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B21 NSE

1989 BMW 3 Series

Orange Petrol 1990cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Nov 2026
Tests19 (14 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate73.7%

Mileage

115,469 mi
Last recorded115,469 miles
Recorded on15 Nov 2025
Typical for 1989 BMW 3 Series123,356 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

RegistrationB21 NSE
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1989
ColourOrange
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,990cc

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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

14 pass 5 fail
Pass 15 Nov 2025 115,469 miles
Pass 22 Nov 2024 114,890 miles
Pass 23 Nov 2023 114,187 miles
Pass 10 Aug 2022 113,846 miles

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

Pass 7 Dec 2017 112,960 miles
Fail 7 Dec 2017 112,960 miles

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 9 Jun 2014 109,616 miles

Nearside Outer Rear Lower Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Outer Rear Lower Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 17 Jun 2013 106,799 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2012 104,792 miles

1. offside front tyre cracked on outer wall. 2.offside front seat mountings may need attention soon. 3. rear brake pads low. 4. battery slightly loose.

Pass 10 Jun 2011 102,150 miles

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Fail 10 Jun 2011 102,150 miles

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Fail 17 Jun 2010 98,664 miles

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Pass 17 Jun 2010 98,664 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2009 95,967 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Front foglights inoperative

Nearside front and offside rear brake pad warning light wires disconnected

Oil leak

Fail 4 Jul 2009 95,967 miles

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp switch faulty (1.3.1a)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Front foglights inoperative

Nearside front and offside rear brake pad warning light wires disconnected

Nearside handbrake reading low

Offside rear sidelight dim

Oil leak

Pass 27 Jun 2008 93,937 miles

Nearside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Pass 25 Jun 2007 93,192 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2006 91,329 miles
Fail 4 Jul 2006 91,329 miles

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Parking brake lever ratchet mechanism is slightly worn (3.1.5)

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

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B21 NSE is a 1989 BMW 3 Series in Orange with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.7%.

Across all 1989 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.9% with a typical mileage of 123,356 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 B21 NSE, 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 37 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 B21 NSE?

You can check the full history of B21 NSE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B21 NSE registered?

B21 NSE is a 1989 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 9 March 1989.

Is B21 NSE safe to buy?

The MOT history for B21 NSE shows 19 tests with a 73.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B21 NSE 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 B21 NSE. 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.