CarVerify

Free Car Check

500 OHW

1988 BMW 3 Series

White Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Sep 2026
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

158,820 mi
Last recorded158,820 miles
Recorded on10 Sep 2025
Typical for 1988 BMW 3 Series118,461 mi

Above 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

Registration500 OHW
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1988
ColourWhite
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

20 pass 4 fail
Pass 10 Sep 2025 158,820 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all (1.1.11 (c))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

o/s parking brake just with in limits

Fail 1 Sep 2025 158,626 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Power steering pipe/hose leaking (2.1.5 (a))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all pipes covered in underseal (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Inner Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced inner sill below front wing (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Power steering fluid level below minimum (2.1.5 (b) (i))

Rear Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair rear brakes poor o/s worse including handbrake (1.2.1 (c))

Pass 6 Sep 2024 156,259 miles

Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement BOTH FRONTS (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view SMALL CHIP IN SCREEN (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 8 Aug 2024 156,247 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar attachment bracket/mounting fractured (5.3.3 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement both fronts (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Exhaust mounting defective two mountings very worn at rear (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 7 Aug 2023 153,884 miles

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Jul 2022 151,526 miles

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated both (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Inner Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 6 Aug 2021 148,805 miles
Pass 10 Aug 2020 144,490 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2019 143,606 miles
Pass 30 Jul 2018 142,114 miles
Pass 14 Jul 2017 141,101 miles
Pass 18 Jul 2016 139,163 miles
Pass 14 Jul 2015 137,442 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 16 Jul 2014 135,087 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2013 128,631 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 25 Jul 2012 124,365 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Fail 25 Jul 2012 124,365 miles

Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 18 Jul 2011 121,661 miles

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

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

Pass 5 Jul 2010 118,142 miles

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

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

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

Pass 16 Jul 2009 113,857 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2008 108,325 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2007 103,312 miles
Fail 11 Jul 2007 103,307 miles

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

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

Pass 24 Jul 2006 100,191 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

500 OHW is a 1988 BMW 3 Series in White with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

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 500 OHW, 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 500 OHW?

You can check the full history of 500 OHW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 500 OHW registered?

500 OHW is a 1988 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 1 August 1988.

Is 500 OHW safe to buy?

The MOT history for 500 OHW shows 24 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 500 OHW 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 500 OHW. 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.