1978 Volkswagen Transporter — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1978 perform at MOT as they age

48 years

Current Age

64.8%

Latest Pass Rate

2,119

Total Tests (All Years)

62,638 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 1978 Volkswagen Transporter as it ages.

31 yrs50.6%

→ ↑1.3%

32 yrs51.9%

→ ↓1.4%

33 yrs50.5%

→ ↓4.1%

34 yrs46.4%

→ ↑0.2%

35 yrs46.6%

→ ↑7.5%

36 yrs54.1%

→ ↓3.9%

37 yrs50.2%

→ ↑5.6%

38 yrs55.8%

→ ↑1.9%

39 yrs57.7%

→ ↓0.5%

40 yrs57.2%

→ ↑7.6%

41 yrs64.8%

→ ↓0.0%

42 yrs64.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
31 yrs	50.6%	180
32 yrs	51.9%	187
33 yrs	50.5%	184
34 yrs	46.4%	196
35 yrs	46.6%	204
36 yrs	54.1%	220
37 yrs	50.2%	211
38 yrs	55.8%	240
39 yrs	57.7%	234
40 yrs	57.2%	138
41 yrs	64.8%	71
42 yrs	64.8%	54

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1978 Volkswagen Transporter pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (42 yrs)	64.8%	54
2019 (41 yrs)	64.8%	71
2018 (40 yrs)	57.2%	138
2017 (39 yrs)	57.7%	234
2016 (38 yrs)	55.8%	240
2015 (37 yrs)	50.2%	211
2014 (36 yrs)	54.1%	220
2013 (35 yrs)	46.6%	204
2012 (34 yrs)	46.4%	196
2011 (33 yrs)	50.5%	184
2010 (32 yrs)	51.9%	187
2009 (31 yrs)	50.6%	180

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

50.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 180Avg Mileage 66,435Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.4%

2010High Fail Rate

51.9%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 187Avg Mileage 64,640Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.9%

2011High Fail Rate

50.5%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 184Avg Mileage 64,367Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.3%

2012High Fail Rate

46.4%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 196Avg Mileage 60,920Top Failure Suspension — 34.7%

2013High Fail Rate

46.6%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 204Avg Mileage 66,092Top Failure Suspension — 82.4%

2014High Fail Rate

54.1%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 220Avg Mileage 62,378Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.4%

2015High Fail Rate

50.2%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 211Avg Mileage 66,849Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 69.2%

2016High Fail Rate

55.8%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 240Avg Mileage 57,109Top Failure Brakes — 55.0%

2017High Fail Rate

57.7%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 234Avg Mileage 58,540Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.8%

2018High Fail Rate

57.2%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 138Avg Mileage 64,004Top Failure Suspension — 50.7%

2019High Fail Rate

64.8%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 71Avg Mileage 59,441Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 47.9%

2020High Fail Rate

64.8%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 54Avg Mileage 62,638Top Failure Brakes — 55.6%

MOT results for 1978 Volkswagen Transporter by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	31	50.6%	180	66,435	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.4%
2010	32	51.9%	187	64,640	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.9%
2011	33	50.5%	184	64,367	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.3%
2012	34	46.4%	196	60,920	Suspension — 34.7%
2013	35	46.6%	204	66,092	Suspension — 82.4%
2014	36	54.1%	220	62,378	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.4%
2015	37	50.2%	211	66,849	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 69.2%
2016	38	55.8%	240	57,109	Brakes — 55.0%
2017	39	57.7%	234	58,540	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.8%
2018	40	57.2%	138	64,004	Suspension — 50.7%
2019	41	64.8%	71	59,441	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 47.9%
2020	42	64.8%	54	62,638	Brakes — 55.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1978 Volkswagen Transporter, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

45.0%

— Consistent

Suspension

44.2%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

42.4%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

39.1%

— Consistent

Body, chassis, structure

29.2%

↑ 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	18.3% (31 yrs)	53.7% (42 yrs)	+35.4%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	25.6% (31 yrs)	55.6% (42 yrs)	+30.0%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

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

About This Data

This page shows how Volkswagen Transporter cars manufactured in 1978 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 2,119 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.