CarVerify

Free Car Check

J178 GMH

1991 BMW 3 Series

Blue Petrol 1796cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Dec 2026
Tests20 (18 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate90%

Mileage

92,392 mi
Last recorded92,392 miles
Recorded on30 Dec 2025
Typical for 1991 BMW 3 Series122,236 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

RegistrationJ178 GMH
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1991
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

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

18 pass 2 fail
Pass 30 Dec 2025 92,392 miles
Pass 14 Dec 2024 91,430 miles

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

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

Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 18 Dec 2023 91,150 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 5 Nov 2022 90,410 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2021 89,879 miles
Pass 31 Oct 2020 89,260 miles
Pass 19 Oct 2019 88,471 miles
Pass 3 Oct 2018 88,027 miles
Fail 3 Oct 2018 88,027 miles

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

Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Pass 18 Sep 2017 87,455 miles
Pass 13 Aug 2016 85,433 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2014 85,233 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2013 84,390 miles
Pass 23 Jun 2012 77,090 miles

Offside Front Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 13 Jun 2011 73,962 miles

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Front position lamp(s) deteriorated, but still visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Pass 14 Jun 2010 70,299 miles
Pass 19 Jul 2008 68,332 miles

Front Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Pass 10 Jul 2007 64,957 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Pass 12 Jul 2006 62,629 miles
Fail 7 Jul 2006 62,463 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose leaking (3.6.A.1)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

J178 GMH is a 1991 BMW 3 Series in Blue with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 90%.

Across all 1991 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.7% with a typical mileage of 122,236 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 J178 GMH, 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 35 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 J178 GMH?

You can check the full history of J178 GMH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J178 GMH registered?

J178 GMH is a 1991 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 15 August 1991.

Is J178 GMH safe to buy?

The MOT history for J178 GMH shows 20 tests with a 90% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J178 GMH 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 J178 GMH. 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.