CarVerify

Free Car Check

AJ53 SXX

2003 BMW 3 Series

Black Petrol 2979cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Apr 2027
Tests24 (16 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

137,500 mi
Last recorded137,500 miles
Recorded on29 Apr 2026
Typical for 2003 BMW 3 Series87,452 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationAJ53 SXX
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year2003
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,979cc

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 8 fail
Pass 29 Apr 2026 137,500 miles

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

both rear shocker covers off

Fail 27 Apr 2026 137,500 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

both rear shocker covers off

Pass 1 Apr 2025 136,255 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 8 Apr 2023 134,099 miles

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge thin inner edge and on 2mm close to legal requirements (5.2.3 (e))

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Fail 1 Apr 2023 134,091 miles

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge thin inner edge and on 2mm close to legal requirements (5.2.3 (e))

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 6 Oct 2020 130,941 miles

Cracks in fuel cap seals

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 11 Apr 2019 127,177 miles

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

Fail 6 Apr 2019 127,177 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

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

Pass 6 Apr 2018 125,124 miles
Pass 30 Mar 2017 122,848 miles
Fail 29 Mar 2017 122,848 miles

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

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

Pass 18 Mar 2016 115,109 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2015 109,728 miles
Fail 5 Mar 2015 103,573 miles

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

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

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

Pass 29 Nov 2013 102,555 miles
Fail 27 Nov 2013 102,546 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Pass 7 Jun 2012 95,040 miles
Fail 31 May 2012 95,039 miles

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

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

Pass 23 Dec 2010 86,153 miles

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

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 10 Nov 2009 71,788 miles

nearside rear tyre tread getting low

rear number plate slighty deteriorated

Pass 17 Nov 2008 58,555 miles
Pass 15 Nov 2007 47,219 miles

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Fail 15 Nov 2007 47,219 miles

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

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Pass 7 Nov 2006 33,260 miles

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

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

AJ53 SXX is a 2003 BMW 3 Series in Black with a 2,979cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 2003 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.5% with a typical mileage of 87,452 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 AJ53 SXX, 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 23 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 AJ53 SXX?

You can check the full history of AJ53 SXX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AJ53 SXX registered?

AJ53 SXX is a 2003 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 21 November 2003.

Is AJ53 SXX safe to buy?

The MOT history for AJ53 SXX shows 24 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AJ53 SXX 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 AJ53 SXX. 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.