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BF51 SXT

2001 BMW 3 Series

Blue Petrol 2979cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Mar 2027
Tests29 (20 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate69%

Mileage

162,321 mi
Last recorded162,321 miles
Recorded on24 Mar 2026
Typical for 2001 BMW 3 Series95,548 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationBF51 SXT
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

20 pass 9 fail
Pass 24 Mar 2026 162,321 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front (1.1.11 (c))

Coil spring corroded both rear (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases 2x joints (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

corrosion around rear floor grommet's

Fail 23 Mar 2026 162,321 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Brake hose excessively deteriorated both front (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Direction indicator incorrect colour both rear (4.4.3 (a))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front (1.1.11 (c))

Coil spring corroded both rear (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases 2x joints (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Position lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning (4.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Power steering fluid level below minimum (2.1.5 (b) (i))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

corrosion around rear floor grommet's

Pass 7 Mar 2025 157,257 miles
Fail 28 Feb 2025 157,217 miles

Brake lever has insufficient reserve travel (1.1.2 (a))

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

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Dec 2023 152,866 miles
Fail 17 Nov 2023 152,866 miles

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

Exhaust emissions - engine idle speed too high (8.2.1.2 (e))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Offside Rear Mud flap insecure

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

Screen wash leaking from nearside front

Pass 28 Oct 2022 145,083 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 22 Nov 2021 141,398 miles

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

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

Fail 22 Nov 2021 141,398 miles

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn REAR BUSH (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn REAR BUSH (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 20 Nov 2020 135,186 miles

Engine covers and Undertrays fitted obscuring some items

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

Pass 20 Nov 2019 129,652 miles
Pass 16 Nov 2018 123,042 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Nov 2017 117,343 miles

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

Pass 24 Nov 2016 113,444 miles
Fail 24 Nov 2016 113,444 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Pass 20 Nov 2015 109,643 miles
Pass 21 Nov 2014 105,850 miles
Pass 14 Oct 2013 100,595 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2012 95,458 miles

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

front brake discs rusted

Fail 15 Oct 2012 95,453 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

front brake discs rusted

Fail 10 Oct 2012 95,429 miles

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

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Pass 13 Oct 2011 91,930 miles
Pass 15 Oct 2010 83,036 miles
Fail 15 Oct 2010 83,036 miles

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 30 Sep 2009 73,697 miles
Pass 24 Sep 2008 65,770 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 11 Sep 2007 56,943 miles

nearside front tyre side wall has slight damage

Pass 30 Aug 2006 48,414 miles
Fail 29 Aug 2006 48,404 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (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

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BF51 SXT is a 2001 BMW 3 Series in Blue with a 2,979cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69%.

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 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 BF51 SXT, 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 SXT?

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

What year was BF51 SXT registered?

BF51 SXT is a 2001 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 10 September 2001.

Is BF51 SXT safe to buy?

The MOT history for BF51 SXT shows 29 tests with a 69% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BF51 SXT 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 SXT. 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.