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ATF 538J

1970 Volkswagen Beetle

Red Petrol 1200cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Aug 2026
Tests15 (10 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

62,447 mi
Last recorded62,447 miles
Recorded on7 Aug 2025
Typical for 1970 Volkswagen Beetle42,944 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationATF 538J
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1970
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,200cc

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

10 pass 5 fail
Pass 7 Aug 2025 62,447 miles
Pass 1 Aug 2024 61,601 miles
Pass 27 Jul 2023 61,126 miles

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

Shock absorbers has slight external damage to the casing all four front and rear on both sides (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 5 Aug 2022 60,733 miles

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

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 11 Aug 2021 60,408 miles

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced chassis leg (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 24 Mar 2018 59,997 miles

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

Fail 24 Mar 2018 59,997 miles

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

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

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

Pass 20 Apr 2017 59,461 miles
Fail 11 Apr 2017 59,461 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Pass 20 Apr 2016 58,140 miles

front wipers poor

strong advise - osf inner steering arm ball joint worn

Fail 13 Apr 2016 58,139 miles

Nearside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (4.1.D.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

strong advise - osf inner steering arm ball joint worn

Pass 10 Mar 2015 54,981 miles

osf inner track rod end slightly worn

wipers poor

exhaust corroded

Fail 4 Mar 2015 54,980 miles

Bonnet retaining device ineffective (8.4.2)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Inner Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

exhaust corroded

wipers poor

Pass 17 Oct 2013 49,229 miles

Fuel cap seal slighly deteriorated

Nearside Front Upper Trailing arm has slight play in a pin bearing (2.4.G.2)

Steering box has slight play

Fail 24 Sep 2013 49,229 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Front An item not tested (Manual)

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has an inadequate repair, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Front Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Obligatory mirror is incapable of being adjusted to provide an adequate view to the rear (8.1.2b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Fuel cap sealing washer deteriorating

Steering box has slight play

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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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.

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ATF 538J is a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle in Red with a 1,200cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 1970 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.3% with a typical mileage of 42,944 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 ATF 538J, 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 56 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 ATF 538J?

You can check the full history of ATF 538J by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was ATF 538J registered?

ATF 538J is a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 1 September 1970.

Is ATF 538J safe to buy?

The MOT history for ATF 538J shows 15 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does ATF 538J 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 ATF 538J. 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.