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J59 CYL

1991 BMW 3 Series

Blue Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires29 Jun 2026
Tests17 (12 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate70.6%

Mileage

153,542 mi
Last recorded153,542 miles
Recorded on30 Jun 2025
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

RegistrationJ59 CYL
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1991
ColourBlue
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

12 pass 5 fail
Pass 30 Jun 2025 153,542 miles
Pass 24 May 2019 153,458 miles
Pass 27 Mar 2017 15,119 miles
Fail 18 Mar 2017 151,181 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

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

Pass 24 Mar 2016 137,869 miles

all tyres wearing on edges

steering rack knuckle wearing

Fail 3 Mar 2016 137,424 miles

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

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

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

offside steering rack knuckle worn

rear tyres close to limit and fronts wearing on edges

Pass 24 Mar 2015 128,921 miles
Pass 3 Apr 2013 126,125 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

Oil leak

offside rear tyre worn on inner edge

Pass 16 Mar 2012 115,345 miles

crack in windscreen zone b

Pass 14 Mar 2011 104,621 miles

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

Pass 22 Jun 2010 104,294 miles

Brake warning lamp on dash board.

Exhaust centre rubber hanger deteriorated and detached but system still appears secure.

Front and rear registration plates have a tinge of Blue across the upper part of each letter/digit.

Nearside rear brake disc quite heavily scored due to pads worn down to backing.

Offside rear tyre bald on very inner edge.

Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Suspension ride quality feels very harsh.

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 11 Jun 2010 104,293 miles

Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely maintaining the sealing arrangement (7.2.4b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Windscreen wiper not operating over a large enough area to give an adequate view (8.2.1c)

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

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

Brake warning lamp on dash board.

Exhaust centre rubber hanger deteriorated and detached but system still appears secure.

Front and rear registration plates have a tinge of Blue across the upper part of each letter/digit.

Nearside rear brake disc quite heavily scored due to pads worn down to backing.

Offside rear tyre bald on very inner edge.

Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Suspension ride quality feels very harsh.

Fail 4 Aug 2008 98,299 miles

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 4 Aug 2008 98,299 miles

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 30 Jul 2007 90,474 miles
Pass 2 Aug 2006 79,755 miles
Fail 1 Aug 2006 79,755 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

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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J59 CYL is a 1991 BMW 3 Series in Blue with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.6%.

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 J59 CYL, 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 J59 CYL?

You can check the full history of J59 CYL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J59 CYL registered?

J59 CYL is a 1991 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 1 August 1991.

Is J59 CYL safe to buy?

The MOT history for J59 CYL shows 17 tests with a 70.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J59 CYL 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 J59 CYL. 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.