CarVerify

Free Car Check

S417 SBD

1998 Volkswagen Beetle

Red Diesel 1900cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires4 Jun 2026
Tests15 (12 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

36,760 mi
Last recorded36,760 miles
Recorded on5 Jun 2025
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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationS417 SBD
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
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

12 pass 3 fail
Pass 5 Jun 2025 36,760 miles

Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output both sides (4.1.4 (b))

Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement both sides (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively both sides (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both sides (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear brake pipe corrded

Pass 20 Feb 2019 35,475 miles

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

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

Pass 22 Feb 2018 34,197 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 15 Sep 2016 31,231 miles

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

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

Pass 10 Sep 2015 27,938 miles

ECU light on

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

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

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

Pass 12 Sep 2014 23,972 miles

ECU light on

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

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

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 10 Sep 2013 20,048 miles

ECU light on

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Nail in offside rear tyre

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

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 10 Sep 2013 20,048 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

ECU light on

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Nail in offside rear tyre

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

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 13 Sep 2012 18,640 miles
Pass 19 Jan 2010 16,766 miles

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

Nearside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

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

ecu light on

front and rear number plates have water damage

Pass 19 Dec 2008 14,326 miles

Nearside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

engine management light on

Fail 18 Dec 2008 14,326 miles

Offside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Brake load sensing valve linkage stiff (3.6.E.3)

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

engine management light on

Pass 2 Jan 2008 12,272 miles

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 9 Jan 2007 8,967 miles

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Fail 2 Jan 2007 8,960 miles

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

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

S417 SBD is a 1998 Volkswagen Beetle in Red with a 1,900cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

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 S417 SBD, 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 S417 SBD?

You can check the full history of S417 SBD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S417 SBD registered?

S417 SBD is a 1998 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is S417 SBD safe to buy?

The MOT history for S417 SBD shows 15 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 S417 SBD 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 S417 SBD. 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.