3 (j))

Pass 9 May 2023 98,650 miles

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

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 10 May 2022 96,215 miles

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 18 May 2021 93,713 miles
Fail 18 May 2021 93,713 miles

Nearside Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible (4.1.4 (c))

Offside Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible (4.1.4 (c))

Pass 9 Jun 2020 91,392 miles

Horn not working properly (7.7 (a) (i))

Pass 14 May 2019 88,407 miles

Nearside Front Valve stem slightly damaged (5.2.3 (j))

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

Pass 21 May 2018 83,936 miles
Fail 15 May 2018 83,894 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 22 May 2017 79,496 miles

Free-play in steering.

Fail 16 May 2017 79,331 miles

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

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fuel cap/sealing device sealing washer deteriorated (7.2.4c)

Free-play in steering.

Pass 24 May 2016 74,774 miles
Pass 19 May 2015 69,272 miles

Slight play in steering box

Fuel cap seal starting to crack

Pass 15 May 2014 63,429 miles

Freeplay/wear in steering box

Fail 13 May 2014 63,429 miles

Offside Front Brake hose bulging under pressure (3.6.B.3)

Freeplay/wear in steering box

Pass 21 May 2013 56,033 miles
Fail 14 May 2013 55,746 miles

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Nearside Front Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 8 May 2012 49,162 miles

Slight wear/play in steering box

Pass 11 May 2011 42,435 miles
Pass 11 May 2010 34,885 miles
Pass 14 May 2009 26,865 miles
Pass 22 May 2008 19,193 miles

Front suspension has slight play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Pass 5 Jun 2007 11,896 miles

front brakes out of balance(23%)

Pass 7 Jul 2006 4,217 miles
Fail 7 Jul 2006 4,217 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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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R542 HWS is a 1998 Volkswagen Beetle in Black with a 1,600cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

Across all 1998 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.6% with a typical mileage of 68,525 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 R542 HWS, 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 28 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 R542 HWS?

You can check the full history of R542 HWS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R542 HWS registered?

R542 HWS is a 1998 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 22 April 1998.

Is R542 HWS safe to buy?

The MOT history for R542 HWS shows 28 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R542 HWS 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 R542 HWS. 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.