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What to check: Volkswagen Scirocco

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Ranked across all years of the Volkswagen Scirocco, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Underneath, with a torchRuns high on this modelGet down and look at the sills, the subframes and the rear suspension mounting points. Flaking scale and bubbling matter; light surface rust does not. On older cars this is the one check that finds the fault that scraps them.Recorded on 11.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.7%

DampersRuns high on this modelLook for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 9.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.3%

Bushes and ball jointsRuns high on this modelDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 9.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

Coil springsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 3.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.3%

WheelsRuns high on this modelLook at each rim for kerb damage and check no wheel nuts are missing. A steering wheel that shimmies between 50 and 60 on the test drive often turns out to be a buckled or badly balanced wheel.Recorded on 2.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

LeaksLook at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 2.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

A binding brakeRuns high on this modelAfter the test drive, hold the back of your hand near each wheel hub. One wheel running much hotter than the rest is a sticking caliper. A car that slows itself down when you lift off on a flat road is saying the same thing.Recorded on 1.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.7%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 22.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

Pads and discsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 16.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 10.1%

Windscreen and wipersScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Start it from cold if you can and listen for a rattle from the top of the engine for the first few seconds.A rattly start is the classic sign of a stretched timing chain, especially on TSI petrol cars.

On a DSG car, pull away gently from a stop and feel for judder or hesitation around 1st-2nd gear.Judder here points to a glazed DQ200 clutch pack, an expensive fix even if it's not yet in limp mode.

Check the service history for DSG oil and filter changes roughly every 40,000 miles.Skipped DSG servicing is the fastest way to a mechatronic failure.

On a diesel, ask when it last needed a forced DPF regeneration and check the MOT history for emissions advisories.Frequent regens or repeat emissions notes suggest the DPF/EGR is struggling, often after the mandatory emissions fix.

Push down hard on each corner and drive over a rough patch of road listening for knocks from the front.Clonks point to worn drop links, top mounts or bushes, a common and recurring bill on this car.

On a manual, check the clutch bite point and listen for a howl in reverse on an incline.A high or vague bite point and reverse howl can mean the clutch or dual-mass flywheel is on its way out.

Run a free DVSA recall check against the registration before you view the car.Confirms whether the 2013 DSG recall and the emissions recall have actually been done.

Full Volkswagen Scirocco reliability report