1984 Volkswagen Golf — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1984 perform at MOT as they age

42 years

Current Age

79.7%

Latest Pass Rate

5,421

Total Tests (All Years)

113,504 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 1984 Volkswagen Golf as it ages.

25 yrs47.9%

→ ↓0.2%

26 yrs47.7%

→ ↑3.9%

27 yrs51.6%

→ ↓3.0%

28 yrs48.6%

→ ↑3.9%

29 yrs52.5%

→ ↑1.1%

30 yrs53.6%

→ ↑3.1%

31 yrs56.7%

→ ↑1.4%

32 yrs58.1%

→ ↑1.4%

33 yrs59.5%

→ ↑5.8%

34 yrs65.3%

→ ↑0.4%

35 yrs65.7%

→ ↑2.0%

36 yrs67.7%

→ ↓3.6%

37 yrs64.1%

→ ↑2.2%

38 yrs66.3%

→ ↑4.3%

39 yrs70.6%

→ ↑9.1%

40 yrs79.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
25 yrs	47.9%	628
26 yrs	47.7%	530
27 yrs	51.6%	477
28 yrs	48.6%	418
29 yrs	52.5%	413
30 yrs	53.6%	371
31 yrs	56.7%	365
32 yrs	58.1%	310
33 yrs	59.5%	304
34 yrs	65.3%	213
35 yrs	65.7%	204
36 yrs	67.7%	198
37 yrs	64.1%	248
38 yrs	66.3%	208
39 yrs	70.6%	204
40 yrs	79.7%	330

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1984 Volkswagen Golf pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (40 yrs)	79.7%	330
2023 (39 yrs)	70.6%	204
2022 (38 yrs)	66.3%	208
2021 (37 yrs)	64.1%	248
2020 (36 yrs)	67.7%	198
2019 (35 yrs)	65.7%	204
2018 (34 yrs)	65.3%	213
2017 (33 yrs)	59.5%	304
2016 (32 yrs)	58.1%	310
2015 (31 yrs)	56.7%	365
2014 (30 yrs)	53.6%	371
2013 (29 yrs)	52.5%	413
2012 (28 yrs)	48.6%	418
2011 (27 yrs)	51.6%	477
2010 (26 yrs)	47.7%	530
2009 (25 yrs)	47.9%	628

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

47.9%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 628Avg Mileage 103,546Top Failure Suspension — 31.2%

2010High Fail Rate

47.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 530Avg Mileage 106,150Top Failure Suspension — 31.9%

2011High Fail Rate

51.6%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 477Avg Mileage 109,992Top Failure Suspension — 31.0%

2012High Fail Rate

48.6%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 418Avg Mileage 107,849Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.0%

2013High Fail Rate

52.5%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 413Avg Mileage 110,826Top Failure Suspension — 81.6%

2014High Fail Rate

53.6%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 371Avg Mileage 107,484Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 76.0%

2015High Fail Rate

56.7%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 365Avg Mileage 109,802Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 67.4%

2016High Fail Rate

58.1%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 310Avg Mileage 113,737Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 61.3%

2017High Fail Rate

59.5%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 304Avg Mileage 114,837Top Failure Brakes — 59.9%

2018

65.3%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 213Avg Mileage 113,315Top Failure Brakes — 51.2%

2019

65.7%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 204Avg Mileage 113,939Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 53.9%

2020

67.7%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 198Avg Mileage 110,027Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.4%

2021High Fail Rate

64.1%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 248Avg Mileage 114,426Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 45.2%

2022

66.3%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 208Avg Mileage 106,733Top Failure Suspension — 44.2%

2023

70.6%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 204Avg Mileage 108,137Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.6%

2024

79.7%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 330Avg Mileage 113,504Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 25.2%

MOT results for 1984 Volkswagen Golf by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	25	47.9%	628	103,546	Suspension — 31.2%
2010	26	47.7%	530	106,150	Suspension — 31.9%
2011	27	51.6%	477	109,992	Suspension — 31.0%
2012	28	48.6%	418	107,849	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.0%
2013	29	52.5%	413	110,826	Suspension — 81.6%
2014	30	53.6%	371	107,484	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 76.0%
2015	31	56.7%	365	109,802	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 67.4%
2016	32	58.1%	310	113,737	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 61.3%
2017	33	59.5%	304	114,837	Brakes — 59.9%
2018	34	65.3%	213	113,315	Brakes — 51.2%
2019	35	65.7%	204	113,939	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 53.9%
2020	36	67.7%	198	110,027	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.4%
2021	37	64.1%	248	114,426	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 45.2%
2022	38	66.3%	208	106,733	Suspension — 44.2%
2023	39	70.6%	204	108,137	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.6%
2024	40	79.7%	330	113,504	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 25.2%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1984 Volkswagen Golf, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

47.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

43.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

40.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

39.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

20.7%

↓ 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	31.2% (25 yrs)	15.2% (40 yrs)	-16.0%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	30.1% (25 yrs)	20.6% (40 yrs)	-9.5%	🟢 ↓

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 1984 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 5,421 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.