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BMW 30E

1989 BMW 3 Series

Blue Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Sep 2026
Tests13 (9 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

166,468 mi
Last recorded166,468 miles
Recorded on10 Sep 2025
Typical for 1989 BMW 3 Series123,356 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationBMW 30E
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1989
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,494cc

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

9 pass 4 fail
Pass 10 Sep 2025 166,468 miles
Pass 18 Jul 2024 166,301 miles
Pass 17 Jul 2023 166,298 miles
Pass 24 Jun 2020 166,069 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

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

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

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

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

Fail 22 Jun 2020 166,069 miles

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

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

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

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

Fail 8 Jun 2020 166,069 miles

Battery insecure and likely to cause a short circuit (4.13 (a) (ii))

Central Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Road wheel fixing missing (5.2.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.3 (i))

Nearside Rear Road wheel fixing missing (5.2.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Road wheel fixing missing (5.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Position lamp light intensity significantly reduced (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Road wheel fixing missing (5.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

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

Nearside Headlamp insecure (4.1.1 (c))

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

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

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

Pass 8 Aug 2012 166,069 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Oil leak

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Fail 2 Aug 2012 166,069 miles

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Oil leak

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 11 May 2011 166,068 miles

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

Pass 8 May 2009 163,869 miles

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Pass 7 Mar 2008 155,340 miles
Pass 10 Oct 2006 149,276 miles
Fail 29 Sep 2006 149,269 miles

Nearside Rear Sub-frame has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

Offside Rear Sub-frame has excessive play in a pin/bush (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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BMW 30E is a 1989 BMW 3 Series in Blue with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

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 BMW 30E, 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 BMW 30E?

You can check the full history of BMW 30E by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BMW 30E registered?

BMW 30E is a 1989 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 4 August 1989.

Is BMW 30E safe to buy?

The MOT history for BMW 30E shows 13 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BMW 30E 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 BMW 30E. 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.