CarVerify

Free Car Check

GFB 174W

1981 Volkswagen Beetle

Cream Petrol 1600cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires19 Dec 2018
Tests13 (6 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate46.2%

Mileage

17,058 mi
Last recorded17,058 miles
Recorded on20 Dec 2017
Typical for 1981 Volkswagen Beetle45,021 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

RegistrationGFB 174W
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1981
ColourCream
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,600cc

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

6 pass 7 fail
Pass 20 Dec 2017 17,058 miles

Nearside Front oil leak

Nearside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 12 Oct 2016 14,675 miles

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

Front underbody general chassis and suspension corrosion

Nearside Front Body has slight corrosion floor panel (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Rear inner seal corroded

Nearside Rear rear parking (secondary) brake grabbing slightly (3.7.B.6b)

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

Offside Rear inner seal corroded

Oil leak ()

Rear underbody general chassis and suspension corrosion

Steering damper slight oil seepage (2.2.C.1f)

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

Fail 6 Oct 2016 14,670 miles

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

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

Steering damper slight oil seepage (2.2.C.1f)

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

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

Front underbody general chassis and suspension corrosion

Nearside Front Body has slight corrosion floor panel (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Rear inner seal corroded

Nearside Rear rear parking (secondary) brake grabbing slightly (3.7.B.6b)

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

Offside Rear inner seal corroded

Oil leak ()

Rear underbody general chassis and suspension corrosion

Pass 18 Jul 2014 14,401 miles
Fail 11 Jul 2014 14,401 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Nearside Front Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Rear Suspension has inadequate clearance with the bump stop (2.4.A.1a)

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

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

Offside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Offside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

Pass 13 Nov 2012 12,632 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

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

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

both inner sills rusty

Fail 6 Nov 2012 12,632 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

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

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

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

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

both inner sills rusty

Fail 5 Mar 2012 12,605 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Front registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Nearside Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (5.2.5b)

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

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

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

Rear Passenger's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

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

Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

offside sill corroded outside prescribed area

Fail 10 Feb 2011 12,551 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)

Exhaust engine idle speed too high (7.3.A.2a)

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

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

Nearside Headlamp excessively damaged so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

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

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

Offside Front Upper Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

corrosion in nearside rear of vehicle

nearside front bottom ball joint dust cover split

Pass 15 May 2009 12,507 miles
Fail 7 May 2009 12,499 miles

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

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

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

oil leak offside rear hub

slight roughness nearside rear wheel bearing

Fail 5 Nov 2008 12,478 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Front Brake hose has insufficient room to move, resulting in fouling on any part (3.6.B.4a)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users (1.8.A.1a)

Nearside Rear Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Offside Front Brake hose has insufficient room to move, resulting in fouling on any part (3.6.B.4a)

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Rear Rear fog lamp missing (1.3.2a)

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Rear fog lamp switch missing (1.3.1a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 14 Feb 2006 11,223 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

GFB 174W is a 1981 Volkswagen Beetle in Cream with a 1,600cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 46.2%.

Across all 1981 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.5% with a typical mileage of 45,021 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 GFB 174W, 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 45 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 GFB 174W?

You can check the full history of GFB 174W by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was GFB 174W registered?

GFB 174W is a 1981 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 31 December 1981.

Is GFB 174W safe to buy?

The MOT history for GFB 174W shows 13 tests with a 46.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does GFB 174W 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 GFB 174W. 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.