Volkswagen T3 vs Volkswagen Transporter: reliability comparison
MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.
Volkswagen T3
66%
MOT pass rate · 38 vehicles
Volkswagen Transporter
73%
MOT pass rate · 355,535 vehicles
More reliable
Verdict: On MOT pass rate, the Volkswagen Transporter is the more reliable of the two — 73% pass first time versus 66%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.
Head to head
| Measure | Volkswagen T3 | Volkswagen Transporter |
|---|---|---|
| MOT pass rate | 66% | 73% ✓ |
| MOT failure rate | 34% | 27% ✓ |
| Faults & advisories per test | 3.3 | 2.4 ✓ |
| Dangerous-fault share | 1% ✓ | 2% |
| Average mileage | 152,960 mi | 137,029 mi |
| Sample size (vehicles) | 38 | 355,535 |
Most common faults
Volkswagen T3
- Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)
- Oil leak
- Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))
- Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)
- Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)
- Horn not working (1.6.2a)
Volkswagen Transporter
- Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
Reliability FAQ
On MOT pass rate, the Volkswagen Transporter is the more reliable of the two — 73% pass first time versus 66%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.
Full Volkswagen T3 report Full Volkswagen Transporter report Most reliable cars
Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.