CarVerify

Free Car Check

C261 BEC

1986 BMW 3 Series

White Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Jun 2027
Tests21 (15 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

233,046 mi
Last recorded233,046 miles
Recorded on20 Jun 2026
Typical for 1986 BMW 3 Series111,050 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

RegistrationC261 BEC
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1986
ColourWhite
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

15 pass 6 fail
Pass 20 Jun 2026 233,046 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

Pass 11 Jun 2025 233,046 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

Pass 28 Jan 2024 233,046 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt buckle slightly damaged (7.1.2 (d))

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

Pass 1 Dec 2022
Fail 1 Dec 2022

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 24 Nov 2021
Pass 14 Nov 2020 233,213 miles
Fail 14 Nov 2020 233,213 miles

Nearside Rear Parking brake operation is causing the vehicle to swerve to the nearside (1.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Oct 2019 233,046 miles
Fail 29 Oct 2019 233,046 miles

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

Pass 2 Jul 2018
Pass 29 Jun 2017 233,046 miles
Fail 29 Jun 2017 233,046 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Pass 15 Jun 2016 233,005 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2013 233,001 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

This vehicle has areas of slight corrosion on its underside

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 21 Feb 2012 232,674 miles

Areas of slight corrosion on the vehicle body / underside

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 25 Jan 2011 232,299 miles

Both rear wheel arches have slight corrosion

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

The underside inspection of this vehicle was very difficult due to mud and large metal guards fitted.

Pass 27 Jan 2010 68,605 miles
Fail 14 Jan 2010 68,602 miles

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar attachment bracket/mounting insecure (2.4.G.1)

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar attachment bracket/mounting insecure (2.4.G.1)

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 17 Jan 2009 66,753 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2009 66,753 miles

Front Sub-frame corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Front Brake hose has insufficient room to move, resulting in fouling on any part (3.6.B.4a)

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

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front Brake hose has insufficient room to move, resulting in fouling on any part (3.6.B.4a)

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (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

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

C261 BEC is a 1986 BMW 3 Series in White with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

Across all 1986 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.2% with a typical mileage of 111,050 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 C261 BEC, 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 40 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 C261 BEC?

You can check the full history of C261 BEC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C261 BEC registered?

C261 BEC is a 1986 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 9 January 1986.

Is C261 BEC safe to buy?

The MOT history for C261 BEC shows 21 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C261 BEC 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 C261 BEC. 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.