CarVerify

Free Car Check

E3 SYX

1996 BMW 3 Series

Blue Petrol 2793cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Mar 2027
Tests17 (14 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate82.4%

Mileage

87,483 mi
Last recorded87,483 miles
Recorded on23 Mar 2026
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
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

RegistrationE3 SYX
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1996
ColourBlue
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

14 pass 3 fail
Pass 23 Mar 2026 87,483 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

coolant leak

front headlight images poor (lamps fogged up)

ns/r tyre worn on inner edge

os/f and ns/f floor areas corroded

Fail 23 Mar 2026 87,483 miles

ns/r tyre worn on inner edge

os/f and ns/f floor areas corroded

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

coolant leak

front headlight images poor (lamps fogged up)

Pass 20 Mar 2025 87,104 miles

Coil spring corroded both front springs (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Position lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning (4.2.1 (a) (i))

Pass 25 Mar 2024 86,271 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

ns/f washer jet blocked

Pass 13 Mar 2023 84,719 miles

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

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

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

Pass 21 Feb 2022 82,059 miles

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

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

Pass 1 Mar 2021 78,721 miles

ns/f brake binding slightly

slight judder on ns/f brake

Pass 20 Jun 2019 73,154 miles

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

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Fail 20 Jun 2019 73,151 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded around fuel tank (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded around fuel tank (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Jun 2018 69,450 miles

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

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

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

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

ns/f tyre worn slightly on outer edge

rear brake pipes slightly corroded

Pass 13 Jun 2017 64,666 miles

Nearside Brake pipe slightly corroded front to rear (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 2.3mm (4.1.E.1)

Pass 7 Jun 2016 57,454 miles
Pass 24 Jun 2015 52,627 miles
Fail 23 Jun 2015 52,627 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

hand brake light on

Nail in offside rear tyre

Pass 9 Jun 2014 52,000 miles
Pass 29 May 2012 51,981 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2010 47,340 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

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

E3 SYX is a 1996 BMW 3 Series in Blue with a 2,793cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 82.4%.

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 E3 SYX, 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 E3 SYX?

You can check the full history of E3 SYX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E3 SYX registered?

E3 SYX is a 1996 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 31 December 1996.

Is E3 SYX safe to buy?

The MOT history for E3 SYX shows 17 tests with a 82.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E3 SYX 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 E3 SYX. 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.