1983 Volkswagen Golf — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1983 perform at MOT as they age

43 years

Current Age

79.4%

Latest Pass Rate

17,246

Total Tests (All Years)

118,418 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1983 Volkswagen Golf as it ages.

26 yrs48.0%

→ ↑2.5%

27 yrs50.5%

→ ↓1.2%

28 yrs49.3%

→ ↑2.1%

29 yrs51.4%

→ ↑2.2%

30 yrs53.6%

→ ↑1.5%

31 yrs55.1%

→ ↑4.7%

32 yrs59.8%

→ ↑1.6%

33 yrs61.4%

→ ↑4.9%

34 yrs66.3%

→ ↑4.0%

35 yrs70.3%

→ ↑1.5%

36 yrs71.8%

→ ↓2.6%

37 yrs69.2%

→ ↑2.7%

38 yrs71.9%

→ ↑0.9%

39 yrs72.8%

→ ↑3.7%

40 yrs76.5%

→ ↑2.9%

41 yrs79.4%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
26 yrs	48.0%	1,718
27 yrs	50.5%	1,518
28 yrs	49.3%	1,474
29 yrs	51.4%	1,388
30 yrs	53.6%	1,276
31 yrs	55.1%	1,236
32 yrs	59.8%	1,188
33 yrs	61.4%	1,102
34 yrs	66.3%	1,106
35 yrs	70.3%	799
36 yrs	71.8%	784
37 yrs	69.2%	672
38 yrs	71.9%	917
39 yrs	72.8%	779
40 yrs	76.5%	788
41 yrs	79.4%	501

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1983 Volkswagen Golf pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (41 yrs)	79.4%	501
2023 (40 yrs)	76.5%	788
2022 (39 yrs)	72.8%	779
2021 (38 yrs)	71.9%	917
2020 (37 yrs)	69.2%	672
2019 (36 yrs)	71.8%	784
2018 (35 yrs)	70.3%	799
2017 (34 yrs)	66.3%	1,106
2016 (33 yrs)	61.4%	1,102
2015 (32 yrs)	59.8%	1,188
2014 (31 yrs)	55.1%	1,236
2013 (30 yrs)	53.6%	1,276
2012 (29 yrs)	51.4%	1,388
2011 (28 yrs)	49.3%	1,474
2010 (27 yrs)	50.5%	1,518
2009 (26 yrs)	48%	1,718

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

48.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,718Avg Mileage 124,675Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.2%

2010High Fail Rate

50.5%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,518Avg Mileage 125,684Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.3%

2011High Fail Rate

49.3%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 1,474Avg Mileage 127,855Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.6%

2012High Fail Rate

51.4%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 1,388Avg Mileage 127,848Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.9%

2013High Fail Rate

53.6%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 1,276Avg Mileage 128,557Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 81.1%

2014High Fail Rate

55.1%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 1,236Avg Mileage 127,620Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 79.0%

2015High Fail Rate

59.8%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 1,188Avg Mileage 128,564Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 61.7%

2016High Fail Rate

61.4%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 1,102Avg Mileage 126,417Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.6%

2017

66.3%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 1,106Avg Mileage 124,854Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 53.9%

2018

70.3%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 799Avg Mileage 126,159Top Failure Suspension — 33.8%

2019

71.8%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 784Avg Mileage 126,509Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 39.4%

2020

69.2%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 672Avg Mileage 124,859Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.6%

2021

71.9%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 917Avg Mileage 124,081Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 39.0%

2022

72.8%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 779Avg Mileage 124,067Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 39.5%

2023

76.5%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 788Avg Mileage 123,052Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 32.0%

2024

79.4%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 501Avg Mileage 118,418Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 21.8%

MOT results for 1983 Volkswagen Golf by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	26	48.0%	1,718	124,675	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.2%
2010	27	50.5%	1,518	125,684	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.3%
2011	28	49.3%	1,474	127,855	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.6%
2012	29	51.4%	1,388	127,848	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.9%
2013	30	53.6%	1,276	128,557	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 81.1%
2014	31	55.1%	1,236	127,620	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 79.0%
2015	32	59.8%	1,188	128,564	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 61.7%
2016	33	61.4%	1,102	126,417	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.6%
2017	34	66.3%	1,106	124,854	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 53.9%
2018	35	70.3%	799	126,159	Suspension — 33.8%
2019	36	71.8%	784	126,509	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 39.4%
2020	37	69.2%	672	124,859	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.6%
2021	38	71.9%	917	124,081	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 39.0%
2022	39	72.8%	779	124,067	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 39.5%
2023	40	76.5%	788	123,052	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 32.0%
2024	41	79.4%	501	118,418	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 21.8%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1983 Volkswagen Golf, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

48.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

36.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

35.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

34.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

21.5%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	33.0% (26 yrs)	9.4% (41 yrs)	-23.6%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	28.3% (26 yrs)	14.6% (41 yrs)	-13.7%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Volkswagen Golf page →

About This Data

This page shows how Volkswagen Golf cars manufactured in 1983 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 17,246 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.