DVLA verified

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF1996 · 1.9L DIESEL

P492 FEW

Vehicle Insight Summary

Free vehicle summary for P492 FEW: 1996 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF (RED, DIESEL). Mileage: 191,337. MOT: not recorded. Tax: untaxed.

MOT
Expired
Expires 16/08/2010
Tax
SORN
Statutory Off Road Notification
Fuel
DIESEL
Year
1996
Engine
1896cc
Expert AI · Mechanic's Insight
The most recent MOT on 2009-08-18 recorded a pass at 191,337 miles, but this followed a failure just eight days earlier with multiple critical issues. The 2009-08-10 failure included a power steering malfunction, a damaged windscreen, a bulging brake hose, and excessive exhaust smoke. These defects suggest potential safety risks, particularly with steering and braking systems, which require immediate attention. Recurring mechanical patterns include brake pipe corrosion, which appeared in 2008-08-02 (multiple instances) and 2009-08-10 (a bulging brake hose). Corrosion in brake components is a serious safety concern, as it can compromise braking efficiency. The 2008 failure also highlighted gaiter splits and corroded brake pipes, indicating ongoing issues with component durability and maintenance. The trend shows intermittent but significant defects, with no clear improvement or worsening. The 2009 pass may reflect repairs, but the proximity of the failure and pass suggests the vehicle was in a state of partial disrepair. Without records of repairs, it is uncertain whether these issues were resolved. The 2007 MOT had minor defects, such as a dull lamp and door pin play, which were less critical but still indicative of aging components.

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

Free vehicle health score

45
/ 100 · Below Average

Public record health check: Below Average.

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

✗ MOT Expired or Failed
! Tax Status Unknown
! Average MOT pass rate (60%)
! Older vehicle
A score of 45 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 P492FEW

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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Full MOT History

MOT data last updated: 6/3/2026, 11:27:00 PM

Expert AI · Mechanic's Insight
The most recent MOT on 2009-08-18 recorded a pass at 191,337 miles, but this followed a failure just eight days earlier with multiple critical issues. The 2009-08-10 failure included a power steering malfunction, a damaged windscreen, a bulging brake hose, and excessive exhaust smoke. These defects suggest potential safety risks, particularly with steering and braking systems, which require immediate attention. Recurring mechanical patterns include brake pipe corrosion, which appeared in 2008-08-02 (multiple instances) and 2009-08-10 (a bulging brake hose). Corrosion in brake components is a serious safety concern, as it can compromise braking efficiency. The 2008 failure also highlighted gaiter splits and corroded brake pipes, indicating ongoing issues with component durability and maintenance. The trend shows intermittent but significant defects, with no clear improvement or worsening. The 2009 pass may reflect repairs, but the proximity of the failure and pass suggests the vehicle was in a state of partial disrepair. Without records of repairs, it is uncertain whether these issues were resolved. The 2007 MOT had minor defects, such as a dull lamp and door pin play, which were less critical but still indicative of aging components.

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

AI Analysis · MOT Narrative

This 1996 Volkswagen Golf (P492 FEW) has a recorded MOT history spanning from July 2007 to August 2009, with 5 MOT tests on record.

Across its entire MOT history, this Volkswagen has a 60% success rate (3 passes and 2 fails). This is an average MOT record. Some attention to recurring issues may be beneficial.

The most commonly flagged areas across all MOT tests are: Brakes (7 issues), Lighting (1 issue), Steering (1 issue), Windscreen (1 issue), Exhaust & Emissions (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 9 failure items have been recorded across all tests. Recent failure items include: “Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a non-turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)”; “Nearside Front Brake hose bulging under pressure (3.6.B.3)”; “Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)”.

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

PASS
FAIL
ADVISORY