CarVerify

Free Car Check

J278 XTW

1991 BMW 3 Series

White Petrol 1796cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires21 Apr 2010
Tests7 (3 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate42.9%

Mileage

157,616 mi
Last recorded157,616 miles
Recorded on22 Apr 2009
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
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

RegistrationJ278 XTW
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1991
ColourWhite
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

3 pass 4 fail
Pass 22 Apr 2009 157,616 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 12 Apr 2008 149,029 miles
Fail 10 Apr 2008 148,946 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp excessively damaged so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.2.1d)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

Fail 16 Apr 2007 132,908 miles

Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Pass 16 Apr 2007 132,908 miles
Fail 9 Mar 2007 312,900 miles

Nearside Rear Bonded suspension unit bonding failed and part of unit is likely to become displaced (2.4.F.2)

Offside Rear Bonded suspension unit bonding failed and part of unit is likely to become displaced (2.4.F.2)

Nearside Steering rack deformed but serviceable (2.2.C.1d)

tailgate struts defective

Fail 27 Apr 2006 132,889 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Rear Brake pedal does not operate a brake fitted to each wheel (3.3.A.3)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

passenger door does not latch securely closed (6.2.B.1a)

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

J278 XTW is a 1991 BMW 3 Series in White with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 7 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 42.9%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 J278 XTW, 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 J278 XTW?

You can check the full history of J278 XTW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J278 XTW registered?

J278 XTW is a 1991 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 20 December 1991.

Is J278 XTW safe to buy?

The MOT history for J278 XTW shows 7 tests with a 42.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J278 XTW 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 J278 XTW. 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.