CarVerify

Free Car Check

E23 LEV

1998 BMW 3 Series

Red Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires27 Jul 2026
Tests16 (12 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

189,214 mi
Last recorded189,214 miles
Recorded on28 Jul 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW 3 Series106,396 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

RegistrationE23 LEV
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1998
ColourRed
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

12 pass 4 fail
Pass 28 Jul 2025 189,214 miles
Pass 9 May 2024 185,666 miles
Pass 3 May 2023 169,131 miles

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

Front Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

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

Rear Parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 7 May 2022 156,065 miles

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

Nearside Front Outer Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Rear Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. both (1.2.1 (c))

Fail 7 May 2022 156,065 miles

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

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

Nearside Front Outer Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Rear Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. both (1.2.1 (c))

Pass 25 Nov 2020 151,998 miles
Fail 18 Nov 2020 151,972 miles

Electronic stability control warning lamp indicates a fault (7.12 (e))

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

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

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Worn Smooth Inner Edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Nearside and Offside Worn Inner Edges (5.2.3 (e))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp does not illuminate (7.1.6 (a))

Pass 22 Oct 2019 145,162 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2018 135,253 miles

Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) nearside and offside ()

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

Offside Front moisture in headlamp

Offside some washer jets not working

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin nearside and offside ON LIMIT NOW (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge nearside and offside worn on inner edges (5.2.3 (e))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp does not illuminate (7.1.6 (a))

moisture around power steering fluid reservoir and pipes

rear exhaust silencer hanger deteriorating

Pass 6 Oct 2017 134,623 miles

General signs of under body corrosion

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 16 Jan 2014 134,581 miles

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

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

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

Pass 14 May 2008 134,413 miles
Pass 14 May 2007 127,037 miles
Fail 12 May 2007 126,926 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 16 May 2006 116,590 miles
Fail 10 May 2006 116,479 miles

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

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

air bag warning lamp staying on

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

E23 LEV is a 1998 BMW 3 Series in Red with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

Across all 1998 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.1% with a typical mileage of 106,396 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 E23 LEV, 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 28 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 E23 LEV?

You can check the full history of E23 LEV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E23 LEV registered?

E23 LEV is a 1998 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 18 May 1998.

Is E23 LEV safe to buy?

The MOT history for E23 LEV shows 16 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E23 LEV 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 E23 LEV. 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.