1971 Volkswagen Motor Caravan — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1971 perform at MOT as they age

55 years

Current Age

81.3%

Latest Pass Rate

15,569

Total Tests (All Years)

58,263 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 1971 Volkswagen Motor Caravan as it ages.

38 yrs49.1%

→ ↑0.3%

39 yrs49.4%

→ ↑0.3%

40 yrs49.7%

→ ↑0.1%

41 yrs49.8%

→ ↓0.3%

42 yrs49.5%

→ ↑4.6%

43 yrs54.1%

→ ↑4.4%

44 yrs58.5%

→ ↓1.0%

45 yrs57.5%

→ ↑0.3%

46 yrs57.8%

→ ↑3.8%

47 yrs61.6%

→ ↓2.4%

48 yrs59.2%

→ ↓1.2%

49 yrs58.0%

→ ↑17.0%

50 yrs75.0%

→ ↓13.1%

51 yrs61.9%

→ ↑17.5%

52 yrs79.4%

→ ↑1.9%

53 yrs81.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
38 yrs	49.1%	1,590
39 yrs	49.4%	1,544
40 yrs	49.7%	1,603
41 yrs	49.8%	1,579
42 yrs	49.5%	1,534
43 yrs	54.1%	1,577
44 yrs	58.5%	1,553
45 yrs	57.5%	1,540
46 yrs	57.8%	1,513
47 yrs	61.6%	635
48 yrs	59.2%	441
49 yrs	58.0%	300
50 yrs	75.0%	52
51 yrs	61.9%	42
52 yrs	79.4%	34
53 yrs	81.3%	32

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1971 Volkswagen Motor Caravan pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (53 yrs)	81.3%	32
2023 (52 yrs)	79.4%	34
2022 (51 yrs)	61.9%	42
2021 (50 yrs)	75%	52
2020 (49 yrs)	58%	300
2019 (48 yrs)	59.2%	441
2018 (47 yrs)	61.6%	635
2017 (46 yrs)	57.8%	1,513
2016 (45 yrs)	57.5%	1,540
2015 (44 yrs)	58.5%	1,553
2014 (43 yrs)	54.1%	1,577
2013 (42 yrs)	49.5%	1,534
2012 (41 yrs)	49.8%	1,579
2011 (40 yrs)	49.7%	1,603
2010 (39 yrs)	49.4%	1,544
2009 (38 yrs)	49.1%	1,590

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

49.1%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 1,590Avg Mileage 58,212Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.5%

2010High Fail Rate

49.4%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 1,544Avg Mileage 58,544Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.4%

2011High Fail Rate

49.7%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 1,603Avg Mileage 56,471Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.9%

2012High Fail Rate

49.8%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 1,579Avg Mileage 58,301Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.5%

2013High Fail Rate

49.5%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 1,534Avg Mileage 58,043Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 85.5%

2014High Fail Rate

54.1%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 1,577Avg Mileage 57,356Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 78.2%

2015High Fail Rate

58.5%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 1,553Avg Mileage 56,317Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.6%

2016High Fail Rate

57.5%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 1,540Avg Mileage 55,890Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 67.1%

2017High Fail Rate

57.8%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 1,513Avg Mileage 57,204Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 67.0%

2018High Fail Rate

61.6%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 635Avg Mileage 58,542Top Failure Suspension — 45.7%

2019High Fail Rate

59.2%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 441Avg Mileage 58,702Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 59.4%

2020High Fail Rate

58.0%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 300Avg Mileage 60,880Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 56.7%

2021

75.0%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 52Avg Mileage 52,890Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 48.1%

2022High Fail Rate

61.9%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 42Avg Mileage 48,731Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.4%

2023

79.4%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 34Avg Mileage 52,342Top Failure Body, chassis, structure — 32.4%

2024

81.3%

Age (yrs) 53Tests 32Avg Mileage 58,263Top Failure Body, chassis, structure — 28.1%

MOT results for 1971 Volkswagen Motor Caravan by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	38	49.1%	1,590	58,212	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.5%
2010	39	49.4%	1,544	58,544	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.4%
2011	40	49.7%	1,603	56,471	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.9%
2012	41	49.8%	1,579	58,301	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.5%
2013	42	49.5%	1,534	58,043	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 85.5%
2014	43	54.1%	1,577	57,356	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 78.2%
2015	44	58.5%	1,553	56,317	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.6%
2016	45	57.5%	1,540	55,890	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 67.1%
2017	46	57.8%	1,513	57,204	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 67.0%
2018	47	61.6%	635	58,542	Suspension — 45.7%
2019	48	59.2%	441	58,702	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 59.4%
2020	49	58.0%	300	60,880	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 56.7%
2021	50	75.0%	52	52,890	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 48.1%
2022	51	61.9%	42	48,731	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.4%
2023	52	79.4%	34	52,342	Body, chassis, structure — 32.4%
2024	53	81.3%	32	58,263	Body, chassis, structure — 28.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1971 Volkswagen Motor Caravan, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

52.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

39.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

39.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

38.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

28.3%

↑ Increases 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	24.5% (38 yrs)	3.1% (53 yrs)	-21.4%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	29.7% (38 yrs)	15.6% (53 yrs)	-14.1%	🟢 ↓
Steering	13.7% (38 yrs)	18.8% (53 yrs)	+5.1%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

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

About This Data

This page shows how Volkswagen Motor Caravan cars manufactured in 1971 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 15,569 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.