CarVerify

Free Car Check

J18 VRM

2003 BMW M3

Black Petrol 3246cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Jun 2027
Tests25 (20 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

160,437 mi
Last recorded160,437 miles
Recorded on23 Jun 2026
Typical for 2003 BMW M371,708 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationJ18 VRM
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year2003
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,246cc

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 5 fail
Pass 23 Jun 2026 160,437 miles
Pass 15 Apr 2025 158,020 miles
Pass 3 Oct 2024 157,724 miles
Pass 19 Jul 2023 156,849 miles
Pass 15 Jul 2022 154,223 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2021 153,995 miles
Pass 21 Jul 2020 153,537 miles
Fail 20 Jul 2020 153,536 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Service brake lagging in operation (1.2.1 (d))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 13 Jul 2019 143,163 miles
Pass 21 Jul 2018 134,105 miles

Front Brake hose slightly damaged both cracking (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Vehicle structure is deformed but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (a) (i))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 23 Jul 2017 119,175 miles

Nearside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 11 Jul 2016 107,863 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2015 100,184 miles

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

Fail 11 Jul 2015 100,182 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

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

Pass 8 Jul 2014 91,015 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 6 Jul 2013 82,239 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2012 72,523 miles
Pass 12 Jul 2011 61,238 miles
Fail 9 Jul 2011 61,205 miles

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

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

Pass 14 Jul 2010 49,613 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2010 49,539 miles

Front Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

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

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

Pass 27 May 2009 34,948 miles

both front wipers starting to deteriorate but clear the screen

rear number plate starting to deteriorate

Fail 21 May 2009 34,814 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

Moisture starting to collect in n/s front frasher lamp

both front wipers starting to deteriorate but clear the screen

nail in os/ front tyre

rear number plate starting to deteriorate

Pass 20 Feb 2008 19,751 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Pass 7 Nov 2006 9,138 miles

How Reliable is the BMW M3?

Based on 440,678 MOT tests across 34,038 vehicles.

80.8%
Pass Rate
3,682
Miles/Year
32
Year Lifespan
34,038
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 14,421
Brake pipe excessively corroded 7,386
coil spring incomplete 5,157
coil spring fractured 4,494
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 3,944
Full BMW M3 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

J18 VRM is a 2003 BMW M3 in Black with a 3,246cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

Across all 2003 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 79.1% with a typical mileage of 71,708 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW M3 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 14,421 recorded failures. If you're considering buying J18 VRM, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW M3 typically stays on UK roads for around 32 years. At 23 years old, this BMW M3 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of J18 VRM?

You can check the full history of J18 VRM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J18 VRM registered?

J18 VRM is a 2003 BMW M3, first registered on 2 December 2003.

Is J18 VRM safe to buy?

The MOT history for J18 VRM shows 25 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 J18 VRM 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 J18 VRM. 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.