CarVerify

Free Car Check

AF51 BUG

2001 Volkswagen Beetle

Red Petrol 1596cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Aug 2026
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

262,407 mi
Last recorded262,407 miles
Recorded on1 Aug 2025
Typical for 2001 Volkswagen Beetle79,088 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationAF51 BUG
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year2001
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,596cc

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

18 pass 7 fail
Pass 1 Aug 2025 262,407 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 14 Aug 2024 245,641 miles
Fail 12 Aug 2024 245,641 miles

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

Nearside Inner Steering linkage ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 17 Aug 2023 229,879 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 11 Aug 2023 229,871 miles

Nearside Front Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced sill area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced sill area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 7 Oct 2019 225,773 miles

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

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Coil spring corroded both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Fail 3 Oct 2019 225,773 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre has a lump, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Coil spring corroded both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 5 Oct 2018 211,925 miles

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

Fail 2 Oct 2018 211,922 miles

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill area (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill area (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Pass 28 Sep 2017 198,740 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Fail 28 Sep 2017 719,060 miles

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Pass 22 Sep 2016 191,741 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2015 172,481 miles

Nearside Front Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

Offside Front Macpherson strut has slight play in the sliding bush or gland (2.5.B.1b)

Pass 24 Sep 2014 156,131 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 7 Oct 2013 148,022 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fail 2 Oct 2013 147,967 miles

Offside Inner Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush bonding deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Pass 2 Oct 2012 133,592 miles
Pass 6 Sep 2011 113,177 miles
Pass 28 Sep 2010 100,997 miles

front brake discs slightly worn

Pass 29 Sep 2009 84,632 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

slight bind to n/s/r brake

Pass 2 Oct 2008 71,293 miles

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

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

Fail 20 Sep 2007 60,349 miles

Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 20 Sep 2007 60,349 miles

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 29 Sep 2006 50,751 miles

Offside Inner Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Inner Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

centre exhaust mounting beginning to fracture

slight bind on rear brakes

Pass 4 Oct 2005 40,661 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

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

AF51 BUG is a 2001 Volkswagen Beetle in Red with a 1,596cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

Across all 2001 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.7% with a typical mileage of 79,088 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 AF51 BUG, 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 25 years old, this Volkswagen Beetle is still in the earlier part of its expected life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of AF51 BUG?

You can check the full history of AF51 BUG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AF51 BUG registered?

AF51 BUG is a 2001 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 7 November 2001.

Is AF51 BUG safe to buy?

The MOT history for AF51 BUG shows 25 tests with a 72% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AF51 BUG 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 AF51 BUG. 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.