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53 DL

1988 BMW M3

Red Petrol 2300cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Sep 2026
Tests9 (7 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

129,435 mi
Last recorded129,435 miles
Recorded on27 Aug 2025
Typical for 1988 BMW M3122,857 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

Registration53 DL
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1988
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,300cc

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

7 pass 2 fail
Pass 27 Aug 2025 129,435 miles

Nearside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

Rear Exhaust mounting defective one defective one missing (6.1.2 (a))

Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play (2.2.2 (c))

Pass 15 Aug 2024 129,339 miles

Exhaust mounting defective rubber (6.1.2 (a))

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

Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play (2.2.2 (c))

Pass 16 Aug 2023 129,019 miles

Exhaust mounting defective rubber (6.1.2 (a))

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

Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play (2.2.2 (c))

Pass 6 Sep 2022 128,567 miles

Nearside Rear Exhaust mounting defective RUBBER (6.1.2 (a))

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

Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play (2.2.2 (c))

Pass 24 Jun 2021 128,216 miles

Nearside Rear Exhaust mounting defective exhaust rubber (6.1.2 (a))

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

Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play upper universal joint (2.2.2 (c))

Fail 22 Jun 2021 128,169 miles

Nearside Front Steering system fouling tyre rubbing on inner wheel arch (2.1.4 (a))

Offside Front Steering system fouling tyre rubbing on inner wheel arch (2.1.4 (a))

Nearside Rear Exhaust mounting defective rubber hanger broken but exhaust still secure (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Anti-lock braking system component slightly damaged ABS ring damaged (1.6 (e))

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play upper universal joint (2.2.2 (c))

Pass 8 Jun 2020 127,908 miles
Pass 22 Jun 2019 127,537 miles
Fail 22 Jun 2019 127,537 miles

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage insecurely attached (5.3.3 (a) (i))

How Reliable is the BMW M3?

Based on 440,678 MOT tests across 34,038 vehicles.

80.8%
Pass Rate
3,682
Miles/Year
32
Year Lifespan
34,038
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 14,421
Brake pipe excessively corroded 7,386
coil spring incomplete 5,157
coil spring fractured 4,494
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 3,944
Full BMW M3 reliability report

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53 DL is a 1988 BMW M3 in Red with a 2,300cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 9 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

Across all 1988 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.6% with a typical mileage of 122,857 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 M3 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 14,421 recorded failures. If you're considering buying 53 DL, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW M3 typically stays on UK roads for around 32 years. At 38 years old, this BMW M3 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 53 DL?

You can check the full history of 53 DL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 53 DL registered?

53 DL is a 1988 BMW M3, first registered on 31 December 1988.

Is 53 DL safe to buy?

The MOT history for 53 DL shows 9 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 53 DL 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 53 DL. 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.