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J189 LTR

1991 BMW 3 Series

Red Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires11 Feb 2026
Tests20 (16 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

103,591 mi
Last recorded103,591 miles
Recorded on12 Feb 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationJ189 LTR
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1991
ColourRed
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

16 pass 4 fail
Pass 12 Feb 2025 103,591 miles

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 8 Sep 2023 103,581 miles
Pass 15 Jul 2022 103,571 miles
Pass 8 Jun 2021 103,562 miles

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated both sides (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 6 Feb 2020 103,099 miles

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated Both sides (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 15 Nov 2018 103,086 miles

Exhaust silencer slightly loose (8.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 5 Oct 2017 102,838 miles
Fail 3 Oct 2017 102,837 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Nearside Front Lower Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Offside Front Lower Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported Mounting broken (7.1.1)

Rear Exhaust box mounting deteriated

Pass 3 Oct 2016 101,372 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2015 101,369 miles
Pass 2 Mar 2012 99,334 miles

Battery insecure

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

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

Fail 2 Nov 2010 96,846 miles

Front Fuel hose leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 2 Nov 2010 96,846 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2009 93,068 miles

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

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

corrosion found at side sills

Fail 28 Aug 2009 93,068 miles

Offside Front Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

corrosion found at side sills

Pass 2 Sep 2008 85,921 miles

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

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

Pass 30 Aug 2007 77,258 miles
Fail 30 Aug 2007 77,258 miles

Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 11 Sep 2006 70,516 miles
Pass 24 Jan 2006 68,778 miles

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

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

off side wiper rubber split end

oil leak

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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J189 LTR is a 1991 BMW 3 Series in Red with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

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 J189 LTR, 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 J189 LTR?

You can check the full history of J189 LTR by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J189 LTR registered?

J189 LTR is a 1991 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 12 August 1991.

Is J189 LTR safe to buy?

The MOT history for J189 LTR shows 20 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J189 LTR 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 J189 LTR. 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.