DVLA verified
MOT valid
Tax valid

VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE1973 · 1.6L PETROL

BUG 59

Vehicle Insight Summary

With 82,644 miles recorded, this RED 1973 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE runs on PETROL with a 1600cc engine. MOT is currently valid and tax is up to date.

MOT
Valid
Expires 06/09/2026
Tax
Taxed
Expires 01/10/2026
Fuel
PETROL
Year
1973
Engine
1600cc
Expert AI · Mechanic's Insight
The vehicle currently presents a stable roadworthiness status, following a clean result in its most recent test in September 2025. At 82,644 miles, it passed without any defects or advisories, which represents a significant improvement over the major failure recorded in early 2019. This suggests that the current owner has addressed critical structural and mechanical concerns to maintain the car to a passing standard. The mileage pattern is exceptionally low for a 53-year-old vehicle, averaging approximately 1,559 miles per year. Data shows a long period between 2008 and 2019 where the car covered only 6 miles in over eleven years. Since the 2019 failure, the vehicle has covered roughly 190 miles annually. While this low usage suggests light-duty and minimal mechanical wear on the drivetrain and engine, it also increases the risk of perished rubber components, seized seals, and fluid-related issues due to long periods of inactivity. A physical inspection must focus heavily on the structural integrity of the offside front suspension, as the 2019 failure flagged excessive corrosion in a mounting area that significantly reduced structural strength. While the car passed in 2025, rust on classic Beetles is progressive and can hide deep beneath surface paint. The buyer should also verify the brake system efficiency and parking brake performance, as both were below requirements in 2019. Checking the offside front wheel bearing for play is also necessary to ensure the previous fault was permanently rectified and is not recurring.

AI insights are experimental and can be incorrect. All claims should be manually verified.

Free vehicle health score

85
/ 100 · Good

Public record health check: Good.

Based on free DVLA & DVSA signals. Premium checks for stolen/finance/write-off history are locked below.

✓ Valid MOT
✓ Taxed
✓ Good MOT pass rate (80%)
! Older vehicle
A score of 85 doesn't mean it's safe to buy. Private markers don't appear in public data.
Verified Experian Data

Full History Report

Official provenance and safety check for BUG59

Data provided by Experian
Stolen
Locked
Finance
Locked
Write-off
Locked
Salvage
Locked
Imported
Locked
Exported
Locked
Scrapped
Locked
Destruction
Locked
V5C Logbook
Locked

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Technical Specifications

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Full MOT History

Expert AI · Mechanic's Insight
The vehicle currently presents a stable roadworthiness status, following a clean result in its most recent test in September 2025. At 82,644 miles, it passed without any defects or advisories, which represents a significant improvement over the major failure recorded in early 2019. This suggests that the current owner has addressed critical structural and mechanical concerns to maintain the car to a passing standard. The mileage pattern is exceptionally low for a 53-year-old vehicle, averaging approximately 1,559 miles per year. Data shows a long period between 2008 and 2019 where the car covered only 6 miles in over eleven years. Since the 2019 failure, the vehicle has covered roughly 190 miles annually. While this low usage suggests light-duty and minimal mechanical wear on the drivetrain and engine, it also increases the risk of perished rubber components, seized seals, and fluid-related issues due to long periods of inactivity. A physical inspection must focus heavily on the structural integrity of the offside front suspension, as the 2019 failure flagged excessive corrosion in a mounting area that significantly reduced structural strength. While the car passed in 2025, rust on classic Beetles is progressive and can hide deep beneath surface paint. The buyer should also verify the brake system efficiency and parking brake performance, as both were below requirements in 2019. Checking the offside front wheel bearing for play is also necessary to ensure the previous fault was permanently rectified and is not recurring.

AI insights are experimental and can be incorrect. All claims should be manually verified.

AI Analysis · MOT Narrative

Our records for this Volkswagen Beetle (BUG 59) from 1973 show a total of 5 MOT tests between March 2008 and September 2025.

The vehicle has achieved an overall 80% pass rate, with 4 passes and 1 failure recorded. Such a high pass rate is a positive indicator of the car's general condition and maintenance history.

The most commonly flagged areas across all MOT tests are: Lighting (3 issues), Brakes (2 issues), Suspension (1 issue). These areas are worth paying attention to when inspecting this vehicle.

There is 1 advisory notice in the MOT history. Advisories are not failures but indicate areas that may need attention in the future.

A total of 5 failure items have been recorded across all tests. Recent failure items include: “Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))”; “Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))”; “Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural stren”.

AI insights are experimental and can be incorrect. All claims should be manually verified.

PASS
FAIL
ADVISORY