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J491 HMV

1991 BMW 3 Series

White Petrol 1990cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires11 Aug 2026
Tests15 (10 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

45,503 mi
Last recorded45,503 miles
Recorded on12 Aug 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

RegistrationJ491 HMV
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1991
ColourWhite
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

10 pass 5 fail
Pass 12 Aug 2025 45,503 miles
Pass 6 Aug 2024 45,078 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2023 44,960 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2022 44,474 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

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

Pass 2 Jul 2020 43,505 miles
Fail 2 Jul 2020 43,505 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 12 Jul 2019 41,848 miles
Fail 12 Jul 2019 41,848 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 8 Jun 2018 40,799 miles
Fail 8 Jun 2018 40,799 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 4 Feb 2013 40,361 miles

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Fail 31 Jan 2013 40,361 miles

Nearside Rear Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) leaking from a joint (2.3.3b)

Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 6 Feb 2012 34,408 miles

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

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

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

rear exhaust box deteriorated

Pass 7 Feb 2011 27,157 miles
Fail 7 Feb 2011 27,154 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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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J491 HMV is a 1991 BMW 3 Series in White with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 1991 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.7% with a typical mileage of 122,236 miles. This vehicle is performing in line with others of the same 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 J491 HMV, 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 J491 HMV?

You can check the full history of J491 HMV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J491 HMV registered?

J491 HMV is a 1991 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 1 August 1991.

Is J491 HMV safe to buy?

The MOT history for J491 HMV shows 15 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J491 HMV 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 J491 HMV. 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.