CarVerify

Free Car Check

J3 SBW

1998 BMW 3 Series

White Petrol 1895cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires5 Feb 2014
Tests12 (6 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

156,131 mi
Last recorded156,131 miles
Recorded on6 Feb 2013
Typical for 1998 BMW 3 Series106,396 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

RegistrationJ3 SBW
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1998
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,895cc

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

6 pass 6 fail
Fail 6 Feb 2013 156,131 miles

Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Horn control missing (1.6.1)

Nearside Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

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

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 6 Feb 2013 156,131 miles

Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Nearside Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

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

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 30 May 2011 148,339 miles

airbag light on

front bumper slightly insecure

nearside front tyre wearing on inner edge

nearside front, and both rear windows not operating on switch

Fail 23 May 2011 148,339 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Front Front suspension has excessive movement at a wishbone pin or bush (2.5.A.1c)

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

airbag light on

front bumper slightly insecure

nearside front tyre wearing on inner edge

nearside front, and both rear windows not operating on switch

Pass 10 May 2010 139,591 miles

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

Fail 7 May 2010 139,585 miles

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

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

Fail 16 Dec 2009 136,947 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

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

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

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

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

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Coolant leak

Pass 10 Nov 2008 115,740 miles

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

Nearside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Nearside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Nearside Inner Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

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

Offside Inner Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Offside rear upper outer pin/ bush has slight play and wear and lower.

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Fail 10 Nov 2008 115,738 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Front Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Rear Radius arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Nearside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Nearside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Nearside Inner Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

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

Offside Inner Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 5 Nov 2007 103,352 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Inner Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Offside Inner Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Oil leak

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 31 Aug 2006 81,391 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

Fail 31 Aug 2006 81,391 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

J3 SBW is a 1998 BMW 3 Series in White with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 12 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

Across all 1998 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.1% with a typical mileage of 106,396 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 J3 SBW, 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 28 years old, this BMW 3 Series is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of J3 SBW?

You can check the full history of J3 SBW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J3 SBW registered?

J3 SBW is a 1998 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 28 September 1998.

Is J3 SBW safe to buy?

The MOT history for J3 SBW shows 12 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J3 SBW 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 J3 SBW. 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.