CarVerify

Free Car Check

H980 ELN

1990 BMW 3 Series

Black Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Oct 2026
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

139,724 mi
Last recorded139,724 miles
Recorded on9 Sep 2025
Typical for 1990 BMW 3 Series120,696 mi

Above 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

RegistrationH980 ELN
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1990
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,494cc

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

20 pass 4 fail
Pass 9 Sep 2025 139,724 miles
Pass 9 Oct 2024 138,918 miles
Pass 22 Sep 2023 137,680 miles

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

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 13 May 2022 133,887 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Nearside Rear 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))

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

Pass 4 May 2021 131,672 miles

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

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

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

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

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive gear box and rear diff (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component (2.1.5 (a))

Rear Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

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

Pass 22 Apr 2020 127,370 miles
Pass 29 Mar 2019 125,665 miles

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

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

Pass 23 Mar 2018 123,661 miles
Pass 10 Mar 2017 121,892 miles
Pass 15 Feb 2016 119,664 miles
Fail 15 Feb 2016 119,664 miles

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Fail 26 Jan 2015 117,623 miles

Offside Rear Electrical wiring inadequately supported (1.9.2a)

Pass 26 Jan 2015 117,623 miles
Pass 17 Jan 2014 114,503 miles
Pass 16 Jan 2013 111,092 miles

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

Pass 16 Jan 2012 109,205 miles

brake warning light on dash

Pass 12 Jan 2011 107,612 miles
Pass 11 Jan 2010 105,438 miles
Pass 9 Jan 2009 102,525 miles

Nearside Outer Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Offside Inner Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Outer Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Fail 9 Jan 2009 102,525 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Outer Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Offside Inner Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Outer Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Pass 14 Jan 2008 99,790 miles

Front Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Pass 16 Feb 2007 96,698 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Fail 8 Feb 2006 96,144 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Pass 8 Feb 2006 96,144 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

H980 ELN is a 1990 BMW 3 Series in Black with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

Across all 1990 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.0% with a typical mileage of 120,696 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 H980 ELN, 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 36 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 H980 ELN?

You can check the full history of H980 ELN by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was H980 ELN registered?

H980 ELN is a 1990 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 31 December 1990.

Is H980 ELN safe to buy?

The MOT history for H980 ELN shows 24 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does H980 ELN 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 H980 ELN. 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.