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E36 NLR

1996 BMW 3 Series

Silver Petrol 2793cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Dec 2026
Tests25 (19 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76%

Mileage

84,207 mi
Last recorded84,207 miles
Recorded on15 Dec 2025
Typical for 1996 BMW 3 Series112,776 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

RegistrationE36 NLR
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1996
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,793cc

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 6 fail
Pass 15 Dec 2025 84,207 miles
Pass 7 Nov 2024 82,326 miles
Pass 18 Sep 2023 79,668 miles
Fail 18 Sep 2023 79,668 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 10 Oct 2022 76,058 miles
Pass 22 Dec 2021 75,786 miles
Pass 30 May 2019 73,704 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2018 72,697 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly damaged (1.1.12 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Brake hose slightly damaged (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

Pass 18 May 2017 70,877 miles

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

Pass 20 May 2016 68,646 miles
Pass 22 May 2015 65,769 miles

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

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

rear wheel bearing slight noise

Pass 3 Jun 2014 62,814 miles
Pass 31 May 2013 61,132 miles
Fail 31 May 2013 61,130 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Rear coil spring worn (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 31 May 2012 59,257 miles

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

large screw in N/S/F tyre

Pass 25 May 2011 57,182 miles

Coolant leak

Nail in nearside front tyre

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

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

vehicle overheating

Fail 24 May 2011 57,182 miles

Nearside Front Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

Nearside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Front Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Coolant leak

Nail in nearside front tyre

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

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

vehicle overheating

Fail 3 Jun 2010 55,039 miles

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 3 Jun 2010 55,039 miles
Pass 27 May 2009 51,200 miles
Fail 27 May 2009 51,200 miles

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 19 May 2008 46,745 miles
Fail 19 May 2008 46,745 miles

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

Offside Front Lower Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

front tyres cracking on tread

Pass 23 May 2007 42,779 miles
Pass 24 May 2006 39,191 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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E36 NLR is a 1996 BMW 3 Series in Silver with a 2,793cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76%.

Across all 1996 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.6% with a typical mileage of 112,776 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 E36 NLR, 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 30 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 E36 NLR?

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

What year was E36 NLR registered?

E36 NLR is a 1996 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 30 December 1996.

Is E36 NLR safe to buy?

The MOT history for E36 NLR shows 25 tests with a 76% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E36 NLR 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 NLR. 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.