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E3 XHW

1998 BMW 3 Series

Silver Petrol 2793cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 May 2027
Tests27 (19 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate70.4%

Mileage

193,301 mi
Last recorded193,301 miles
Recorded on27 May 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW 3 Series106,396 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationE3 XHW
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1998
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 8 fail
Pass 27 May 2026 193,301 miles
Fail 18 May 2026 193,283 miles

Front Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible (4.1.4 (c))

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

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

Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment (1.1.6 (c))

Nearside Front Macpherson strut attachment bracket/mounting likely to become detached shock absorber mounting bolt missing (5.3.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Offside Front Inner Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Pass 20 May 2025 189,190 miles

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

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

Offside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Fail 6 May 2025 189,181 miles

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

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

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded to the extent that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected inner sill (5.3.6 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Offside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 21 Nov 2023 186,109 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 17 Nov 2022 180,053 miles

Surface corrosion around jacking points on both outer sills

Pass 12 Nov 2021 175,102 miles
Pass 16 Nov 2020 170,497 miles
Pass 23 Nov 2019 168,656 miles
Pass 23 Jun 2018 163,063 miles
Pass 10 Jun 2017 160,565 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 25 Jun 2016 156,015 miles
Fail 25 Jun 2016 156,015 miles

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

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 9 Jun 2015 150,123 miles
Pass 19 Aug 2013 145,447 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2012 134,937 miles

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

Fail 6 Aug 2012 134,937 miles

Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed position (8.4.1)

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

Pass 5 Aug 2011 126,035 miles

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

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

Fail 2 Aug 2011 126,031 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to the swept area in excess of a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

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

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

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

Pass 23 Jul 2010 114,552 miles

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

Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

centre exhaust sheilds loose

front and rear discs slightly worn

Pass 14 Aug 2009 96,704 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Offside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 13 Aug 2009 96,704 miles

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

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

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 20 Aug 2008 81,486 miles

Nail in offside rear tyre

front brake pads getting low

Fail 19 Aug 2008 81,486 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Nail in offside rear tyre

front brake pads getting low

Pass 9 Aug 2007 70,341 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)

Fail 11 Aug 2006 66,435 miles

Front registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Rear registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Pass 11 Aug 2006 66,435 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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E3 XHW is a 1998 BMW 3 Series in Silver with a 2,793cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.4%.

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 E3 XHW, 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 E3 XHW?

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

What year was E3 XHW registered?

E3 XHW is a 1998 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is E3 XHW safe to buy?

The MOT history for E3 XHW shows 27 tests with a 70.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E3 XHW 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 XHW. 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.