CarVerify

Free Car Check

VJD 472S

1978 Volkswagen Beetle

Silver Petrol 1192cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 May 2027
Tests10 (7 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

28,105 mi
Last recorded28,105 miles
Recorded on22 May 2026
Typical for 1978 Volkswagen Beetle45,494 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

RegistrationVJD 472S
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1978
ColourSilver
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

7 pass 3 fail
Pass 22 May 2026 28,105 miles

Offside door hard to short

Pass 18 Sep 2018 25,252 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 8 Sep 2018 25,248 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the left. (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 21 Jun 2017 24,038 miles

Nearside Front Lower Radius arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 12 Aug 2015 23,790 miles
Pass 31 May 2007 22,054 miles
Pass 30 May 2007 22,057 miles

slight play steering top bush

Fail 21 May 2007 22,054 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear brake drum contaminated by oil (3.5.1h)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

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

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.1.2c)

Pass 10 May 2006 17,353 miles
Fail 4 May 2006 17,281 miles

Front Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Nearside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Nearside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Offside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

tyre has small cracks in side wall o/s/f

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

VJD 472S is a 1978 Volkswagen Beetle in Silver with a 1,192cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 10 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

Across all 1978 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.7% with a typical mileage of 45,494 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 VJD 472S, 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 48 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 VJD 472S?

You can check the full history of VJD 472S by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was VJD 472S registered?

VJD 472S is a 1978 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 10 March 1978.

Is VJD 472S safe to buy?

The MOT history for VJD 472S shows 10 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 VJD 472S 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 VJD 472S. 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.