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S197 RNF

1998 Volkswagen Golf

Red Diesel 1900cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Jul 2027
Tests30 (21 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

148,640 mi
Last recorded148,640 miles
Recorded on7 Jul 2026
Typical for 1998 Volkswagen Golf100,017 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Volkswagen
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationS197 RNF
MakeVolkswagen
ModelGolf
Year1998
ColourRed
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine1,900cc

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 9 fail
Pass 7 Jul 2026 148,640 miles
Pass 10 Jul 2025 144,680 miles
Pass 16 Jul 2024 139,815 miles
Fail 10 Jul 2024 139,810 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 1 Jul 2023 135,287 miles
Fail 30 Jun 2023 135,287 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn w/bone (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn w/bone (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 11 Jul 2022 129,740 miles
Pass 17 Jul 2021 125,399 miles
Fail 12 Jul 2021 125,399 miles

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

Nearside Rear Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded to the extent that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected sill (5.3.6 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded to the extent that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected sill (5.3.6 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 17 Jul 2020 121,629 miles

Offside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement wishbone rear bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 17 Jul 2020 121,625 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement wishbone rear bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 31 Jul 2019 117,951 miles
Pass 20 Aug 2018 114,586 miles

brake servo failed under test conditions

Fail 15 Aug 2018 114,582 miles

Exhaust emissions exceed level of metered smoke for a non-turbo charged engine (8.2.2.2 (b))

Brake servo inoperative (1.1.10 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

brake servo failed under test conditions

Pass 14 Aug 2017 110,922 miles
Fail 14 Aug 2017 110,922 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator has less than 50% of the light sources illuminating (1.4.A.2c)

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Pass 20 Jul 2016 105,858 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2015 102,480 miles
Fail 7 Aug 2015 102,480 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

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

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

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

Pass 6 Aug 2014 98,750 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2013 93,777 miles
Fail 25 Jul 2013 93,777 miles

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 23 Jul 2012 90,161 miles
Pass 20 Jul 2011 86,907 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 20 Jul 2010 83,455 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 23 Jul 2009 80,311 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 18 Aug 2008 74,823 miles
Pass 30 Jul 2007 67,347 miles
Fail 30 Jul 2007 67,347 miles

Rear registration plate obscured (6.3.1d)

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Pass 8 Aug 2006 60,516 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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S197 RNF is a 1998 Volkswagen Golf in Red with a 1,900cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 30 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

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 S197 RNF, 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 S197 RNF?

You can check the full history of S197 RNF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S197 RNF registered?

S197 RNF is a 1998 Volkswagen Golf, first registered on 28 August 1998.

Is S197 RNF safe to buy?

The MOT history for S197 RNF shows 30 tests with a 70% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S197 RNF 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 S197 RNF. 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.