CarVerify

Free Car Check

M3 EXW

1997 BMW M3

Black Petrol 3201cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires5 Jul 2019
Tests15 (10 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

89,439 mi
Last recorded89,439 miles
Recorded on6 Jul 2018
Typical for 1997 BMW M396,985 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationM3 EXW
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

10 pass 5 fail
Pass 6 Jul 2018 89,439 miles

Front wipers slightly smeary

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play outer (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper shock absorber mount has slight play

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play outer (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement semi-trailing arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

front and rear of both sills corroded

Fail 21 Jun 2018 89,439 miles

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

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

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

Nearside Front Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (7.1.2 (e))

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim not tested (4.1.2 (b))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Both sills corroded at the front and rear

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper shock absorber top mount worn

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement semi-trailing arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 4 Jun 2015 88,916 miles

Both front tyres perished in treaded area of tyre.

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

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

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

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

Slight corrosion to o/s and n/s sills.

front to rear steel fuel pipes slightly corroded.

Fail 27 May 2015 88,913 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Offside Rear brake caliper has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Both front tyres perished in treaded area of tyre.

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

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

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

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Slight corrosion to o/s and n/s sills.

front to rear steel fuel pipes slightly corroded.

Fail 14 May 2015 88,883 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Nearside Front coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Front Track rod end slightly corroded but serviceable (2.2.C.1d)

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

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

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm attachment bracket/mounting corroded but its strength is not seriously reduced (2.4.G.1)

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Offside Front Track rod end slightly corroded but serviceable (2.2.C.1d)

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

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm attachment bracket/mounting corroded but its strength is not seriously reduced (2.4.G.1)

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

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 5 Apr 2013 86,744 miles

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

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

Your vehicle has only just met the required parking brake efficiency, it may need adjustment or repair

Fail 4 Apr 2013 86,744 miles

Nearside Front Lower Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 17 Feb 2012 84,584 miles

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

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Lower Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 21 Feb 2011 81,540 miles
Fail 18 Feb 2011 81,526 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

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

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

Pass 22 Jan 2010 74,033 miles
Pass 19 Feb 2009 62,299 miles
Pass 15 Feb 2008 47,996 miles
Pass 2 Jan 2007 46,870 miles
Pass 19 Jan 2006 46,145 miles

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

M3 EXW is a 1997 BMW M3 in Black with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 EXW, 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 EXW?

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

What year was M3 EXW registered?

M3 EXW is a 1997 BMW M3, first registered on 1 February 1997.

Is M3 EXW safe to buy?

The MOT history for M3 EXW shows 15 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M3 EXW 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 EXW. 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.