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L197 GYY

1994 BMW 316

Blue Petrol 1596cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 Jan 2027
Tests29 (20 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate69%

Mileage

138,825 mi
Last recorded138,825 miles
Recorded on30 Dec 2025
Typical for 1994 BMW 316115,599 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

RegistrationL197 GYY
MakeBMW
Model316
Year1994
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,596cc

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

20 pass 9 fail
Pass 30 Dec 2025 138,825 miles

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

Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 2 Jan 2025 132,548 miles

Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement all front (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

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

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

Fail 2 Jan 2025 132,548 miles

Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement all front (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Pass 5 Jan 2024 121,657 miles
Pass 6 Jan 2023 116,208 miles
Pass 4 Jan 2022 110,681 miles
Pass 6 Jan 2021 107,621 miles
Fail 6 Jan 2021 107,621 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 7 Jan 2020 99,584 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2019 98,896 miles
Pass 19 Nov 2018 86,752 miles

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

Offside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 24 Jul 2017 86,726 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Power steering component(s) leaking rack or feed pipes (2.3.3b)

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

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

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Pass 1 Aug 2016 86,330 miles

BOTH REAR DROP LINK BUSHES PERISHING..

CUTS NOTED TO N/S/F TYRE OUTERSIDE WALL..

SMALL DAMAGE NOTED TO N/S/F OUTER WHEEL RIM..

Fail 28 Jul 2016 86,174 miles

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

BOTH REAR DROP LINK BUSHES PERISHING..

CUTS NOTED TO N/S/F TYRE OUTERSIDE WALL..

SMALL DAMAGE NOTED TO N/S/F OUTER WHEEL RIM..

Pass 9 Jul 2015 85,513 miles
Fail 7 Jul 2015 85,507 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 25 Jul 2014 83,479 miles
Fail 25 Jul 2014 83,479 miles

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

Pass 29 Nov 2012 81,854 miles
Fail 28 Nov 2012 81,848 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Pass 14 Nov 2011 76,000 miles
Fail 15 Nov 2010 73,618 miles

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

Offside Front position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

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

Pass 15 Nov 2010 73,618 miles

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

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

Pass 16 Nov 2009 66,737 miles
Pass 17 Nov 2008 63,056 miles

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

all 4 tyres on this car have sidewalls cracking and should be changed.

Pass 13 Nov 2007 61,469 miles
Pass 18 Nov 2006 60,578 miles
Fail 14 Nov 2006 60,576 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 7 Oct 2005 59,790 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 316?

Based on 1,210,990 MOT tests across 108,989 vehicles.

69.2%
Pass Rate
5,781
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
108,989
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 71,150
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 70,761
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 45,241
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 39,617
parking brake recording little or no effort 33,703
Full BMW 316 reliability report

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L197 GYY is a 1994 BMW 316 in Blue with a 1,596cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69%.

Across all 1994 BMW 316 models, the average MOT pass rate is 63.8% with a typical mileage of 115,599 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 316 fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 71,150 recorded failures. If you're considering buying L197 GYY, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 316 typically stays on UK roads for around 38 years. At 32 years old, this BMW 316 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of L197 GYY?

You can check the full history of L197 GYY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L197 GYY registered?

L197 GYY is a 1994 BMW 316, first registered on 2 February 1994.

Is L197 GYY safe to buy?

The MOT history for L197 GYY shows 29 tests with a 69% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L197 GYY 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 L197 GYY. 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.