CarVerify

Free Car Check

XJB 397L

1988 Volkswagen Beetle

Black Petrol 1300cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires29 Mar 2018
Tests13 (7 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate53.8%

Mileage

62,340 mi
Last recorded62,340 miles
Recorded on30 Mar 2017
Typical for 1988 Volkswagen Beetle55,751 mi

Above 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

RegistrationXJB 397L
MakeVolkswagen
ModelBeetle
Year1988
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,300cc

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

7 pass 6 fail
Pass 30 Mar 2017 62,340 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

slight play in steering joints

underbody coated various panels repaied but all to mot standard

Pass 15 Sep 2015 62,195 miles

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

Front n/s and o/s perishing

Offside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner arch area (2.2.C.1h)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

steering box has slight play in shaft

Fail 7 Sep 2015 62,195 miles

Direction indicator incorrect colour n/s and o/s wing (1.4.A.2f)

Headlamp aim too high n/s and o/s (1.8)

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user (1.6.2b)

Nearside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded inner wheel arch x3 (2.2.C.1h)

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

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

Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords n/s and o/s outer wall (4.1.D.1a)

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

Front n/s and o/s perishing

Offside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner arch area (2.2.C.1h)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

steering box has slight play in shaft

Pass 31 Jan 2014 61,854 miles

rear tyres have sidewall cracking

steering box has slight vertical play

Fail 17 Jan 2014 61,851 miles

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

Nearside Front All position lamps adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Nearside Front Direction indicators adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.4.A.2h)

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

rear tyres have sidewall cracking

steering box has slight vertical play

Pass 24 Aug 2012 61,396 miles
Fail 17 Aug 2012 61,396 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

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

Pass 20 May 2011 60,748 miles

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

slight perishing on all tyres

Fail 18 May 2011 60,748 miles

Driver's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

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

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

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

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

slight perishing on all tyres

Pass 1 Sep 2008 60,432 miles

Slight play in steering box sector shaft

Fail 29 Aug 2008 60,427 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator excessively damaged so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

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

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Fuel filler cap missing

Slight play in steering box sector shaft

Pass 3 May 2007 60,339 miles

Front bumper insecure

Suspension joint offside lower dust cover split/missing

Fail 25 Apr 2007 60,333 miles

Fuel pipe leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Front Radius arm attachment bracket/mounting insecure (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Front bumper insecure

Suspension joint offside lower dust cover split/missing

lift in steering box at arm

nearside lower ball joint hits roadwheel on lefthand lock

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

XJB 397L is a 1988 Volkswagen Beetle in Black with a 1,300cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 53.8%.

Across all 1988 Volkswagen Beetle models, the average MOT pass rate is 71.8% with a typical mileage of 55,751 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 XJB 397L, 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 38 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 XJB 397L?

You can check the full history of XJB 397L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was XJB 397L registered?

XJB 397L is a 1988 Volkswagen Beetle, first registered on 2 September 1988.

Is XJB 397L safe to buy?

The MOT history for XJB 397L shows 13 tests with a 53.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does XJB 397L 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 XJB 397L. 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.