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BF51 SWN

2001 BMW 3 Series

Blue Petrol 2979cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires17 Jul 2027
Tests25 (19 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76%

Mileage

164,732 mi
Last recorded164,732 miles
Recorded on18 Jul 2026
Typical for 2001 BMW 3 Series95,548 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationBF51 SWN
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year2001
ColourBlue
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

19 pass 6 fail
Pass 18 Jul 2026 164,732 miles

Coolant leak

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

Pass 4 Jul 2025 160,760 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Fail 4 Jul 2025 160,760 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 14 May 2024 155,113 miles
Pass 13 Apr 2023 149,767 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Fail 6 Apr 2023 149,751 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded LEADING TO O/S/R (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 4 Apr 2022 143,814 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 15 May 2019 137,722 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has slight external damage to the casing (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 14 May 2018 131,918 miles

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

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

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

Offside rear tyres on 3mm.

Oil leak

Undertrays fitted.

Pass 15 May 2017 127,674 miles

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

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

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

Undertrays fitted.

Pass 16 May 2016 122,698 miles

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 19 May 2015 117,904 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Nearside front tyre wearing on edges.

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 20 May 2014 112,443 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Fail 19 May 2014 112,443 miles

Nearside Rear 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)

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Pass 15 Apr 2013 105,620 miles
Fail 15 Apr 2013 105,620 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 23 Apr 2012 99,575 miles

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

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

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

Pass 17 May 2011 93,518 miles
Fail 17 May 2011 93,518 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Anti-roll bar linkage insecure (2.4.G.1)

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

Pass 10 May 2010 85,307 miles
Pass 18 May 2009 77,267 miles
Fail 18 May 2009 77,255 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 8 May 2008 69,864 miles
Pass 25 May 2007 61,443 miles
Pass 15 May 2006 51,615 miles

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

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

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

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

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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BF51 SWN is a 2001 BMW 3 Series in Blue with a 2,979cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76%.

Across all 2001 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.8% with a typical mileage of 95,548 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 BF51 SWN, 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 25 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 BF51 SWN?

You can check the full history of BF51 SWN by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BF51 SWN registered?

BF51 SWN is a 2001 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 1 September 2001.

Is BF51 SWN safe to buy?

The MOT history for BF51 SWN shows 25 tests with a 76% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BF51 SWN 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 BF51 SWN. 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.