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E36 DCS

1996 BMW 316

Maroon Petrol 1596cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Jan 2027
Tests24 (16 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

143,913 mi
Last recorded143,913 miles
Recorded on24 Jan 2026
Typical for 1996 BMW 316104,488 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

RegistrationE36 DCS
MakeBMW
Model316
Year1996
ColourMaroon
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,596cc

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

16 pass 8 fail
Pass 24 Jan 2026 143,913 miles
Pass 11 Jan 2025 141,039 miles

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

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

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

Pass 18 Mar 2024 140,287 miles

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

Offside Front Lower Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Pass 8 Apr 2023 138,142 miles
Pass 15 Dec 2021 125,679 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

Offside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

both rear shocker covers off

Pass 20 Aug 2020 121,782 miles

both rear shocker covers off

Fail 17 Aug 2020 121,782 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (1.2.1 (b) (i))

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

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

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

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

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

both rear shocker covers off

Pass 7 Feb 2019 115,107 miles

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

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Fail 5 Feb 2019 115,106 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

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

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

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

Pass 10 Jul 2014 107,046 miles
Fail 10 Jul 2014 107,046 miles

Offside Front front brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Pass 20 Jul 2013 102,644 miles
Fail 18 Jul 2013 102,644 miles

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

Pass 11 Jul 2012 96,449 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2012 96,449 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Nearside Front Bonded suspension unit deteriorated and cannot function as intended (2.4.F.3)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe seriously damaged (found during steering lock to lock check) (2.2.D.2b)

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 26 Jul 2011 91,729 miles
Fail 24 Jul 2011 91,729 miles

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a) DANGEROUS

1 of 2 rear side lights not working n/s.exhaust bracket brocken at front

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 17 Jul 2010 85,846 miles
Pass 21 Jul 2009 79,417 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2008 73,134 miles
Fail 22 Jul 2008 73,134 miles

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

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

Pass 27 Jul 2007 64,489 miles
Fail 25 Jul 2007 64,489 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Front Steering arm slightly corroded but serviceable (2.2.C.1d)

Pass 25 Jul 2006 55,307 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 316?

Based on 1,210,990 MOT tests across 108,989 vehicles.

69.2%
Pass Rate
5,781
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
108,989
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 71,150
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 70,761
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 45,241
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 39,617
parking brake recording little or no effort 33,703
Full BMW 316 reliability report

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E36 DCS is a 1996 BMW 316 in Maroon with a 1,596cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 1996 BMW 316 models, the average MOT pass rate is 64.6% with a typical mileage of 104,488 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 316 fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 71,150 recorded failures. If you're considering buying E36 DCS, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 316 typically stays on UK roads for around 38 years. At 30 years old, this BMW 316 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of E36 DCS?

You can check the full history of E36 DCS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E36 DCS registered?

E36 DCS is a 1996 BMW 316, first registered on 17 December 1996.

Is E36 DCS safe to buy?

The MOT history for E36 DCS shows 24 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E36 DCS 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 E36 DCS. 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.