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L978 NBF

1994 BMW 316

Blue Petrol 1596cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 Apr 2027
Tests23 (17 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate73.9%

Mileage

85,421 mi
Last recorded85,421 miles
Recorded on7 Apr 2026
Typical for 1994 BMW 316115,599 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

RegistrationL978 NBF
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

17 pass 6 fail
Pass 7 Apr 2026 85,421 miles

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively Both side (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin Both side (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

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

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

Rear Bumper mountings corroded but not likely to become detached (6.1.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 7 Apr 2025 84,137 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

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

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

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

Parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Feb 2024 82,947 miles

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

Nearside Rear Parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Rear Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

Fail 19 Feb 2024 82,947 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Rear Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

Pass 15 Feb 2023 81,180 miles
Pass 16 Feb 2022 79,644 miles
Fail 15 Feb 2022 79,644 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Fail 27 Jan 2022 79,636 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 26 Jan 2021 77,904 miles

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

Pass 25 Jul 2019 76,055 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 25 Jul 2018 73,507 miles
Fail 25 Jul 2018 73,507 miles

Brake fluid contaminated (1.8 (a))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Pass 14 Jul 2017 69,958 miles
Pass 14 Jul 2016 69,079 miles

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

Pass 18 Jun 2015 65,396 miles

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

Pass 16 Jun 2014 64,972 miles
Fail 18 Jun 2013 62,620 miles

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

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

Pass 18 Jun 2013 62,620 miles

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

Pass 16 Oct 2009 58,346 miles

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

Nearside Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

Oil leak

Pass 15 Sep 2008 52,308 miles

Oil leak

Fail 13 Sep 2008 52,272 miles

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 31 Aug 2007 47,772 miles
Pass 18 Sep 2006 44,398 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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L978 NBF is a 1994 BMW 316 in Blue with a 1,596cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.9%.

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 L978 NBF, 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 L978 NBF?

You can check the full history of L978 NBF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L978 NBF registered?

L978 NBF is a 1994 BMW 316, first registered on 30 March 1994.

Is L978 NBF safe to buy?

The MOT history for L978 NBF shows 23 tests with a 73.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L978 NBF 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 L978 NBF. 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.