1979 Volkswagen Motor Caravan — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1979 perform at MOT as they age

47 years

Current Age

65.5%

Latest Pass Rate

3,366

Total Tests (All Years)

62,968 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 1979 Volkswagen Motor Caravan as it ages.

30 yrs49.4%

→ ↓4.8%

31 yrs44.6%

→ ↑7.2%

32 yrs51.8%

→ ↓8.0%

33 yrs43.8%

→ ↑6.5%

34 yrs50.3%

→ ↑0.7%

35 yrs51.0%

→ ↑1.1%

36 yrs52.1%

→ ↑5.5%

37 yrs57.6%

→ ↑2.8%

38 yrs60.4%

→ ↓3.0%

39 yrs57.4%

→ ↓1.4%

40 yrs56.0%

→ ↑2.2%

41 yrs58.2%

→ ↓6.8%

42 yrs51.4%

→ ↑14.6%

43 yrs66.0%

→ ↓11.8%

44 yrs54.2%

→ ↑11.3%

45 yrs65.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
30 yrs	49.4%	322
31 yrs	44.6%	287
32 yrs	51.8%	307
33 yrs	43.8%	306
34 yrs	50.3%	296
35 yrs	51.0%	298
36 yrs	52.1%	284
37 yrs	57.6%	302
38 yrs	60.4%	280
39 yrs	57.4%	209
40 yrs	56.0%	166
41 yrs	58.2%	79
42 yrs	51.4%	74
43 yrs	66.0%	53
44 yrs	54.2%	48
45 yrs	65.5%	55

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1979 Volkswagen Motor Caravan pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (45 yrs)	65.5%	55
2023 (44 yrs)	54.2%	48
2022 (43 yrs)	66%	53
2021 (42 yrs)	51.4%	74
2020 (41 yrs)	58.2%	79
2019 (40 yrs)	56%	166
2018 (39 yrs)	57.4%	209
2017 (38 yrs)	60.4%	280
2016 (37 yrs)	57.6%	302
2015 (36 yrs)	52.1%	284
2014 (35 yrs)	51%	298
2013 (34 yrs)	50.3%	296
2012 (33 yrs)	43.8%	306
2011 (32 yrs)	51.8%	307
2010 (31 yrs)	44.6%	287
2009 (30 yrs)	49.4%	322

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

49.4%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 322Avg Mileage 56,639Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.4%

2010High Fail Rate

44.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 287Avg Mileage 53,617Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.1%

2011High Fail Rate

51.8%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 307Avg Mileage 54,586Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.3%

2012High Fail Rate

43.8%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 306Avg Mileage 55,253Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 31.4%

2013High Fail Rate

50.3%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 296Avg Mileage 54,270Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 70.3%

2014High Fail Rate

51.0%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 298Avg Mileage 55,958Top Failure Suspension — 69.5%

2015High Fail Rate

52.1%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 284Avg Mileage 54,936Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 65.8%

2016High Fail Rate

57.6%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 302Avg Mileage 54,036Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.2%

2017High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 280Avg Mileage 52,750Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 45.4%

2018High Fail Rate

57.4%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 209Avg Mileage 54,910Top Failure Brakes — 39.7%

2019High Fail Rate

56.0%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 166Avg Mileage 59,244Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 62.0%

2020High Fail Rate

58.2%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 79Avg Mileage 58,291Top Failure Brakes — 51.9%

2021High Fail Rate

51.4%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 74Avg Mileage 54,257Top Failure Brakes — 62.2%

2022

66.0%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 53Avg Mileage 60,431Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 75.5%

2023High Fail Rate

54.2%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 48Avg Mileage 54,111Top Failure Brakes — 58.3%

2024

65.5%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 55Avg Mileage 62,968Top Failure Brakes — 30.9%

MOT results for 1979 Volkswagen Motor Caravan by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	30	49.4%	322	56,639	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.4%
2010	31	44.6%	287	53,617	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.1%
2011	32	51.8%	307	54,586	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.3%
2012	33	43.8%	306	55,253	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 31.4%
2013	34	50.3%	296	54,270	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 70.3%
2014	35	51.0%	298	55,958	Suspension — 69.5%
2015	36	52.1%	284	54,936	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 65.8%
2016	37	57.6%	302	54,036	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.2%
2017	38	60.4%	280	52,750	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 45.4%
2018	39	57.4%	209	54,910	Brakes — 39.7%
2019	40	56.0%	166	59,244	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 62.0%
2020	41	58.2%	79	58,291	Brakes — 51.9%
2021	42	51.4%	74	54,257	Brakes — 62.2%
2022	43	66.0%	53	60,431	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 75.5%
2023	44	54.2%	48	54,111	Brakes — 58.3%
2024	45	65.5%	55	62,968	Brakes — 30.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1979 Volkswagen Motor Caravan, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

45.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

43.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

42.4%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

41.4%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

37.2%

↓ 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
Brakes	25.8% (30 yrs)	30.9% (45 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 1979 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 3,366 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.