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R81 MBV

1997 Volkswagen Caravelle

Silver Diesel 2459cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Feb 2027
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

69,355 mi
Last recorded69,355 miles
Recorded on20 Feb 2026
Typical for 1997 Volkswagen Caravelle141,911 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

RegistrationR81 MBV
MakeVolkswagen
ModelCaravelle
Year1997
ColourSilver
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,459cc

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 6 fail
Pass 20 Feb 2026 69,355 miles

Offside Rear flexi brake hose rubbing on hand brake cable

Pass 7 Jan 2025 66,161 miles

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated both (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Fail 23 Dec 2024 66,149 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated both (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 21 Dec 2023 63,197 miles
Pass 5 Jan 2023 59,612 miles
Pass 15 Dec 2021 55,361 miles
Pass 8 Jan 2021 53,705 miles
Fail 7 Jan 2021 53,704 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake hose excessively twisted (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake hose excessively twisted at caliper (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 17 Jul 2019 49,392 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 29 Aug 2018 47,744 miles

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier Leisure battery under bonnet (4.13 (a) (i))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Both rear over axle (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Outer Sill at front (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Rear wiper rubber split

Pass 23 Aug 2017 41,438 miles

offside front cross member corroded

Pass 5 Sep 2016 39,226 miles
Pass 28 Aug 2015
Fail 24 Aug 2015 39,164 miles

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush bonding deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b) DANGEROUS

Pass 30 Aug 2013 39,106 miles
Pass 3 Sep 2012 38,736 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 1 Sep 2011 38,324 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 1 Sep 2011 38,321 miles

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

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 2 Sep 2010 38,138 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 3 Sep 2009 37,847 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2008 35,789 miles
Pass 12 Sep 2007 33,117 miles
Fail 11 Sep 2007 33,107 miles

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

Pass 11 Sep 2006 29,173 miles
Fail 8 Sep 2006 29,167 miles

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

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Pass 2 Sep 2005 26,318 miles

How Reliable is the Volkswagen Caravelle?

Based on 422,168 MOT tests across 24,962 vehicles.

71.2%
Pass Rate
5,286
Miles/Year
43
Year Lifespan
24,962
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Registration plate lamp not working 8,177
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 6,845
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 6,266
Brake pipe excessively corroded 5,996
position lamp(s) not working 4,827
Full Volkswagen Caravelle reliability report

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R81 MBV is a 1997 Volkswagen Caravelle in Silver with a 2,459cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

Across all 1997 Volkswagen Caravelle models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.1% with a typical mileage of 141,911 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Volkswagen Caravelle fails its MOT is registration plate lamp not working, accounting for 8,177 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R81 MBV, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Volkswagen Caravelle typically stays on UK roads for around 43 years. At 29 years old, this Volkswagen Caravelle is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R81 MBV?

You can check the full history of R81 MBV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R81 MBV registered?

R81 MBV is a 1997 Volkswagen Caravelle, first registered on 12 September 1997.

Is R81 MBV safe to buy?

The MOT history for R81 MBV shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R81 MBV 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 R81 MBV. 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.