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C738 WLN

1986 BMW 3 Series

Red Petrol 1990cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires30 Sep 2026
Tests13 (12 pass, 1 fail)
Pass rate92.3%

Mileage

79,341 mi
Last recorded79,341 miles
Recorded on29 Sep 2025
Typical for 1986 BMW 3 Series111,050 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

RegistrationC738 WLN
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1986
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,990cc

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

12 pass 1 fail
Pass 29 Sep 2025 79,341 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2024 79,114 miles

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

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

Rear exhaust clamp damaged

Pass 5 Jun 2021 79,097 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing outer edge/sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing outer edge/sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

rear bumper damage

Pass 30 Oct 2019 79,086 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing outer edge (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing outer edge (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Pass 31 Oct 2018 79,079 miles

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all four (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 3 May 2017 79,048 miles
Pass 14 Apr 2016 78,608 miles
Pass 7 Feb 2015 77,249 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2013 75,379 miles

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

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)

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

Fail 25 Jul 2013 75,379 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

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

Nearside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

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

Offside Front Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

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

Offside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

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

Pass 21 Jul 2012 73,059 miles

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

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

Pass 15 Jul 2011 70,816 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has slight damage (6.1.A.1)

Pass 2 Jun 2006 69,241 miles

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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C738 WLN is a 1986 BMW 3 Series in Red with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 92.3%.

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 C738 WLN, 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 C738 WLN?

You can check the full history of C738 WLN by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C738 WLN registered?

C738 WLN is a 1986 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 21 May 1986.

Is C738 WLN safe to buy?

The MOT history for C738 WLN shows 13 tests with a 92.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C738 WLN 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 C738 WLN. 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.