What year Volkswagen Transporter 78ps is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 1988 Volkswagen Transporter 78ps has the highest pass rate at 100.0%, out of 626 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Volkswagen Transporter 78ps MOT failures?

The most common Volkswagen Transporter 78ps MOT failures vary by year. Check the individual year pages for detailed defect breakdowns — links in the table above.

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Volkswagen Transporter 78ps — Reliability by Year

6,323 vehicles · MOT data 1983–1990 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Volkswagen Transporter 78ps was manufactured — click any year to explore that cohort in detail. Trying to decide which year to buy? See the full buying guide →

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Best pass rate year

1988

100.0% pass rate · 626 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1989

60.8% pass rate · 497 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
1990	69.6%	110,729 mi	307
1989	60.8%	131,461 mi	497
1988	100.0%	154,495 mi	626
1987	69.2%	155,133 mi	691
1986	64.2%	60,240 mi	1,089
1985	63.1%	68,547 mi	1,089
1984	86.7%	66,145 mi	1,369
1983	100.0%	32,198 mi	655

Which year Volkswagen Transporter 78ps is most reliable?

MOT pass rate by year of manufacture — averaged across each vehicle's lifetime of tests. Green = noticeably above average for this model; red = noticeably below average.

Tests range from an average of 32,198 miles (newest year) to 155,133 miles (oldest year). Older years naturally accumulate more tests at higher mileages — see the mileage-normalised breakdown →

Trying to decide which year to buy?

We've done the full analysis — which years to look for, which to avoid, and where to find the best value for reliability on a Volkswagen Transporter 78ps.

See the buying guide →

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