1997 Volkswagen Beetle 1.6L Petrol · R470 DHW
1997 Volkswagen Beetle (1.6L, petrol). First registered 23 Sept 1997. Recorded mileage 99,081 miles. MOT valid until 20 Aug 2027.
- Make & Model
- VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE
- Year / Origin
- 1997 · Reading
- Safety Recall
- Unknown
- MOT Status
- Valid until 20 Aug 2027
- Road Tax
- —
- Recorded Mileage
- 99,081 mi
- ULEZ Compliance
- Check Required (Pre-Euro 4 Petrol)
- Fuel & Engine
- Petrol · 1.6L
- Reliability Guide
- Common Faults
R470 DHW Key Findings
- 40 MOT tests recorded
- Latest MOT passed on 18/08/2026
- 99,081 miles recorded at latest MOT
- 19 historical MOT failures
- No defects recorded at the latest MOT
- Recurring brakes items (61 mentions)
Derived directly from the recorded DVSA and DVLA data shown on this page.
MOT Roadworthiness: Below Average
This rating reflects historical MOT pass rates and recurring advisory wear patterns from official DVSA test logs. Note that roadworthiness does not verify outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen records.
Verify lender finance agreements, insurance write-offs, police stolen registers, and mileage rollback.
Technical Specifications
Core Specifications
Identification & Status
Dimensions & Weights
Diagnostic & Valuation Intelligence
Estimate current market value
Generate an instant valuation benchmark based on live market listings, vehicle mileage, and recent dealer auction figures.
R470 DHW Mileage History
- 23/08/200672,441 mi
- 25/08/200672,441 mi
- 01/09/200773,719 mi+1,278 mi
- 28/08/200875,835 mi+2,116 mi
- 28/08/200875,835 mi
- 05/08/200978,064 mi+2,229 mi
- 14/08/200978,069 mi+5 mi
- 26/08/201080,297 mi+2,228 mi
- 30/08/201182,632 mi+2,335 mi
- 01/09/201182,639 mi+7 mi
- 27/10/201283,619 mi+980 mi
- 15/11/201283,647 mi+28 mi
- 19/11/201283,652 mi+5 mi
- 26/11/201384,322 mi+670 mi
- 11/12/201384,322 mi
- 14/11/201485,540 mi+1,218 mi
- 14/11/201485,540 mi
- 05/11/201586,290 mi+750 mi
- 05/11/201586,290 mi
- 30/11/201687,017 mi+727 mi
- 01/12/201687,017 mi
- 27/11/201788,060 mi+1,043 mi
- 27/11/201788,060 mi
- 17/04/201888,266 mi+206 mi
- 18/04/201989,434 mi+1,168 mi
- 18/04/201989,434 mi
- 08/04/202090,715 mi+1,281 mi
- 24/04/202090,715 mi
- 07/04/202191,896 mi+1,181 mi
- 10/04/202191,896 mi
- 11/04/202293,851 mi+1,955 mi
- 14/04/202293,851 mi
- 03/04/202395,706 mi+1,855 mi
- 05/04/202395,706 mi
- 19/04/202497,489 mi+1,783 mi
- 09/07/202497,567 mi+78 mi
- 06/08/202598,318 mi+751 mi
- 22/08/202598,326 mi+8 mi
- 18/08/202699,081 mi+755 mi
Average of roughly 1,333 miles per year across 39 recorded odometer readings.
R470 DHW MOT History
Interpretation generated from the recorded test data above — not an official DVSA statement and not a substitute for an independent inspection.
40 MOT tests are recorded for this 1997 Volkswagen Beetle (R470 DHW) between August 2006 and August 2026.
The record contains 21 passes and 19 failures.
The most recent test on 18 August 2026 was a pass, although the earlier record includes 19 failures that buyers may want to investigate.
Across all tests, the most frequently flagged areas are: Brakes (61 issues), Lighting (25 issues), Suspension (15 issues), Tyres (13 issues), Bodywork (10 issues). Repeated mentions in one area can indicate an ongoing pattern worth checking in person.
In total 50 advisory notices are recorded. Advisories flag items that passed but may need attention before the next test; they are not evidence of how well the vehicle has been serviced.
Recorded failure items include: “Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))”; “Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))”; “Offside Rear Lower Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural ”.
Similar Vehicles
Similar Vehicles Checked Recently
Plate Neighbors
Batch Registration Neighbors (R470 Series)
Vehicles registered in the same regional DVLA batch as R470DHW.
PEUGEOT
BOXER
NISSAN
MICRA
SUZUKI
GSF600
SUZUKI
TRIKE
BMW
Z3
HONDA
CBR600F
CHEVROLET
CORVETTE
ROVER
100
YAMAHA
XJ900
HONDA
INTEGRA
LAND ROVER
DISCOVERY
VAUXHALL
CORSA
VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE Model Intelligence & Reliability
Verified MOT failure trends, buying advice, and technical directory specifications.
Owner-reported defects, recurring MOT failure points, and estimated repair costs.
Browse production generations, registration statistics, and trim variants.
Historical MOT pass rates and DVLA records for 1997 model year cars.
Regional DVLA Registration Directory
Vehicles and registration batches issued by regional DVLA offices across the UK.
Recently Checked UK Vehicles
Live vehicle history checks and MOT records recently queried by UK car buyers.