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VHJ 478L

1972 Volkswagen Beetle

White Petrol 1192cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires29 Sep 2025
Tests17 (11 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate64.7%

Mileage

39,376 mi
Last recorded39,376 miles
Recorded on30 Sep 2024
Typical for 1972 Volkswagen Beetle44,941 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

RegistrationVHJ 478L
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1972
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,192cc

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

11 pass 6 fail
Pass 30 Sep 2024 39,376 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2019 39,318 miles
Fail 11 Mar 2019 39,312 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Hydraulic brake cylinder leaking hydraulic fluid (1.1.16 (b) (i))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Pass 31 Oct 2016 39,298 miles

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt inner & outer joints (2.2.C.1c)

slight corrosion o.s. & n.s. floorpan seamsbehind front wheels as advised

slight oil leak on n.s. rear swing axle seal

Pass 2 Nov 2015 38,987 miles
Pass 3 Nov 2014 38,593 miles
Fail 29 Oct 2014 38,584 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Front front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Rear front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Windscreen wiper control is inaccessible to the driver (8.2.1a)

light switch broken

Pass 16 Sep 2013 38,170 miles
Pass 17 Sep 2012 37,854 miles

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.1.2c)

Pass 15 Sep 2011 36,998 miles

both front tyres cracked showing signes of ageing.

Fail 14 Sep 2011 36,995 miles

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

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

Offside Rear rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Nearside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a) DANGEROUS

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

both front tyres cracked showing signes of ageing.

Pass 1 Oct 2010 36,898 miles
Fail 30 Sep 2010 36,896 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.7.5c)

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front Headlamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.7.5c)

Offside Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

Pass 29 Sep 2009 36,319 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 29 Sep 2009 36,319 miles

Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 30 Sep 2008 35,208 miles
Fail 30 Sep 2008 35,208 miles

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is deliberately modified which significantly reduces the original strength (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is deliberately modified which significantly reduces the original strength (2.4.A.3)

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

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

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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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VHJ 478L is a 1972 Volkswagen Beetle in White with a 1,192cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.7%.

Across all 1972 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.4% with a typical mileage of 44,941 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 VHJ 478L, 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 54 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 VHJ 478L?

You can check the full history of VHJ 478L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was VHJ 478L registered?

VHJ 478L is a 1972 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 31 December 1972.

Is VHJ 478L safe to buy?

The MOT history for VHJ 478L shows 17 tests with a 64.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does VHJ 478L 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 VHJ 478L. 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.