Volkswagen Caravelle
Registered from 1990 to 2020.
About this model
The Volkswagen Transporter,, now in its seventh generation using a platform shared with Ford, refers to a series of vans produced for over 70 years and marketed worldwide.
From the Wikipedia article Volkswagen Transporter, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2016 2.0 diesel. 222 of 1,204 tests failed, 18%.
Better than 16% of 2016 cars. The typical one fails 13%, across 899 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 51% | 114 |
| Tyres and wheels | 32% | 71 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 14% | 32 |
| Brakes | 13% | 28 |
| Body and structure | 11% | 24 |
| Lights and electrics | 6% | 13 |
The defects inspectors cite
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
- A tyre seriously damaged
- A tyre cords visible or damaged
Where it stands out against its peers
- Suspension: failed more often than 94% of 2016 cars — 51% of its 222 failed tests, where an ordinary 2016 car has 21%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Suspension — 51% of its failures
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
- Tyres and wheels — 32% of its failures
- A tyre seriously damaged
- A tyre cords visible or damaged
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- Exhaust and emissions — 14% of its failures
- Brakes — 13% of its failures
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Lights and electrics — 6% of its failures
- Body and structure — 11% of its failures
When it starts failing
At 200k+ miles this one fails 14% of its inspections, against the 20% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–20k miles | 9% | 6% | 32 | |
| 20–40k miles | 14% | 10% | 147 | |
| 40–60k miles | 18% | 13% | 336 | |
| 60–80k miles | 20% | 16% | 353 | |
| 80–100k miles | 22% | 18% | 183 | |
| 100–120k miles | 18% | 19% | 51 | |
| 200k+ miles | 14% | 20% | 56 |
1,158 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 60k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 2.0 diesel · 140 hp · 2112 kg · 3237 mm wheelbase · 7.5 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2014 | 2.0 diesel · 149 hp · 2119 kg · 3331 mm wheelbase · 7.9 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2013 | 2.0 diesel · 150 hp · 2124 kg · 3297 mm wheelbase · 8.0 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2012 | 2.0 diesel · 144 hp · 2114 kg · 3285 mm wheelbase · 7.9 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2011 | 2.0 diesel · 152 hp · 2144 kg · 3300 mm wheelbase · 8.0 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2010 | 2.0 diesel · 2107 kg · 3238 mm wheelbase · 7.9 L/100km (NEDC) |