1989 Volkswagen Transporter — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

62.7%

Latest Pass Rate

22,072

Total Tests (All Years)

135,532 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 1989 Volkswagen Transporter as it ages.

20 yrs52.6%

→ ↑0.1%

21 yrs52.7%

→ ↑2.0%

22 yrs54.7%

→ ↓0.0%

23 yrs54.7%

→ ↓3.0%

24 yrs51.7%

→ ↑0.2%

25 yrs51.9%

→ ↑3.7%

26 yrs55.6%

→ ↑2.3%

27 yrs57.9%

→ ↓0.9%

28 yrs57.0%

→ ↑2.3%

29 yrs59.3%

→ ↑0.5%

30 yrs59.8%

→ ↑1.8%

31 yrs61.6%

→ ↓4.1%

32 yrs57.5%

→ ↑6.1%

33 yrs63.6%

→ ↑0.5%

34 yrs64.1%

→ ↓1.4%

35 yrs62.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	52.6%	1,563
21 yrs	52.7%	1,512
22 yrs	54.7%	1,517
23 yrs	54.7%	1,502
24 yrs	51.7%	1,448
25 yrs	51.9%	1,448
26 yrs	55.6%	1,408
27 yrs	57.9%	1,388
28 yrs	57.0%	1,511
29 yrs	59.3%	1,068
30 yrs	59.8%	1,126
31 yrs	61.6%	974
32 yrs	57.5%	1,157
33 yrs	63.6%	1,096
34 yrs	64.1%	1,207
35 yrs	62.7%	2,147

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 Volkswagen Transporter pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (35 yrs)	62.7%	2,147
2023 (34 yrs)	64.1%	1,207
2022 (33 yrs)	63.6%	1,096
2021 (32 yrs)	57.5%	1,157
2020 (31 yrs)	61.6%	974
2019 (30 yrs)	59.8%	1,126
2018 (29 yrs)	59.3%	1,068
2017 (28 yrs)	57%	1,511
2016 (27 yrs)	57.9%	1,388
2015 (26 yrs)	55.6%	1,408
2014 (25 yrs)	51.9%	1,448
2013 (24 yrs)	51.7%	1,448
2012 (23 yrs)	54.7%	1,502
2011 (22 yrs)	54.7%	1,517
2010 (21 yrs)	52.7%	1,512
2009 (20 yrs)	52.6%	1,563

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

52.6%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 1,563Avg Mileage 128,030Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.1%

2010High Fail Rate

52.7%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 1,512Avg Mileage 130,509Top Failure Brakes — 24.9%

2011High Fail Rate

54.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,517Avg Mileage 133,104Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.3%

2012High Fail Rate

54.7%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,502Avg Mileage 135,079Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.1%

2013High Fail Rate

51.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,448Avg Mileage 138,960Top Failure Brakes — 62.1%

2014High Fail Rate

51.9%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 1,448Avg Mileage 139,729Top Failure Brakes — 67.7%

2015High Fail Rate

55.6%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,408Avg Mileage 139,050Top Failure Suspension — 59.9%

2016High Fail Rate

57.9%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,388Avg Mileage 143,141Top Failure Suspension — 54.6%

2017High Fail Rate

57.0%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 1,511Avg Mileage 142,070Top Failure Suspension — 58.4%

2018High Fail Rate

59.3%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 1,068Avg Mileage 141,715Top Failure Suspension — 54.7%

2019High Fail Rate

59.8%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 1,126Avg Mileage 143,270Top Failure Suspension — 54.2%

2020High Fail Rate

61.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 974Avg Mileage 141,513Top Failure Suspension — 58.9%

2021High Fail Rate

57.5%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 1,157Avg Mileage 132,208Top Failure Suspension — 67.2%

2022High Fail Rate

63.6%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 1,096Avg Mileage 134,702Top Failure Suspension — 58.5%

2023High Fail Rate

64.1%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 1,207Avg Mileage 135,264Top Failure Suspension — 60.3%

2024High Fail Rate

62.7%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 2,147Avg Mileage 135,532Top Failure Suspension — 46.0%

MOT results for 1989 Volkswagen Transporter by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	52.6%	1,563	128,030	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.1%
2010	21	52.7%	1,512	130,509	Brakes — 24.9%
2011	22	54.7%	1,517	133,104	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.3%
2012	23	54.7%	1,502	135,079	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.1%
2013	24	51.7%	1,448	138,960	Brakes — 62.1%
2014	25	51.9%	1,448	139,729	Brakes — 67.7%
2015	26	55.6%	1,408	139,050	Suspension — 59.9%
2016	27	57.9%	1,388	143,141	Suspension — 54.6%
2017	28	57.0%	1,511	142,070	Suspension — 58.4%
2018	29	59.3%	1,068	141,715	Suspension — 54.7%
2019	30	59.8%	1,126	143,270	Suspension — 54.2%
2020	31	61.6%	974	141,513	Suspension — 58.9%
2021	32	57.5%	1,157	132,208	Suspension — 67.2%
2022	33	63.6%	1,096	134,702	Suspension — 58.5%
2023	34	64.1%	1,207	135,264	Suspension — 60.3%
2024	35	62.7%	2,147	135,532	Suspension — 46.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 Volkswagen Transporter, with age trends.

Suspension

49.2%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

45.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

37.7%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

33.9%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

26.6%

↑ 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	21.8% (20 yrs)	46.0% (35 yrs)	+24.2%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	24.6% (20 yrs)	42.6% (35 yrs)	+18.0%	🔴 ↑

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 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 22,072 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.