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M3 BYA

1997 BMW M3

Black Petrol 3201cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires24 Jul 2025
Tests20 (15 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

204,437 mi
Last recorded204,437 miles
Recorded on26 Nov 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW M396,985 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationM3 BYA
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1997
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,201cc

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

15 pass 5 fail
Fail 26 Nov 2025 204,437 miles

Nearside Front Inner Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced inner sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Inner Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced inner sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Inner Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced inner sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced inner sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 25 Jul 2024 201,710 miles
Fail 23 Jul 2024 201,706 miles

Emissions unable to be completed (8.2.1.2 (d))

Front Exhaust emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak (8.2.1.1 (b))

Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Fail 18 Dec 2023 201,690 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Headlamp levelling device inoperative (4.1.5 (a))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

Pass 1 Oct 2022 199,752 miles

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

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

Pass 17 Nov 2020 198,980 miles
Pass 20 Sep 2019 198,184 miles

Rear Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test ()

Fail 19 Sep 2019 198,184 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

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

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

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

Rear Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test ()

Pass 16 Aug 2018 195,598 miles
Pass 29 Apr 2016 193,590 miles
Pass 18 Dec 2014 189,555 miles
Pass 2 Aug 2013 183,274 miles
Pass 22 May 2012 164,770 miles
Pass 20 May 2011 146,393 miles
Pass 10 May 2010 127,358 miles

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)

Fail 6 May 2010 127,277 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

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 26 Mar 2009 113,988 miles

Nearside Rear 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 9 Apr 2008 99,917 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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)

both front tyres worn on inner edge

o/s door mirror cracked

Pass 23 Jan 2007 79,144 miles
Pass 18 Mar 2006 71,402 miles

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

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

How Reliable is the BMW M3?

Based on 440,678 MOT tests across 34,038 vehicles.

80.8%
Pass Rate
3,682
Miles/Year
32
Year Lifespan
34,038
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 14,421
Brake pipe excessively corroded 7,386
coil spring incomplete 5,157
coil spring fractured 4,494
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 3,944
Full BMW M3 reliability report

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Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

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M3 BYA is a 1997 BMW M3 in Black with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

Across all 1997 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.9% with a typical mileage of 96,985 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW M3 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 14,421 recorded failures. If you're considering buying M3 BYA, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW M3 typically stays on UK roads for around 32 years. At 29 years old, this BMW M3 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of M3 BYA?

You can check the full history of M3 BYA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M3 BYA registered?

M3 BYA is a 1997 BMW M3, first registered on 14 August 1997.

Is M3 BYA safe to buy?

The MOT history for M3 BYA shows 20 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M3 BYA 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 M3 BYA. 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.