CarVerify

Free Car Check

32 SBM

1988 BMW 3 Series

Black Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Aug 2026
Tests20 (16 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

67,341 mi
Last recorded67,341 miles
Recorded on22 Aug 2025
Typical for 1988 BMW 3 Series118,461 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

Registration32 SBM
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1988
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,494cc

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

16 pass 4 fail
Pass 22 Aug 2025 67,341 miles
Pass 5 Jun 2024 65,865 miles
Pass 17 Aug 2019 60,152 miles
Pass 17 Aug 2018 58,455 miles
Pass 15 Jun 2017 57,100 miles
Pass 19 Jan 2016 56,810 miles
Fail 9 Dec 2014 51,393 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

panel by pedals loose

Pass 9 Dec 2014 51,393 miles

panel by pedals loose

Pass 8 Aug 2013 50,069 miles
Pass 29 Oct 2012 48,945 miles

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

N/S/F tyre worn on outer edge

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

Nearside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

O/S/F + N/S/F suspension bump stops worn

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

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

Oil leak

Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 26 Oct 2012 48,868 miles

Offside Front Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b) DANGEROUS

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

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

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

N/S/F tyre worn on outer edge

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

Nearside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

O/S/F + N/S/F suspension bump stops worn

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

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

Oil leak

Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 24 Jan 2012 47,395 miles

Both front suspension lower wishbone (rear) rubber bushes deteriated but not resulting in excessive movement of arm

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside front brake binds slightly when spun by hand

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 25 Jan 2011 45,552 miles
Pass 30 Jan 2010 44,104 miles

front and rear suspension bushes seperating and splitting due to age

Pass 16 Jan 2009 42,194 miles

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

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

Pass 23 Jan 2008 39,526 miles
Fail 19 Jan 2008 39,526 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

suspension bushes generally worn/perished due to age.

Pass 29 Jan 2007 37,479 miles
Fail 19 Jan 2007 37,343 miles

Nearside Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 14 Jan 2006 33,990 miles

o/s front fog light lens craked

rear exhust outer skin rusting away and biowing slighty from center pipe

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

32 SBM is a 1988 BMW 3 Series in Black with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

Across all 1988 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.1% with a typical mileage of 118,461 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

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 32 SBM, 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 38 years old, this BMW 3 Series is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 32 SBM?

You can check the full history of 32 SBM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 32 SBM registered?

32 SBM is a 1988 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 30 December 1988.

Is 32 SBM safe to buy?

The MOT history for 32 SBM shows 20 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 32 SBM 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 32 SBM. 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.