CarVerify

Free Car Check

AFZ 83

1988 BMW 3 Series

Grey Petrol 1990cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Sep 2026
Tests17 (15 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate88.2%

Mileage

154,198 mi
Last recorded154,198 miles
Recorded on6 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

RegistrationAFZ 83
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1988
ColourGrey
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,990cc

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

15 pass 2 fail
Pass 6 Sep 2025 154,198 miles
Pass 11 Sep 2024 154,185 miles
Pass 9 Sep 2023 154,173 miles
Pass 10 Sep 2022 154,164 miles
Pass 5 Sep 2021 154,007 miles
Pass 6 Sep 2020 153,991 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2019 153,907 miles
Pass 25 Feb 2014 153,898 miles

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area repaired, but not inappropriately (2.4.A.3)

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area repaired, but not inappropriately (2.4.A.3)

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 29 Sep 2012 153,885 miles
Pass 11 Oct 2011 153,771 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly damaged (3.6.B.4d)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 30 Sep 2011 153,758 miles

Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly damaged (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

rear brake discs badly corroded

Pass 8 Oct 2010 152,337 miles

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

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

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

Pass 12 Oct 2009 149,182 miles

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

Offside Rear fog lamp affected by the operation of another lamp (1.3.2f)

Parking brake lever ratchet mechanism is slightly worn (3.1.5)

Rear Number plate deterioted.

Pass 3 Sep 2008 147,264 miles

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

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

Parking light stays on!

Fail 1 Sep 2008 147,262 miles

Horn control not readily accessible to the driver (1.6.1)

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

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

Offside Front Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Rear Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

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

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

Parking light stays on!

Pass 27 Jun 2007 146,032 miles

Electrical wiring damaged/contaminated

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

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly damaged (2.3.2)

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Vehicle structure has slight damage (6.1.A.1)

nearside/offside sill panel covered with plastic covers †front repaired

Pass 31 Jul 2006 143,110 miles

Battery insecure

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

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

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

AFZ 83 is a 1988 BMW 3 Series in Grey with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 88.2%.

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 AFZ 83, 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 AFZ 83?

You can check the full history of AFZ 83 by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AFZ 83 registered?

AFZ 83 is a 1988 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 27 May 1988.

Is AFZ 83 safe to buy?

The MOT history for AFZ 83 shows 17 tests with a 88.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AFZ 83 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 AFZ 83. 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.