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J243 ATO

1991 BMW 3 Series

Red Petrol 1990cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Jun 2027
Tests26 (18 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

139,038 mi
Last recorded139,038 miles
Recorded on19 Jun 2026
Typical for 1991 BMW 3 Series122,236 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationJ243 ATO
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1991
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,990cc

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 8 fail
Pass 19 Jun 2026 139,038 miles
Pass 10 Jun 2025 139,038 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Boot floor area behind rear wheel in poor condition (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced inner sill in poor condition (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing perished in tread grooves (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 27 Oct 2022 138,597 miles

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sils on both side (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 27 Oct 2020 138,575 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2019 138,401 miles

Offside Front brake back plate slightly deteriated

Pass 5 Nov 2018 138,290 miles

Central Fuel Pipe/s corroded

Pass 30 Oct 2017 137,865 miles
Pass 28 Nov 2016 136,944 miles

Nearside Front inner sill/floor panel corroded through at jacking point

Offside Front inner sill/floor panel corroded by jacking point

Fail 18 Nov 2016 136,933 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint inner (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Front inner sill/floor panel corroded through at jacking point

Offside Front inner sill/floor panel corroded by jacking point

Rear Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Pass 16 Oct 2015 133,505 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt inner joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Fail 16 Oct 2015 133,491 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords inner and outer walls (4.1.D.1a)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt inner joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 13 Oct 2014 129,937 miles

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Fail 13 Oct 2014 129,937 miles

Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Pass 7 Oct 2013 125,188 miles
Fail 7 Oct 2013 125,188 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Fail 4 Oct 2012 120,990 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 4 Oct 2012 120,990 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 3 Oct 2011 116,744 miles
Fail 29 Sep 2011 116,657 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 20 Oct 2010 112,999 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2009 108,939 miles
Fail 14 Sep 2009 108,925 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Pass 19 Sep 2008 102,929 miles
Pass 28 Sep 2007 96,816 miles
Fail 27 Sep 2007 96,782 miles

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

Pass 5 Oct 2006 91,967 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

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J243 ATO is a 1991 BMW 3 Series in Red with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

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 J243 ATO, 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 J243 ATO?

You can check the full history of J243 ATO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J243 ATO registered?

J243 ATO is a 1991 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 31 December 1991.

Is J243 ATO safe to buy?

The MOT history for J243 ATO shows 26 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J243 ATO 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 J243 ATO. 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.