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HMT 143J

1990 Volkswagen Beetle

Orange Petrol 1600cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires20 May 2026
Tests25 (17 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate68%

Mileage

85,504 mi
Last recorded85,504 miles
Recorded on21 May 2025
Typical for 1990 Volkswagen Beetle47,333 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationHMT 143J
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1990
ColourOrange
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

17 pass 8 fail
Pass 21 May 2025 85,504 miles
Pass 13 May 2024 85,305 miles
Fail 4 Nov 2020 84,815 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose bulging under pressure (1.1.12 (d))

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

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

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Inner Wheel arch badly corroded & holed

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly twisted Rubbing slightly on suspension arm (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 8 May 2019 84,062 miles
Pass 15 May 2018 83,426 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

both front inner wing + o/s/f holed

front brake pipes starting to rust

fuel cap seal perrishing

vehicle generally rusty underneath

Fail 8 May 2018 83,369 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt rear (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt rear (2.2.C.1c)

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

both front inner wing + o/s/f holed

front brake pipes starting to rust

fuel cap seal perrishing

vehicle generally rusty underneath

Pass 28 Apr 2017 82,443 miles

Both front inner wheel arches corroded and holed.

Pass 13 May 2016 82,009 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. 28 o/o. offside low. (3.7.B.5b)

Pass 6 May 2015 80,472 miles

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

Offside front inner wheel arch corroded and holed.

Fail 23 Apr 2015 80,434 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

Offside front inner wheel arch corroded and holed.

Pass 12 May 2014 79,527 miles

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

both rear tyres perrishing

handbrake button missing but still operating

n/s/r brake pipe starting to rust

Fail 18 Mar 2014 79,507 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

both rear tyres perrishing

handbrake button missing but still operates

slight play in o/s/f hub assemly

Pass 27 Mar 2013 78,414 miles

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

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

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

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.1.2c)

freeplay in steering felt at wheel

nearside front and offside front brake pipes slightly corroded

slight tightness in steering on right lock

steering damper mounting bush heavily worn

Fail 16 Mar 2013 78,392 miles

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Body has a sharp edge caused by damage (6.1.C.1)

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

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

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

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

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.1.2c)

freeplay in steering felt at wheel

nearside front and offside front brake pipes slightly corroded

offside front wiper smeering slightly

steering damper mounting bush heavily worn

Pass 12 Mar 2012 77,641 miles
Pass 21 Feb 2011 75,225 miles
Fail 17 Feb 2011 75,187 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose leaking (3.6.A.1)

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

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Pass 10 Mar 2010 71,837 miles
Pass 9 Mar 2009 63,224 miles
Fail 6 Mar 2009 63,222 miles

Nearside Front position lamp(s) incorrect colour (1.1.A.3e)

Nearside Rear Direction indicators incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front position lamp(s) incorrect colour (1.1.A.3e)

Offside Rear Direction indicators incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 7 Jun 2008 62,761 miles
Fail 24 Jul 2007 62,590 miles

Nearside Front Vehicle structure has damage which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.A.1)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Rear Wheel bolt(s) loose (4.2.A.1e)

Rear registration plate dirty (6.3.1d)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 24 Jul 2007 62,590 miles
Pass 14 Aug 2006 62,340 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2005 6,542 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

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HMT 143J is a 1990 Volkswagen Beetle in Orange with a 1,600cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68%.

Across all 1990 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.5% with a typical mileage of 47,333 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 HMT 143J, 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 36 years old, this Volkswagen Beetle is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of HMT 143J?

You can check the full history of HMT 143J by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was HMT 143J registered?

HMT 143J is a 1990 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 26 April 1990.

Is HMT 143J safe to buy?

The MOT history for HMT 143J shows 25 tests with a 68% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does HMT 143J 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 HMT 143J. 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.