CarVerify

Free Car Check

243 LOD

1997 BMW 3 Series

Blue Petrol 1796cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires17 Sep 2014
Tests9 (5 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate55.6%

Mileage

91,440 mi
Last recorded91,440 miles
Recorded on18 Sep 2013
Typical for 1997 BMW 3 Series110,506 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

Registration243 LOD
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1997
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

5 pass 4 fail
Pass 18 Sep 2013 91,440 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

nearside front shockabsorber bump stop deteriorated

nearside rear shockabsorber bump stop deteriorated

offside front skockabsorber bump stop deteriorated

offside rear shockabsorber bump stop deteriorated

rear exaust deteriorated

rear parking (secondary) brake imbalance requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.6b)

slight noise offside rear wheel bearing

Fail 4 Sep 2013 91,430 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Oil leak

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

nearside front shockabsorber bump stop deteriorated

nearside rear shockabsorber bump stop deteriorated

offside front skockabsorber bump stop deteriorated

offside rear shockabsorber bump stop deteriorated

rear exaust deteriorated

rear parking (secondary) brake imbalance requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.6b)

slight noise offside rear wheel bearing

Pass 24 Aug 2011 86,014 miles

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Fail 23 Aug 2011 86,000 miles

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 15 Feb 2010 80,261 miles

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

both front brake hoses starting to crack

Fail 15 Feb 2010 80,261 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

both front brake hoses starting to crack

Pass 18 Feb 2009 78,440 miles
Fail 18 Feb 2009 78,330 miles

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 4 Jan 2006 58,664 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 3 Series?

Based on 12,840,406 MOT tests across 1,004,285 vehicles.

75.1%
Pass Rate
6,672
Miles/Year
37
Year Lifespan
1,004,285
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 485,475
Brake pipe excessively corroded 323,327
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 253,205
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 185,099
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 182,360
Full BMW 3 Series reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

243 LOD is a 1997 BMW 3 Series in Blue with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 9 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 55.6%.

Across all 1997 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.5% with a typical mileage of 110,506 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a BMW 3 Series fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 485,475 recorded failures. If you're considering buying 243 LOD, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 3 Series typically stays on UK roads for around 37 years. At 29 years old, this BMW 3 Series is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 243 LOD?

You can check the full history of 243 LOD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 243 LOD registered?

243 LOD is a 1997 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 7 February 1997.

Is 243 LOD safe to buy?

The MOT history for 243 LOD shows 9 tests with a 55.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 243 LOD have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on 243 LOD. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.