CarVerify

Free Car Check

D249 ELH

1986 BMW 3 Series

White Petrol 1766cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Apr 2027
Tests29 (19 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate65.5%

Mileage

98,412 mi
Last recorded98,412 miles
Recorded on1 Apr 2026
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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £14.99

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

RegistrationD249 ELH
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1986
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,766cc

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 10 fail
Pass 1 Apr 2026 98,412 miles

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

both sills corroded

Pass 23 Apr 2025 98,417 miles

Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Fail 22 Apr 2025 98,417 miles

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Fail 24 Feb 2025 98,412 miles

Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded brake pedal mounting under battery tray (1.1.21 (e) (i))

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Pass 20 Feb 2024 98,417 miles

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

Fail 14 Feb 2024 98,417 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Pass 9 Mar 2023 98,082 miles
Fail 2 Dec 2022 98,068 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength inner wing (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength undersill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength inner wing (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength undersill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 2 Dec 2021 97,590 miles

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

Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal both sills (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 28 Oct 2020 96,692 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Fail 22 Oct 2020 96,669 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt x2 (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn rear bush perished (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 30 Oct 2019 96,335 miles

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 16 Oct 2018 95,742 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive floor to sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive floor to sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 31 Oct 2017 95,085 miles
Pass 8 Dec 2016 94,547 miles

Corrosion nearside front floor to sill

Corrosion offside front floor to sill

Fail 25 Nov 2016 94,511 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases Centre section (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded Arch (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (5.2.5b)

Nearside Rear Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded Sill (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded Sill (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is inadequately repaired Sill (2.4.A.3)

Corrosion nearside front floor to sill

Corrosion offside front floor to sill

Pass 11 Dec 2015 94,027 miles
Pass 8 Dec 2014 93,576 miles

o/s/r and n/s r tyre side walls cracking

Fail 26 Nov 2014 93,576 miles

Nearside Rear Sub-frame attachment rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Rear Sub-frame attachment rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

o/s/r and n/s r tyre side walls cracking

Pass 29 Nov 2013 93,343 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2012 92,979 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2011 92,567 miles
Pass 22 Mar 2010 91,611 miles
Fail 22 Mar 2010 91,611 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 26 Mar 2009 90,479 miles
Pass 21 Feb 2008 89,735 miles
Fail 21 Feb 2008 89,735 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 16 Oct 2006 88,041 miles
Fail 22 Sep 2006 87,947 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

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

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

Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

Offside Outer Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

D249 ELH is a 1986 BMW 3 Series in White with a 1,766cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.5%.

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 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 D249 ELH, 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 D249 ELH?

You can check the full history of D249 ELH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was D249 ELH registered?

D249 ELH is a 1986 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 6 October 1986.

Is D249 ELH safe to buy?

The MOT history for D249 ELH shows 29 tests with a 65.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does D249 ELH 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 D249 ELH. 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.