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E501 SFX

1988 BMW 316

Blue Petrol 1766cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Jun 2027
Tests31 (21 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate67.7%

Mileage

107,474 mi
Last recorded107,474 miles
Recorded on16 Jun 2026
Typical for 1988 BMW 316109,944 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

RegistrationE501 SFX
MakeBMW
Model316
Year1988
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,766cc

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

21 pass 10 fail
Pass 16 Jun 2026 107,474 miles

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

Pass 17 Jun 2025 106,021 miles
Fail 17 Jun 2025 106,021 miles

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 25 Jun 2024 104,714 miles
Fail 25 Jun 2024 104,714 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Stop lamp(s) not working All lamps (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 20 Jun 2023 103,659 miles

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

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

Fail 20 Jun 2023 103,659 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

Pass 9 Jun 2022 102,915 miles
Fail 9 Jun 2022 102,915 miles

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 18 Jun 2021 102,548 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2020 100,989 miles
Fail 29 Jun 2020 100,989 miles

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 25 Jun 2019 99,877 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2018 98,932 miles
Fail 11 Jun 2018 98,932 miles

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Pass 14 Jun 2017 97,185 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 12 Jun 2017 97,185 miles

Nearside Rear Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

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

Both sides rear tyres slightly perished

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 27 Jun 2016 95,504 miles
Fail 22 Jun 2015 95,215 miles

Driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. (6.2.A.3)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 22 Jun 2015 95,215 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 21 Jul 2014 94,473 miles
Pass 1 Aug 2013 93,516 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2012 92,929 miles
Fail 24 Jul 2012 92,929 miles

Offside Rear Brake hose bulging under pressure (3.6.B.3) DANGEROUS

Pass 13 Jul 2011 92,832 miles
Pass 19 Aug 2010 92,053 miles
Pass 27 Jul 2009 91,856 miles
Pass 6 Aug 2008 91,402 miles
Fail 4 Aug 2008 91,042 miles

Nearside Front brake caliper has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Pass 12 Jul 2007 89,322 miles
Pass 26 Jul 2006 88,295 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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E501 SFX is a 1988 BMW 316 in Blue with a 1,766cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 67.7%.

Across all 1988 BMW 316 models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.8% with a typical mileage of 109,944 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 E501 SFX, 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 38 years old, this BMW 316 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of E501 SFX?

You can check the full history of E501 SFX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E501 SFX registered?

E501 SFX is a 1988 BMW 316, first registered on 30 December 1988.

Is E501 SFX safe to buy?

The MOT history for E501 SFX shows 31 tests with a 67.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E501 SFX 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 E501 SFX. 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.