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1997 Volkswagen 1200 D Swb — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years
Current Age
52.5%
Latest Pass Rate
840
Total Tests (All Years)
171,719 mi
Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 19

This car: 52.5%
Average: 55.4%

⚠️ 2.9% below average (7550 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1997 Volkswagen 1200 D Swb as it ages.

12 yrs50.4%
13 yrs44.2%
14 yrs40.6%
15 yrs43.2%
16 yrs46.1%
17 yrs43.9%
18 yrs49.5%
19 yrs52.5%

Bar chart showing pass rate by car age from 12 to 19 years

Fail Rate %
📊 View as table
AgePass RateTests
12 yrs50.4%127
13 yrs44.2%104
14 yrs40.6%101
15 yrs43.2%95
16 yrs46.1%102
17 yrs43.9%107
18 yrs49.5%105
19 yrs52.5%99

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Volkswagen 1200 D Swb pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

Trend shows improving over 8 years

Pass Rate %
📊 View as table
BuiltPass RateTests
2016 (19 yrs)52.5%99
2015 (18 yrs)49.5%105
2014 (17 yrs)43.9%107
2013 (16 yrs)46.1%102
2012 (15 yrs)43.2%95
2011 (14 yrs)40.6%101
2010 (13 yrs)44.2%104
2009 (12 yrs)50.4%127

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate
50.4%
Age (yrs) 12Tests 127Avg Mileage 140,988Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.3%
2010High Fail Rate
44.2%
Age (yrs) 13Tests 104Avg Mileage 141,919Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.6%
2011High Fail Rate
40.6%
Age (yrs) 14Tests 101Avg Mileage 146,779Top Failure Brakes — 41.6%
2012High Fail Rate
43.2%
Age (yrs) 15Tests 95Avg Mileage 146,794Top Failure Brakes — 37.9%
2013High Fail Rate
46.1%
Age (yrs) 16Tests 102Avg Mileage 155,587Top Failure Brakes — 94.1%
2014High Fail Rate
43.9%
Age (yrs) 17Tests 107Avg Mileage 159,222Top Failure Brakes — 116.8%
2015High Fail Rate
49.5%
Age (yrs) 18Tests 105Avg Mileage 166,083Top Failure Brakes — 101.0%
2016High Fail Rate
52.5%
Age (yrs) 19Tests 99Avg Mileage 171,719Top Failure Brakes — 88.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Volkswagen 1200 D Swb, with age trends.

Brakes
68.2%
↑ Increases with age
Suspension
55.7%
↑ Increases with age
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment
49.4%
↑ Increases with age
Steering
22.8%
— Consistent
Body, Structure and General Items
21.9%
— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

CategoryAt YoungestAt OldestChangeTrend
Brakes31.5% (12 yrs)88.9% (19 yrs)
+57.4%
🔴 ↑
Suspension30.7% (12 yrs)75.8% (19 yrs)
+45.1%
🔴 ↑
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment32.3% (12 yrs)51.5% (19 yrs)
+19.2%
🔴 ↑
Driver's View of the Road15.0% (12 yrs)18.2% (19 yrs)
+3.2%
🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Volkswagen 1200 D Swb page →

About This Data

This page shows how Volkswagen 1200 D Swb cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2016, covering 840 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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