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J97 TVS

1991 BMW 3 Series

Blue Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Aug 2027
Tests25 (17 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate68%

Mileage

145,651 mi
Last recorded145,651 miles
Recorded on20 Aug 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

RegistrationJ97 TVS
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

17 pass 8 fail
Pass 20 Aug 2026 145,651 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2025 145,237 miles
Pass 13 Aug 2024 144,808 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 13 Aug 2024 144,808 miles

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 10 Aug 2023 144,319 miles

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

Central Non obligatory mirror damaged

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 2 Aug 2023 144,304 miles

Nearside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Steering column flexible coupling is excessively deteriorated (2.2.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure perished on inner sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Steering rack has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel to the extent that safe steering is affected (steering rack fitted) (2.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

Central Non obligatory mirror damaged

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 12 Aug 2022 143,776 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Steering column flexible coupling is slightly deteriorated (2.2.2 (c))

Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Fail 12 Aug 2022 143,776 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Steering column flexible coupling is slightly deteriorated (2.2.2 (c))

Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Aug 2021 143,573 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 21 Aug 2020 143,373 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 21 Aug 2020 143,373 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose bulging under pressure (1.1.12 (d))

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 20 Sep 2018 141,298 miles
Pass 19 Oct 2017 139,538 miles

Offside Front shocker damp

both rear disks worn

rear brake pads starting to get low

Fail 28 Sep 2017 139,518 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

Offside Rear Suspension arm rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement suspension mounting beam (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Suspension arm rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement suspension mounting beam (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

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

Pass 8 Oct 2016 132,380 miles
Pass 12 Oct 2015 124,859 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2013 123,608 miles
Pass 2 Jul 2011 122,774 miles
Pass 30 Jun 2010 120,567 miles
Fail 28 Jun 2010 120,567 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

battery loose

front discs pitted

front lower arm bushes slight movement and starting to perish

handbrake cable o/s/r insecure

rear discs pitted

rear gearbox mountings deteriorated

slight oil leak

Pass 20 Oct 2008 114,297 miles

Temporary fuel cap fitted

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

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

Pass 27 Oct 2007 106,593 miles
Fail 26 Oct 2007 106,592 miles

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Pass 27 Oct 2006 100,519 miles
Fail 27 Oct 2006 100,519 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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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J97 TVS is a 1991 BMW 3 Series in Blue with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68%.

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 J97 TVS, 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 J97 TVS?

You can check the full history of J97 TVS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J97 TVS registered?

J97 TVS is a 1991 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 19 August 1991.

Is J97 TVS safe to buy?

The MOT history for J97 TVS shows 25 tests with a 68% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J97 TVS 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 J97 TVS. 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.