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SSO 451M

1973 Volkswagen Beetle

Blue Petrol 1300cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Nov 2026
Tests23 (16 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate69.6%

Mileage

67,518 mi
Last recorded67,518 miles
Recorded on17 Nov 2025
Typical for 1973 Volkswagen Beetle46,746 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationSSO 451M
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1973
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,300cc

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

16 pass 7 fail
Pass 17 Nov 2025 67,518 miles
Pass 21 Nov 2024 67,447 miles
Pass 12 Oct 2023 67,388 miles
Pass 3 Oct 2022 67,355 miles
Pass 29 Sep 2021 67,215 miles
Pass 9 Sep 2020 67,068 miles
Fail 19 Aug 2020 67,067 miles

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid level significantly below minimum level (1.1.10 (d) (ii))

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Fuel cap/sealing device ineffective (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Position lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (4.2.3 (c))

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

Pass 24 May 2019 67,013 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 12 Jun 2018 66,586 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Fail 8 Jun 2018 66,586 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 9 Jun 2017 65,426 miles

Offside Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases inlet pipe (7.1.2)

Pass 20 Jun 2016 63,008 miles

Offside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

nearside door mirror insecure

rear brake application imbalance close to limit

Fail 16 Jun 2016 63,008 miles

Main beam 'tell-tale' not working (1.7.4c)

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect no pattern (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded nearside rear inner arch holed (2.4.A.3)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

rear brake application uneven 46%, nearside performance lower (3.7.B.2)

Offside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

nearside door mirror insecure

nearside headlamp lens cracked

Fail 1 Jun 2016 62,994 miles

Indicator tell tale inoperative (1.4.A.2a)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded wheel arch holed (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated split and inner cord showing (3.6.B.4d)

Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner sill soft (2.4.A.3)

Nearside door mirror loose

play at steering

signs of offside front tyre rubbing

Pass 14 May 2015 60,956 miles

Nearside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Fail 8 May 2015 60,956 miles

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Nearside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Pass 17 Apr 2014 60,816 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2013 60,537 miles
Fail 4 Apr 2013 60,516 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively chafed (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.A.1)

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

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Oil leak

Pass 2 Aug 2011 60,246 miles
Fail 19 Jul 2011 60,246 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b) DANGEROUS

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b) DANGEROUS

Pass 27 May 2010 60,039 miles

slight corrosion n/s/f inner wing not within prescribed area

Pass 18 Jun 2009 50,107 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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SSO 451M is a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle in Blue with a 1,300cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.6%.

Across all 1973 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.7% with a typical mileage of 46,746 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 SSO 451M, 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 53 years old, this Volkswagen Beetle is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of SSO 451M?

You can check the full history of SSO 451M by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was SSO 451M registered?

SSO 451M is a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 16 October 1973.

Is SSO 451M safe to buy?

The MOT history for SSO 451M shows 23 tests with a 69.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does SSO 451M 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 SSO 451M. 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.