1979 Volkswagen Unclassified — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1979 perform at MOT as they age

47 years

Current Age

60.0%

Latest Pass Rate

1,471

Total Tests (All Years)

49,774 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 Unclassified as it ages.

30 yrs46.0%

→ ↑5.3%

31 yrs51.3%

→ ↓3.8%

32 yrs47.5%

→ ↑7.0%

33 yrs54.5%

→ ↑6.7%

34 yrs61.2%

→ ↓5.2%

35 yrs56.0%

→ ↑2.1%

36 yrs58.1%

→ ↓8.6%

37 yrs49.5%

→ ↑14.4%

38 yrs63.9%

→ ↓3.5%

39 yrs60.4%

→ ↑7.6%

40 yrs68.0%

→ ↑5.3%

41 yrs73.3%

→ ↓13.3%

42 yrs60.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
30 yrs	46.0%	215
31 yrs	51.3%	193
32 yrs	47.5%	177
33 yrs	54.5%	154
34 yrs	61.2%	98
35 yrs	56.0%	84
36 yrs	58.1%	93
37 yrs	49.5%	109
38 yrs	63.9%	122
39 yrs	60.4%	91
40 yrs	68.0%	75
41 yrs	73.3%	30
42 yrs	60.0%	30

Pass Rate Trend

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

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2021 (42 yrs)	60%	30
2020 (41 yrs)	73.3%	30
2019 (40 yrs)	68%	75
2018 (39 yrs)	60.4%	91
2017 (38 yrs)	63.9%	122
2016 (37 yrs)	49.5%	109
2015 (36 yrs)	58.1%	93
2014 (35 yrs)	56%	84
2013 (34 yrs)	61.2%	98
2012 (33 yrs)	54.5%	154
2011 (32 yrs)	47.5%	177
2010 (31 yrs)	51.3%	193
2009 (30 yrs)	46%	215

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

46.0%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 215Avg Mileage 61,097Top Failure Brakes — 34.0%

2010High Fail Rate

51.3%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 193Avg Mileage 63,688Top Failure Brakes — 30.1%

2011High Fail Rate

47.5%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 177Avg Mileage 63,331Top Failure Brakes — 31.6%

2012High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 154Avg Mileage 64,882Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.6%

2013High Fail Rate

61.2%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 98Avg Mileage 60,792Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.0%

2014High Fail Rate

56.0%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 84Avg Mileage 63,792Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 65.5%

2015High Fail Rate

58.1%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 93Avg Mileage 67,030Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 62.4%

2016High Fail Rate

49.5%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 109Avg Mileage 64,487Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 94.5%

2017High Fail Rate

63.9%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 122Avg Mileage 66,552Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 41.0%

2018High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 91Avg Mileage 54,358Top Failure Brakes — 38.5%

2019

68.0%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 75Avg Mileage 57,682Top Failure Brakes — 40.0%

2020

73.3%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 30Avg Mileage 56,938Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 33.3%

2021High Fail Rate

60.0%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 30Avg Mileage 49,774Top Failure Visibility — 46.7%

MOT results for 1979 Volkswagen Unclassified by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	30	46.0%	215	61,097	Brakes — 34.0%
2010	31	51.3%	193	63,688	Brakes — 30.1%
2011	32	47.5%	177	63,331	Brakes — 31.6%
2012	33	54.5%	154	64,882	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.6%
2013	34	61.2%	98	60,792	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.0%
2014	35	56.0%	84	63,792	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 65.5%
2015	36	58.1%	93	67,030	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 62.4%
2016	37	49.5%	109	64,487	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 94.5%
2017	38	63.9%	122	66,552	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 41.0%
2018	39	60.4%	91	54,358	Brakes — 38.5%
2019	40	68.0%	75	57,682	Brakes — 40.0%
2020	41	73.3%	30	56,938	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 33.3%
2021	42	60.0%	30	49,774	Visibility — 46.7%

Common MOT Failures

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

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

46.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

36.1%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

34.7%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

33.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Visibility

30.7%

↑ 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	31.2% (30 yrs)	20.0% (42 yrs)	-11.2%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	34.0% (30 yrs)	33.3% (42 yrs)	-0.7%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

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

About This Data

This page shows how Volkswagen Unclassified cars manufactured in 1979 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2021, covering 1,471 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.