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B398 VLJ

1985 Volkswagen Camper

Brown Petrol 1913cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires30 Jul 2026
Tests29 (18 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate62.1%

Mileage

256,638 mi
Last recorded256,638 miles
Recorded on31 Jul 2025
Typical for 1985 Volkswagen Camper62,636 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationB398 VLJ
MakeVolkswagen
ModelCamper
Year1985
ColourBrown
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,913cc

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 11 fail
Pass 31 Jul 2025 256,638 miles

Front Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement d bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 30 Jul 2024 254,232 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 13 Jul 2023 253,360 miles
Pass 10 Jun 2021 252,984 miles
Fail 10 Jun 2021 252,984 miles

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

Pass 30 Jun 2020 252,961 miles

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Fail 29 Jun 2020 252,961 miles

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

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Outer Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Rear Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 4 Jul 2019 252,368 miles

Central Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 25 Jun 2019 252,333 miles

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

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords outer sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps 2 x lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Central Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing cuts in tread (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 30 Jun 2018 251,202 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2017 251,001 miles
Fail 5 Jul 2017 250,998 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 23 May 2016 249,968 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Pass 7 Jul 2015 248,224 miles

Offside Lower Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Fail 9 Jul 2014 244,540 miles

Fuel hose leaking (7.2.3)

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 (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 9 Jul 2014 244,540 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 (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 10 Jun 2013 239,286 miles

Engine noisy

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Oil leak

Slight bind on O/S/F Wheel

Fail 31 May 2013 239,268 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

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

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

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

Engine noisy

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Oil leak

Slight bind on O/S/F Wheel

Pass 12 Sep 2011 238,495 miles

N/S/R Wheel bearing noisy

Oil leak

Fail 12 Sep 2011 238,495 miles

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

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

N/S/R Wheel bearing noisy

Oil leak

Pass 26 Jul 2010 235,274 miles

N/s front inner brake disc shield corroded

Suspension joint offside lower dust cover split/missing

Fail 26 Jul 2010 235,263 miles

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

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

N/s front inner brake disc shield corroded

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.C.1b)

Suspension joint offside lower dust cover split/missing

Pass 4 Aug 2009 216,114 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2008 198,853 miles
Fail 6 Aug 2008 198,853 miles

Front Tie bar/rod rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Pass 11 Aug 2007 186,122 miles
Fail 3 Aug 2007 185,786 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose bulging under pressure (3.6.B.3)

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Rear Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Fail 8 Aug 2006 169,658 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter insecure (2.2.D.2d)

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Pass 8 Aug 2006 169,658 miles

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

How Reliable is the Volkswagen Camper?

Based on 115,919 MOT tests across 7,619 vehicles.

67.9%
Pass Rate
1,159
Miles/Year
62
Year Lifespan
7,619
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 7,879
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 6,226
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 4,804
Stop lamp not working 3,507
position lamp(s) not working 3,386
Full Volkswagen Camper reliability report

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B398 VLJ is a 1985 Volkswagen Camper in Brown with a 1,913cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.1%.

Across all 1985 Volkswagen Camper models, the average MOT pass rate is 63.8% with a typical mileage of 62,636 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 Camper fails its MOT is windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid, accounting for 7,879 recorded failures. If you're considering buying B398 VLJ, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Volkswagen Camper typically stays on UK roads for around 62 years. At 41 years old, this Volkswagen Camper is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of B398 VLJ?

You can check the full history of B398 VLJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B398 VLJ registered?

B398 VLJ is a 1985 Volkswagen Camper, first registered on 21 May 1985.

Is B398 VLJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for B398 VLJ shows 29 tests with a 62.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B398 VLJ 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 B398 VLJ. 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.